February is the month of celebrating LOVE! “Love is all around us!”; “Love is what moves the universe!”; “All we need is LOVE!!!!” I quite believe in that actually! But I want to bring your attention to a different kind of love – the love we have for our bodies.
As a young adult I was part of the prestigious State Choreography Academy in Sofia Bulgaria. As dancers, we were judge by our aesthetic. There were many indirect ways, and many times very direct ways, when we were told to lose weight. Dieting was simply part of our lives. But as children, we didn’t really know what that meant, so we starved! We knew nothing about nutrition. I had friends who lived on cappuccinos for breakfast, lunch and dinner. How is that for nurturing a body and expecting it to perform 8 hours a day? Where are the nutrients it needs to operate? It’s like driving a car on soda.
Most of us were carboholics and as dancers we were burning all the carbs out immediately, but our bodies were starved for nutrition. I remember eating a chocolate bar every day, including pastries and not many veggies or proteins. Potatoes, rice and pasta were staples in our diets.
If I knew then what I know now, life would have been completely different! And there is no one to blame really, even asking some doctors nowadays, I hear that the best way to lose weight right away is to fully limit your intake of food! I beg to disagree! Although it is true that each of our bodies is different and responds differently to the way we eat, one thing has always been the same, the BALANCED LIFESTYLE is necessary.
A balanced LIFESTYLE requires a few different changes made in your way of living.
1. Nutrition has to be simple but explicit. We eat 4-6 small meals 2-3 hours a day. We make sure to include all of the major food groups. Portion control is pertinent. Just because it is a medical fact that as we grow older our metabolism slows down, doesn’t necessary mean that we have no control over it! When we eat consistently and fuel our bodies with the proper nutrition, our metabolisms will be working at their best every minute of the wake hours to burn calories, to fight the germs we are encountering, and to promote health on the cellular level. Nutrition is the secret for all of that!
- Exercise is pertinent especially the older we get. We want to be moving daily and I don’t just mean cleaning the house or walking the dog. I mean doing vigorous exercise a few times a week that will increase blood circulation, increase heart rate; breakdown muscles so they can melt the fat on top of them; release endorphins through sweating, and feel amazing! The older I get the more I realize how important this habit is to my overall health and the sooner you get started, the sooner you will turn it into a life driving habit.
- Sleep equals health. The better we rest at night, the healthier lives we live. When you improve your nutrition and add exercise to your daily routine, you will notice a huge improvement in your sleeping pattern as well.
- Mindset – “where the mind goes the body follows”. We can’t expect our physical changes to last forever if we do not acquire the right mindset. Growing the mind has to continue to happen even now in our adulthood. Reading books and listening to audios that nourish and expend our minds is critical to continuing a healthy daily routine.
I am sure you are not SCARED running in the opposite direction of your computer! How can you do all of the above right away?
Here is where you have to make the decision to change first. What are your goals? Are you ready for better, long lasting health and vitality? And are you ready to work for it?
The control is in your hands. Join me for my next accountability and support group where you will learn how to conquer all of the above LIFESTYLE changes.
Once you join the group, together we will work on how to start making small, consistent daily changes that will accumulate to big results. We will discuss meal planning and we will customize a plan that fits your needs and likes. There will be no starving or limitations. You will add 30 min daily workouts from the comfort of your home. The group will support you and encourage you every step of the way. You will be surrounded by likeminded people determined to reach their health and fitness goals and you will be inspired to push hard towards yours!
LET’S ENJOY LIFE AS WE WERE MEANT TO LIVE IT!
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