Healthy Weight Comes Down to Calories
This past week a friend of mine shared with me that she has started taking diet pills, “just to help” expedite her weight loss goal. There was no question they had been working as she had already lost some weight, but the news really disappointed me. I’ve known this person for a long time and she has always believed that a healthy weight can only be achieved through regular exercise and eating well. She’s always brushed off diets and when her friends were jumping on some weight loss bandwagon, she would say, ” Don’t these people realize that the weight will come back? I’m not doing that any more.” So what was it that caused her to suddenly abandon her solid knowledge of weight loss and start taking a diet pill? “I’m only taking it for a few weeks,” she said. Although she joked about it, she had noticed her patience level was compromised and she was constantly thirsty (diuretic effect of weight loss pills) and a bit jumpy.
I asked her, “So what is the big difference? What is it about the pills that makes more sense than eating right regularly?” She said,”Well, I’m eating less because I’m not as hungry.” Ahhh, she’s eating less. Exactly. So basically, she needs something to force her to eat less. I said to her,”You can do this diet pill thing, but you realize that when you go off of it, it’s like losing a crutch. First of all the withdrawal probably won’t be fun and you’ll be back to what you were doing before. Use this as a learning experience. See how much food you’re cutting out, how many calories and write it down. LEARN from this that in truth, the ONLY secret to weight loss is cutting calories but ultimately, you’re going to have to do it naturally, without the aid of diet pills.”
I’m hopeful that she will realize that her weight loss is the result of simply cutting calories, there is no “magic” in the pill other than suppressing her appetite. I guess you could call that magic. But the side-effects are hardly worth it and the long-term results, not there. It comes down to what we know but don’t really like to hear, it’s making the decision to make changes that are controlled naturally, not by a drug, not by a pill or “diet” but by making the conscious choice to change. Spend time to find out what triggers eating too much and change it. Find out why you tend to overeat, then address it and change it. The only way that someone will experience long-term change is through long-term desire, period. It’s like taking illegal drugs to escape from it all, at some point you have to be responsible for your own happiness and fulfillment. Ultimately, it is you that is in charge of making things happen and reaching the goals you set. I hope she figures that out sooner rather than later.
In health,
Making Changes for All the Right Reasons!
This picture brings back a lot of memories. I was about 17 years old and about 50 pounds overweight. I was miserable but hadn’t yet made the connection between my weight, my lifestyle and how I felt. It would be another year before I would finally have an “a-ha” moment and realize that I can’t keep doing what I’m doing and expect to age gracefully and most important, healthfully.
At the end of my senior year in high school, I had promised myself to get “moving” and start eating better. At the time, Weight Watchers was all about portion control and a nice variety of fruits and vegetables. It was because of that, I was able to lose the 50 pounds in a little over a year. That was almost 30 years ago which actually started my path in to the fitness arena. I know that taking the time to do it right, not pushing crazy starvation methods in place helped me so much in understanding what I like to call, “Food and mood.”
This past week, I was in Toronto lecturing to personal trainers at Can-Fit Pro. One of my lectures was, “Inspiring Clients to Move Beyond Diets and Into Good Health.” It is really my favorite lecture to present as so many in the audience can relate to it, whether personally or through a client they’re working with.
Going from diets to healthy living includes 5 key components, commitment, planning, clear goals, journaling and lastly, BELIEF! The belief that you actually CAN make the changes to a healthier lifestyle if you’re willing to follow the 4 other components. If you are not committed you will not succeed. If you cannot plan ahead, meals, grocery shopping, exercise, etc. you will not succeed. If you are not willing or able to set clear goals, you will not succeed. Lastly, if you’re not willing to journal (some believe the most important ingredient to long-term success) you will not succeed. You see, good things come from hard work and commitment and well, getting healthy is not easy until you’ve been doing it for awhile and like anything else, it’s gets easier as you go along. The more you do it, yes, the easier it gets. If you really want to change your life, you’re going to have to do some work. Not a “Debbie Downer” simply fact and I know, I’ve been doing it with others for years and I know personally, what it took for me to once and for all lose weight and keep it off!
I believe in my clients and I believe in their ability to succeed, but they have to believe in themselves as well. If they believe, they will certainly achieve. It is no different for you, do you believe?
Here’s to your health,
Nicki
Weight! You’ve Got It All Wrong!
I love my garden!
For the past 20 years, I have worked to inspire others to start and maintain a dedication to healthy living. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s a passion of mine that makes what I do very rewarding. Since I started in this business, much has changed. If you’re like me, you’ve probably jumped on the fat-free bandwagon, the oat bandwagon, low-carb, high-carb and any other “health” fad that came across weight loss radar. Like millions of people, if news was reporting that fat-free could save your life, by God fat-free was for me! However, in the last 5 or so years, I have come to understand that health and wellness information is like anything else we read, there are a hundred sides to every story. This means that it’s ultimately up to us to read, research and find out what is best for us and our body. What’s good for your sister, might not be the same for you.
In 20 years, the one constant I have found that is that weight loss is elusive for many because of nutrition. Yeah, yeah, exercise is certainly part of the equation but if push comes to shove and I have to pick, I would say that poor nutrition, or better said, confused nutrition is the reason that so many people struggle with weight. C’mon, how many times have you started an exercise program only to find that within 6 weeks the weight you’d lost was marginal and soon after tiring of the “diet” the weight came back, and then some?
I recently started training a new client. He’s very out of shape and for a young man, has lost control of nutrition. Additionally, like many other Americans, his job prevents him from keeping a regular exercise schedule alive. He’s pushing 50 and has been told by his doctor that changes need to be made or he’ll be on meds within 2 years. He came to me for exercise assistance and though we discussed the options for exercise, when it came to nutrition he said, “Well if I’m exercising, it really doesn’t matter, right?” WRONG! He believed that he would be burning off calories so that anything he ate wouldn’t matter. There’s two things here, first, people don’t often exercise hard enough or regular enough to create a consistent deficit = sustainable weight loss. That’s a common misconception. Second, no matter how much you exercise, the fuel that you put in to your body DOES matter. It’s no different than saying it doesn’t matter if you pour a gallon of paint in to the gas tank of your car. Um, yeah, it might make a difference. Same with food, you put junk in, low quality food and that’s what you get, feeling “icky” and low energy.
When I shared with my client that food was the majority of the weight loss puzzle he said, ” I wouldn’t know where to start, further, I have a very busy job.” I understand that all too well. So I encouraged him to first write down for a couple of weeks what he’s putting in his mouth. I think we can all agree that very often we’ll pay little attention to the quality of food we’re eating as long as we’re satisfied, right? Once he has an idea on his eating habits, where, why, what, THEN he can begin to address small changes here and there that don’t seem catastrophic to his current lifestyle. The truth is that many people aren’t willing to be inconvenienced by healthy changes, so the changes have to be small enough that they don’t seem that life altering. Make sense?
We are country that’s in a mess when talking about diet and exercise, there’s no doubt. But there is so much garbage, and promises of “easy” weight loss, that so many simply give-up because the task to lose weight and get healthy is daunting. For starters, ask yourself, “What do I want to change and why?” If you can answer that question with a response that will keep you focused, you can start making small changes. Start with something as basic as drinking more water. If you’re a diet soda drinker, strive to eliminate soda gradually from your diet. If you eat a lot of meat, try cooking some meals without meat (the internet is full of great recipes). If you’re a snacker, what is the quality of snacks you’re eating? If it’s chips, opt for a handful of almonds, or some rice crackers (not cakes, crackers) and a small bit of hummus. A bowl of fruit. We have gotten so far away from the foods we’re meant to eat and instead ended up in the land of processed foods and it’s killing us. Start paying more attention to ingredients in your foods, sodium amounts, additives and quantity of food, we eat waaaaay too much food. If you’re a sugar person, how can you start today, by reducing the amount of sugar in your diet? Do you eat plenty of vegetables each day? If not, how can you begin to incorporate more. These are a lot of questions, but start with just one thing, when you feel you’ve mastered it, move on to another change and so on and so on.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you cannot expect to change unhealthy habits in a week, a month or even a year. I personally still strive to improve my diet and knowledge of nutrition every single day. I am a firm believer in “food and mood,” when I eat well, I feel well. There is so much confusion about weight loss and nutrition it can make your head spin. Take it slow, listen to your body after you eat, what is it telling you? Your body is an amazing machine, trust that it has the ability to tell you what it needs and then be kind enough to respond positively.
There’s nothing more valuable than learning about healthy habits that can positively impact your life. Trial and error is part of the process, but if you don’t try, you’ll never know what opportunities are out there just waiting for you!
Here’s to a healthier you!
Nicki
Some of my favorite books: An End to Overeating by Dr. David Kessler
101 Optimal Life Foods by David Grotto, RD, LDN
Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes
Second Nature, A Gardners Education by Michael Pollan
You Want to Eat Healthy? Think Au Natural!
The road to healthy eating never ends, in that, there’s always something new and interesting to learn about what really constitutes a healthy diet. So many philosophies, so many ideas, diets, etc. that make the nutritional know-how rather confusing and conflicting.
When I talk to my clients about nutrition, I encourage “Au natural” as the best gauge. All too often people count calories which focuses more on quantity(calories) vs. quality. If we can learn to focus more on the quality of our foods the quantity somewhat remedies itself. For example, it’s very easy to over-eat a bag of potato chips, right? But try to over-eat a cucumber salad, or sweet potato or sliced peppers, not likely to happen.
If you’re looking to change your “diet” start with focusing on the quality of the food your eating. If you still love your sweets, your boxed foods, start finding healthier options. For example, have you ever tried a date? Oh my gosh, dates are a wonderful substitute for a piece of candy or chocolate. Unfortunately, society and our pallets often dictate what we want, but the truth is, if you slowly start making healthy changes, your body and pallet will respond positively.
Slow and steady wins the race. Take it a day at a time, pay more attention to the quality of your foods and set small goals for yourself each week. Perhaps during week 1, it’s simply taking a look at what you’re eating on a daily basis. Observe where you need to change and what you’re willing to change. Once you do that, you can better assess where you need to start and off you go!
Healthy, all natural nutrition is the key to a healthier weight, NOT dieting.
Here’s to your health!
The Reality of Aging
Yes, I really went to see Cher. It was a vacation!
This past week I joined my hubby for his conference in Vegas. Vegas, not one of my favorite spots, mainly because you’re either sweltering in the “blow dryer” air or freezing with the blasting air conditioning in the smoke filled casinos. But hey, it’s time away and you can’t scoff at that no matter where you’re going.
Whenever my clients tell me they’re going on vacation, I always remind them about the opportunities that abound to be active and eat well, despite the whining telling me it’s not possible. 
So when it was time for my vacation, I decided that this trip was going to be a real vacation. What is a real vacation? It’s when you go somewhere and do nothing except what you enjoy vs. a trip which is where you do what everyone else enjoys, big difference!!
At the hotel there was a Canyon Ranch Spa, HELLLOO! Eureka, I hit the mother load. There’s nothing greater than being able to be somewhere that you don’t have to be in charge. I took classes I didn’t have to teach. I got to workout and didn’t have to clean up all the equipment when everyone was done. I could go right from my workout to the sauna or hot tub or igloo or experiential showers (that’s a whole other blog). I was able to eat some of wonderful, organic foods vs. the processed, crap boxed meal that some people actually called lunch. Regardless, I felt very lucky to have the opportunity to get away and just be.
So on to my classes. After my first class I realized, “Wow, that was hard.” My second class, “Wow, that was really hard.” But I’m a fitness professional, right? I can’t whine, it’s unacceptable to whine. But by class three, I was whining. Why? Because my legs hurt so bad I was shuffling around like the Mr. Wiggins character portrayed by Tim Conway. My biceps felt like a blister ready to pop and my pride, almost beyond repair. I’m supposed to be fit, right? But then I remembered what I tell my clients. “Don’t try to prove something. Just workout at a pace that’s smart and appropriate for you. Otherwise, you’re going to be sorry.” Yep, I was sorry for trying to prove that 49 can still do what an 18 year old can do. I was in a class with many that could be my children and I felt it was my professional duty to keep up and prove what the “old lady” could do. Stupid move.
Here it is Saturday, and Wednesday was my last class before heading home. I’m still poppin’ ibuprofen for pain, still wondering what I was thinking and taking yet another day off of working out. Bottom line, the body changes and can’t always do what it used to. Now don’t misunderstand, I’ve never look for an excuse to take it easy, not in my DNA, but what I did was just stupid. High intensity classes back to back in addition to doing cardio stuff following (Why? Because I could!) and well, I over did it. And now I’m paying for it. Isn’t it funny, that wisdom seems to come through gracefully except when there’s competition. Suddenly those competitive juices start flowing and all the wisdom goes out the door.
These aches and pains I’m experiencing humble me and remind me that no one is exempt to the aging process and the accommodations and considerations that need to be made as your body changes. Although I certainly held my own in the classes (had to throw that in), something tells me not a darn one of those kids was even phased by the workouts. Worse yet, they probably thought the class was a warm up class.
Lesson learned? Practice what I preach! Pay attention to your body, honor it’s limits but never shy away from gently pushing outside those limits. Just don’t push so far you lose sight of where you’re going and what you’re trying to accomplish.
Tomorrow, I’ll work out; after I take my ibuprofen.
Nicki
A Mind Change Results in a Body Change!
I’ve really missed blogging, but happy to say work has been so busy that my spare time has been non-existent. But I swore that before this week ended, I would post! So here we go, yay!
Last week I had the pleasure of participating in my first triathlon. Now hold on, before you are impressed, I only did the running portion. Not that running a 5K is no big deal, but after completing the event, and seeing what the participants who completed all 3 legs were doing, I felt a bit like a cheater. I participated in a relay for the event, my partner Cathy did the swim and the biking. Since I detest swimming (o.k. I actually fear it) and wasn’t sure about the biking part, I gladly let her do it. While she was out nailing her events, I had time to kill so I watched in awe, as women of all sizes and shapes competing in events that one would assume was only for elite athletes. Granted, the elite athletes finished before many of us even started, but that didn’t matter, it was about finishing.
While I watched my partner nail the swimming part of the race, I saw a friend of mine that is a photographer. We starting chatting and she said, “You know, I used to be a great swimmer in high school and college, but those days are gone!” The light bulb went off in my head and I said, “Hey, next year, why don’t you do the swimming part and I’ll do the bike and run portion?” She wasn’t too sure about it because she said she wasn’t in shape. Ahh, and this is where “we” women cut ourselves short all the time. Being active is a process and the more active you are, the more fit you become. You see, you don’t have to get fit before you can be active. Being active is the road that takes you to the land of the fit. Too many women discount their abilities because they believe they’re not fit enough or thin enough or whatever distorted thought they have about their body.
Being fit comes simply through moving more. The more you move the more you’ll find yourself doing. Unfortunately, the weight loss and dieting world has us believing if we’re not thin or buff or lean, we are incapable of being athletic or active, so not true.
So, my friend sent me an email and I’m happy to say she has agreed to do the swimming portion. I have a sneaking suspicion she is going to be so pleased and maybe even surprised with what she’s able to do. I’m so glad she’s giving herself an opportunity to realize that it’s never too late to connect with your physical abilities, no matter age, size or shape. Fitness is an equal opportunity endeavor. I can’t wait til next year! But I need to get to work on the biking thing!
In health,
Nicki
Dr. Oz Challenge Continues!
