Is Your Life in Balance?

Many times if there is a struggle to lose weight or change the body composition, some people will look in the wrong areas for a reason. For example, one may think that the problem with following a diet is lack of discipline or the person may not want it bad enough. Optimal change is not necessarily from a specific diet but a decision to change your whole nutrition lifestyle. Your nutrition lifestyle is not a three or six month regiment but a plan to reduce non-healthy items and replace them with better options for the rest of your life. Remember, diets do not work. Outside of that, there are many factors that influence your decision to change that you probably did not consider.

Balance and happiness in various areas of your life can play a factor when it comes to your food choices. Areas such as career, relationships, finances, your health, confidence and spirituality along with physical activity are all important toward your well-being. If any of those areas are off balance, that may be one of the underlying reasons for the struggle and poor food choices.

If there has been on ongoing struggle, take a look at your life and think about those areas. It could be something that is going on now or something in the past, for example an unresolved issue with a loved one that weighs heavily on your mind, an unfulfilling job that you dread getting up for or there is a lack of peace or solitude that you connect with, whether is it a higher being or nature. All or any of these areas can be improved with small steps over time. This is just one thought as to why a change in your nutrition lifestyle seems tough. Look outside the box. Is your life in balance?

Cook For Them & Me? How?

Here is an issue that I commonly hear that you may relate to, “How can I change what I eat by prepping and cooking my meals and then cook differently for my significant other and/or the kids? I do not have that much time.” So I ask, why does it have to be any different?

When you are on a path to a healthier body and and well being, you need support from those around you, family, friends, and anyone that will uplift you during your transition. I suggest bringing the family along for the journey. There are so many types of food to eat that are tasty and healthy. If you are eating fried and processed foods or items that are full of fat, salt and sugar you may consider weaning everyone from those choices. Usually when there are cravings for those foods, the body is missing key nutrients and when you feed the body healthier choices, the cravings go away.

Remember, diets do not work. You should view new choices of food as a change in your lifestyle that continues with no end. That being said, it should be easier on you to make the lifestyle change for your family. Many of the issues of children being overweight and obese in this country start in the home. The children usually do not do the grocery shopping or the cooking, so if there is a need to change habits, it has to start with you. Your significant other may be a different issue as s/he has the ability to buy whatever they want but when there is subtle change, there is a hope that it will catch on.

Some of the subtlest changes are to start incorporating more whole grains into your diet. This could be as simple as infusing whole wheat and whole grain products into the menu and reducing white pasta, white rice and white breads. If there are sugar cravings in your house, add more fruits and sweet vegetables such as carrots, corn, winter squashes, yams, red and yellow peppers. For salt cravings, there are healthy foods that are naturally high in sodium such as beets, celery, celeriac, artichokes and seafood. The main way to substitute flavor is with seasonings and herbs, this could be fresh or dry, but getting flavor in your foods from this natural route is better then relying on the processed foods and other choices full of fat, salt and sugar.

You may be surprised of the positive response you get from your family with new and healthy choices. You have to make a choice to make the change. Your health and your family’s health starts with what you put in your body. Take charge of it!