There is of course a tremendous amount of science involved in the way the human body works. How it digests and breaks down the nutrients we provide it with, how it converts that into fuel and then subsequently furnishes us with the energy to perform at our physical peak. Anatomy, physiology, biology, diet and nutrition are indeed complex subjects. However, there are also some really simple and straightforward elements for us non-scientists to focus on in our quest for a lean healthy body, and the great news is that they all revolve around one basic concept. Common sense!
Now the term “common sense” is poorly named, as it appears to be not that common at all. However, the following tips are really only based on a few simple concepts and are actually only what most naturally thin people do on a daily basis. Naturally thin people are not doing anything radical, they haven’t got the key to some amazing weight loss potion, and are no smarter on the subject than their overweight buddies. Here are my top 10 tips, try them for 10 days and I pretty much guarantee you will feel better and weigh less.
1: When you feel hungry, eat! I told you this was not rocket science didn’t I? The real key is establishing that what you are actually feeling is hunger. There is always the chance you may actually be dehydrated so as soon as you feel a hunger pang drink a glass of water. If you still feel hungry after that then have a bite to eat.
2: Love water, it’s great! Water is a truly magical elixir that works wonders for your body and your mind. It flushes your system, increases your powers of concentration and ups your energy levels. 8 glasses a day will do the trick.
3: Stop denying yourself. Diet plans have a tendency to be incredibly restrictive which leads to feelings of resentment and frustration and that can’t be good, can it. Remember, a little of what you fancy does you the power of good, so everything in moderation.
4: Chew your food. This little gem should really be obvious, and yet amazingly there are countless people out there who seem to virtually inhale their food. Every part of the digestive process has been meticulously designed to serve a specific purpose, so use it. Chew at least 25 times to give your body the chance to break your food down and digest it properly. Remember, your colon doesn’t have a full set of teeth!
5: It’s not a race. Slow down, there are no prizes up for grabs at the end of your meal. If you rush your food you don’t give your brain the chance to receive the message from your stomach that you’re full up. As a result you just keep on eating and that’s a recipe for some serious weight gain. A good tip would be to practice putting your knife and fork down between each mouthful.
6: Stop finishing the plate. There seems to be a cultural issue in play here whereby it is deemed almost anti-social to leave any food on your plate. Well, get over it! You simply don’t have to eat absolutely everything, if you are feeling full then stop eating, you will have had enough. If you are really against leaving any food then furnish yourself with a doggy bag so you can finish it when you are hungry again.
7: Concentrate on what you are doing. Try to avoid any unnecessary distractions when eating, like watching the TV or chatting and concentrate on enjoying your food. Sitting in front of the TV grazing is an absolute killer for any healthy eating plan
8: Hide the scales. For the love of God please stop weighing yourself every day. All you do is put yourself under unnecessary pressure and that can only lead to disappointment and frustration. Just concentrate on doing the right things and the results will take good care of themselves. Try to avoid weighing yourself any more than once a week, maximum.
9: Write it down. Try to keep a journal and jot down everything you eat over the course of a day. When you first start out you will probably be shocked at how much you actually consume. It really helps to focus your mind on what you are actually trying to achieve as well as being extremely therapeutic. Give it a go.
10: Learn about You. This is probably going to be the toughest of the ten steps to implement. Establishing your body type and the specific dietary requirements for you will take some time and knowledge. Putting a support network in place and determining your goals and dreams can be tough. However, help is at hand.
Remember, knowledge is blah, blah blah until you implement it. Choose one, two or all of these healthy living tips and you’ll be proceeding nicely down the road to greater health.
Lynette Patterson – If you had seen me playing basketball in college, you would never imagine that in a few short years I would begin a struggle with …