If you look at the most common reason people fall away from weight loss efforts, it’s motivation. The excitement and enthusiasm felt when starting a weight loss plan is like the first day of school, the possibilities are endless and everything is new and fresh. But into the third or fourth week, the newness wears off and the reality of hard work sets in, no so fun anymore. But unlike weight loss programs, school is a must (well, I’d like to think it is) and the motivation to stick with it is far greater. But with weight loss, if you quit, you quit. You walk away quietly and no one knows, except of course you, and very often that doesn’t feel very good.
Last week, the Fox Chicago News Dr. Oz group came to my studio in hopes of finding that lost motivation. I wrote a column about it last week. Losing motivation is not uncommon, and getting it back is always a challenge. Just remember, realistic expectations combined with a realistic exercise and nutrition program is the best way to stay on track and realize a healthier you!
Nicki
To Burn Or Not To Burn….Fat or Fiction?
Go the distance for fat loss.
At least once a week I’m asked, “Is it better to exercise at a lower intensity to burn fat?” A-hem, uh not exactly. First I’m going to give you the science perspective, then my perspective. Shake ‘em together at the end, and see what you come up with.
First, the science. The idea of low-intensity exercises being the secret to burning more fat is in fact not so. However, it is true that when you’re exercising at a lower intensity, fat is the primary source of fuel (which started the “fat-burning zone confusion). But if we’re talking overall fat loss (which I’m assuming most are), it’s all about calories in vs. calories out. When you’re exercising at a higher intensity level, the total number of calories expended are much greater than they when exercising at a lower intensity, hence the total amount of calories and fat used is increased. At the end of the day it’s really about the number of calories you expend. Hence, higher intensity, more calories burned, more fat loss.
O.K. now the reality. I tell my clients all the time, “There is a direct correlation between how hard you’re willing to work and the goals that you set for yourself.” In other words, many of us may want to look like the latest model on the front of Sports Illustrated, but the work that goes in to that body, (and genetics) along with some airbrushing makes it a little bit unrealistic.
I have had so many discussions with people that tell me they walk every day and they have seen no change in their weight. So I ask the obvious questions, “How long have you been walking that same distance? Do you ever offer variety in to your exercise program? How hard do you think you’re working on a scale of 1-10? How is your nutrition?” And finally I ask, “What are you really willing to do long term?” Ultimately that will help them to clearly understand what they can expect with their current level of exercise. Look, if you’re not willing to really kick up your walking program and add some variety to it and your nutrition is so-so, please don’t expect miracles. Just because you exercise doesn’t mean you’re going to transform your body, especially if you don’t have the right collection of change, i.e. higher intensity, intervals (Burns more calories in a shorter period of time) and increase the time you spend exercising. Are you willing to do that? If so, you will notice change. If you’re not willing to step things up, then be content with that and stop comparing to those with completely different lifestyles.
The other piece to remember is that many would quit exercise after awhile if they’re not really committed to high intensity, interval training. So for many, keeping it low intensity, but increasing mileage may be more appropriate, as well as sustainable. Again, we’ve been so bombarded with how to achieve “the perfect body” we’ve forgotten that for many people the real goal is simply preserving good health.
We all want the answers to how we can achieve the “perfect” body. In truth, most of us (self-included) have no desire to workout 6 hours a day to achieve perfection. I do what keeps me happy, healthy and consistent. I’m hoping that whatever your goal is, you approach it with realistic expectations so that it’s achievable and sustainable!
Here’s to your health!
If you’re here in Chicago, be sure to watch Fox Chicago News on Thursday, May 27th at 9:00 p.m. Catch our Dr. Oz segment as we discuss plateaus and I share some simple cardio kicks and convenient strength training!
Learning about Healthy Eating Never Ends!
Teri Gentes, A Certified Nutritional Consultant and Recipe Author of Gourmet Natural Foods Nutrition
As long as I’ve been focused on eating better and moving more, I always believe there’s room for improvement. As I head in to the last year of my 40’s, now more than ever I want to be the best I can and the way to make that happen, is to learn what things I can improve upon.
When I look back 20 years ago, I too was sucked in to the whole “low-fat, high carb” diet. I read everything that came along on the subject and believed that I knew it all and that my nutrition was set. Little did I know that not only was eating that way not conducive for me feeling great, I was eating a lot of processed foods. You see, many choices that we make that seem healthy, are not always the best choice. But through brilliant marketing and deceptive labeling, it makes it awfully tough to know just what your eating and how it actually affects the way we feel and our overall health.
In the early 90’s it was all about Oat Bran, touted as the new miracle food! In the late 90’s, The Atkins Diet resurfaced and we had a whole new generation following the Atkins philosophy. Unfortunately, it was rarely about the health, more about the weight loss. Here’s what I mean, whether it’s low-fat, high oat, or low-carb, if you’re eating junk which stays in the parameters of the diet, you may be losing weight, but what are you putting in to your body? And that’s where the lack of education comes in. A good example is 100-calorie packs. It’s basically processed bags of food that people are led to believe are more healthy. The truth is that folks may be getting less calories, but like a diet drink, what they save on the front end they end up making up in the back end, so it’s commonly a wash. I’m not making this up, I see this with my clients all the time.
So, like you, I get frustrated with the information that comes out about nutrition and the confusion that comes a long with it. High Carb? Low Carb? High Protein? Low Protein? Low- Fat? Low Calorie? Fat-Free? Preservative free? And on and on the questions go.
In my search to learn more, I have just started working with a lovely lady, Teri Gentes, someone you should know. Teri has taken me to a new level in my quest to understand more about food and what constitutes a good choice vs. a misinformed choice. I love learning as I believe the more I know, the more I can positively grow. There are plenty of things she’s shared with me that many of us know, eat more veggies and fresh fruit, avoid processed, chemical filled foods, etc. But I’m also learning so much that I didn’t know. Although healthy eating can be very, very detailed, ultimately it’s about making choices that can make you stronger, healthier and happier. I’ve always believed there is a direct correlation between food and mood and as I make my way through this educational process, I believe it now more than ever.
I try and do my best with giving straight forward advice in my columns and blogs about healthy eating, and with that are some amazing resources out there that can help explain things in a way that’s easy to understand and implement bit by bit. Like anything, you can’t go and clean out your cabinets and expect that in a day you are going to completely alter your eating and it’s going to stick, it won’t.
Making small changes is the best way to alter and positively change your diet. It can be as basic as adding in a new vegetable each week. Working to move away from boxed foods and focus more on whole, natural state foods. Trust me, when I got in to this business I thought I had healthy eating all figured out. Not even close! So as I learn, I will share with you. Following are just a few resources for you. I’d love to know your thoughts about food deception and the confusion when seeking a healthy eating plan that you can stick with for life. After all, that’s what healthy eating is all about saving and enhancing your life!
Here’s to your health!
Nicki
Nicki Anderson’s Single Step Weight Loss Solution
An End to Overeating by Dr. David A. Kessler
Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes
Jamie Oliver – Food Revolution
How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman
A Disconnect With Food May Be Cause of Obesity
Garden Season is Finally Here!
Spring is most definitely my favorite time of year. One of the reasons I celebrate spring is because it is officially garden season. Woot-Woot! There is nothing more exciting than to watch the garden grow and ultimately bring produce in to my home that is no longer from the store, but my own backyard. (O.K. I have to give credit, where credit is due, my husband Bill does all the planting, I get to harvest and cook. )
Last week, as I gathered some fresh radishes, green onions and lettuce to make the first garden salad of spring, I started to think about the disconnect that many people have with their food. In other words, it’s not about fueling (feeding) yourself, it’s simply about filling the tummy. My guess is years and years of fast-food and processed food has contributed to the disconnect. Additionally, people no longer pay attention to the importance (mentally and physically) that fresh, whole food provides for the body and soul.
I can’t tell you the number of people that have said, “Healthy eating means bland food and no taste.” Not so. The fact is that so many processed foods and fast-foods are loaded with salt and saturated fats, that people have forgotten what “real” food tastes like. Herbs can take any meal from weak to wow, it just takes time and experimentation.
Case-in-point, I was talking to a client of mine that is an avid “out-to-eater” and is working to try and make better choices. I encouraged him to start bringing his own lunch or find ways to include more home cooked meals. “Ahh, I just don’t like that food. I like the foods I get at restaurants.” And the reason he likes that food is that his palate has developed a fondness for high sodium and fat so when he attempts to eat a meal at home, it doesn’t taste as good. But the truth is that once you get back on track with “real” food, you’ll begin to realize just how unhealthy restaurant/fast food makes you feel. He is slowly making that connection and now realizes much of his lethargy has been due to his food choices.
It is my belief that processed foods are not only contributing to the demise of health in our country, but our appreciation for the value of good food and how it can positively contribute to good health, if we just give it a try. Think about how you feel when you’ve eaten well vs. how you feel when you’ve had a junk filled food day.
Hey look, been there, I get it. My diet used to consist of a 1/2 dozen chocolate filled donuts in the morning, Snickers for a mid-morning snack, a couple of tacos and chalupa for lunch, chips for a mid-afternoon snack and then whatever was being served for dinner. And then of course I went out with my friend later, a little alcohol and then a midnight snack which was typically huevos rancheros. Surprised? Sometimes I can’t believe the amount of unhealthy calories I used to consume. But once I made the connection between “mood and food,” my life changed and so can yours.
Start paying attention to how you feel when you consume healthier choices. Look, I’m not telling you to go out and start a garden, but why not start a little herb garden inside? When you go to the store, stick to the perimeter of the store as much as possible as that is where your healthier options are. Set a goal to start eating 2 vegetarian meals per week, or add a salad to 3 meals per week, etc. There are TONS of resources and recipes for creating healthier meals. My book is a great tool for gradually implementing healthy choices both for food and exercise. Opt for fruit and nuts for snacks vs. boxed bars that are loaded with sugar and preservatives. Given what I used to eat and where I am today, it is doable, if you’re willing and ready to change. And that is the key my friends, the willingness to change.
I know that when I harvest from my garden and consume the food from it, I am grateful for it. I am grateful for the opportunity to consume food that positively contributes to the body I was given. I just don’t think people give a second thought to the food they’re eating much less how it positively or negatively contributes to their health and everyday performance. Bottom line, we take food pathetically for granted.
So the next time you think about dieting, switch gears to connecting. Connecting with the foods that contribute to a better, healthier you. You don’t have to have a garden to do it. Simply start by purchasing more fruits, vegetables (especially when they’re in season, they’re cheaper) and when they’re not, frozen can work. After you’ve finished a healthy meal, connect to how you FEEL. The same holds true when you choose unhealthy options, pay attention to how you feel. My guess is that it will be vastly different than how you feel when eating whole, good-for-you foods.
In addition to plenty of resources via web, I’ve got a ton of recipes on my website as well as my cookbook, Here’s to Health.
I encourage you to start listening to your body and how it responds when you make the choice to fill yourself with a better grade of “fuel”. I know for me, the day I decided to choose health, that was the day I stopped dieting and finally achieved a healthier, stronger, leaner me. For that I am eternally grateful.
I want to hear your story. Have you struggled with healthy eating? Perhaps it’s because you’ve always used food for weight gain or loss. Maybe now is the time to use food for for it’s original intent, to fuel your body allowing it to perform optimally. That sounds a heck of a lot better than dieting, don’t you think?
Here’s to your health!
Nicki
P.S. As a side note, I know there is always the argument of how expensive healthy eating can be. THat comes from lack of education and it is my mission to see how we can change that. Be sure and check out Jamie Olivers effort in his show Food Revolution. A must watch!
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