I spend a lot of time thinking (and getting frustrated) about the many perceptions that society tells us are healthy and attractive. Standing in line at the grocery store alone bombards us with fitness magazines showing a front cover image of a man or woman with 6-pack abs. I also recently read something about how the big thing for young girls is for your thighs not to touch. (Say what?!?! I can't remember my thighs ever NOT touching!) Key point here: Things like this are terrible determining factors for health!
Let's take the 6-pack abs. This is truly not natural for the vast majority of people, especially women. For many people to get there, they have to have some very specific things going on with their diet, their exercise and sometimes even have pharmaceutical help. To achieve anything unnatural in nature becomes very complex.
However, avoiding obesity, diabetes, and disease is very natural. Our genes and our bodies seek homeostasis. This can be seen in every generation that has ever lived, up until approximately the last 50 years. Since the 1950s, the number of people with diabetes in the US has skyrocketed 500%; and we have gone from approximately 13% of obese adults to around 35%, just since the 1960s. This tells me that this slimmer, healthier state has to be simple; it is what everybody just did, and what our bodies innately desire! It does not become complicated until we start viewing things that are unnatural as natural (ie: 6 pack abs) and when we continue to try to live in an artificial world.
Since the dawn of time, people managed to avoid these issues without things like prescriptions, dieting and gimmicks. If it truly was hard, we would have become extinct! The question we may need to ask is why did it become complex? This is a perfect example of the difference between simple and easy. We all know how to not get lung cancer, just don't smoke. Simple. But quitting smoking? This is not easy! I know this from first-hand experience.
I once heard a blogger named Jonathan Bailor say that: the real issue is that it is hard in our modern world to see the simplicity that lies at the heart of health. Take the world around us, which tells us "everything in moderation." But where do we draw the line? I am more inclined to agree with Oscar Wilde on this moderation subject:
"Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess."
What I like to talk about and what we teach at Eupraxia is the smartest and safest way to obtain overall health. I have said it before, and I will say it again. You do not have to be perfect to be healthy! Start with some simple shifts, empower yourself with knowledge and get your body moving!
It makes me so sad to see someone making healthy choices in the kitchen, and getting fit and strong from their workouts, then being disappointed with results because they are comparing themselves to a fitness model, or because they are dwelling on that extra 10-20 pounds or 2% points of body fat. If this is your situation then congratulations, you have already succeeded!
If you live a smart and healthy lifestyle, you are going to have more muscle than any BMI chart or desirable weight graph can tell you, and it would be in your best interest just to throw those away. They are irrelevant to the lifestyle I advocate, the lifestyle we teach at Eupraxia, and letting someone tell you what your "correct weight" is can do more damage to your health than good. Who decides what an appropriate weight is? If you want to use a measure, go by your pants size, your energy level, and whether or not you can keep up with your kids or grand-kids. Don't focus on that last 10 pounds! Don't work so hard to be healthy, fit and strong only to be discouraged by the extra weight you think you have to loose!
Please comment or Facebook me anytime. Until then dear readers, stay healthy!
~Lindsay
This post is something I recently shared with the Eupraxia newsletter subscribers but I though it deserved a spot on my personal blog as well! Believe me when I say I know how hard it can be to make changes to a diet you have been eating for years.There are so many factors at play when it comes to saying no to that donut or sandwich, and let's face it, some of these foods really are down right addicting. The good news is that you can approach things at your own pace, set personal goals and make simple shifts along the way; all of which will drastically improve your health!
Change your oils!
This first one is super easy and super beneficial. I really recommend getting the various canola/vegetable oils out of the house. The unfortunate truth behind these oils is that they can really be harmful to your health. For detailed information on this check out this link.
You can greatly improve your overall health simply by replacing them with things like a good olive oil and coconut oil.
Change your flour!
Finding coconut and almond flour was a small miracle in my life. I vividly remember my first big craving after giving up grains, and it was for lemon poppyseed muffins. I made a desperate online search for a healthier alternative, invested is some coconut flour and was able to indulge for a day; And I do mean a day. I think my husband and I ate every single muffin that Sunday.
I paid the price for that over-indulgence dearly...spending the evening on the couch...bloated, with a stomach ache that lasted for hours. I have since learned some control. This is the key word here: CONTROL. These flours are meant to replace treats and should be treated as just that...treats. Switching your Bisquick pancake breakfast to almond flour pancakes three or four days a week is probably not the best idea. But knowing that there is a great recipe waiting for you on a relaxing Saturday morning will certainly make it easier to make good choices the rest of the week.
Change your produce!
And eat MORE of it! Organic and/or local really is the way to go. Most of you will know that a garden tomato tastes better than one from the store. Not only is the flavor better, but they also have more nutrition and little to no chemicals or pesticides. Fortunately there is still plenty of summer left to take advantage of the local farmers markets and there is one in this area at least five days a week. Check out this schedule.
The Peoples Food Coop on 5th and Cass Street in downtown La Crosse has some of the best and cheapest produce in town. I do know that organic is often more expensive and many of you may be on a budget. