No one should forego a bikini on the beach (or that secret speedo in the back of your drawer… I’m looking at you, guys). As a follow up to my Super Foods article (https://sweetlemonmag.com/
Diet: and not dieting is the key to healthy success. Ready for a secret? There does not exist a single diet on earth that has been proven to help you lose weight. Why? Because diet alone is not enough. Combine healthy, super foods with a regimen of exercise and you’ll notice changes in your energy, skin, and health. However, keep in mind that everyone has different metabolisms, body types and genetics (genes make the jeans). Learn what works for you, notice how your body responds, and find the dietary tweaks that make you feel best.
Sweat: Break a sweat, people! If it doesn’t hurt then you’re not making a change in your physique. This is not joint pain, or pain caused by injury (if you experience any of that, back off and/or see a doctor). Rather, this pain is caused by the lactic acid build-up in your muscles that causes you to be sore the next day. Change hurts so good!
Eat: Don’t skip meals, you wouldn’t skip filling up your car. Many nutritionists suggest eating many small meals throughout the day to hold your metabolism steady and to burn calories evenly. Pay attention to portion sizes, and carry fruit, crackers with cheese, yogurt, etc. to work or class. Healthy snacks will help moderate your body’s sugar levels and prevent crazy highs or crashing lows while keeping your machine burning clean throughout the day.
Fast: This seems contradictory to the above point, and while I urge you to always eat when hungry, you may have noticed that some days you simply don’t have an appetite. And that’s OK – it’s your body telling you that it needs to rest and reset. On these days (usually once every couple weeks), stay hydrated and stay in tune. An interesting side note is the fact that often times when you feel hungry, you’re actually thirsty. Next time you’re ravenous, try drinking a glass of water, waiting 10 minutes, and then sitting down to eat. You may be surprised.
Be Selective: Eat less red meat and choose more lean, white meat. Have a serving of chocolate when you crave it, drink a glass of red wine (full of antioxidants and resveratrol) when you have dinner with friends, but always make conscious choices with your food. The body is a living machine and will work better with high-nutrient fuels rather than low ones.
Habit: Exercise and diet is about creating habits. If you make working out a part of your routine, slowly you will find that you crave it. If you make a habit out of eating healthy and correct portion sizes, soon you will find that certain foods make you feel worse – you just never noticed. The goal of correct exercise and diet is to find balance, and finding balance is a consciously created habit.
Fun: “Everything in moderation, even moderation”. Everyone, every once in awhile is allowed that giant piece of chocolate cake with ice cream on top, which, although not wholly good for the body, can be incredibly good for the soul. At least that’s what I tell myself.
That’s It? In the end, there are very few easy tricks to a healthier lifestyle. There is, however, one central theme: listen to your body and learn about yourself. You only get one cellular soul mate to make this journey: take care of it, get to know it, and when in doubt, remember Dr. Seuss…
“So be sure when you step, Step with care and great tact. And remember that life’s A Great Balancing Act. And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed) Kid, you’ll move mountains.”
And that’s my advice – 98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.
By Marc Mahoney
Janine Wilkin
THANK YOU! I have finally started realizing that the perception of hunger vs. thirst are often difficult for me to distinguish. Great follow up to your Super Food Article.
How do you feel about juice ??
Marc Mahoney
Thanks, Janine!
As far as juice goes, it is important to read the ingredients on the container (as when buying any food) and making sure of the amount of sugar and natural ingredients.
Juices that are purely fruit with no additives are rarer than you think, but as long as you can assure the quality then it can be a great source of vitamins in a convenient form. When you’re not sure of the quality, stick to regular, un-juiced fruit.
If you’re a big fan of juices, friends of mine have invested in a nice juicer and now can’t live without it! They throw kale, broccoli and other things you wouldn’t think could taste so delicious in juice form and make it in the morning.
Hope that helps!
Briana
I really loved this article. It touched on every aspect of healthy living. It comes to me at a perfect time because I want to start living healthier, not a diet because as you said, diets just don’t cut it. Thank you for this!
Marc Mahoney
Thanks, and glad to hear it, Briana!
blogs.euobserver.com
Hi there! This is my first comment here so I
just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I truly enjoy reading
through your posts. Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that go over
the same topics? Many thanks!
Marc Mahoney
I’m glad you liked my posts!
I don’t necessarily have blogs, websites, or forums that cover the same topics, but I can recommend a fantastic TED Talk that serves as inspiration:
http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_buettner_how_to_live_to_be_100.html
Enjoy!
Marketing
I think that you can do with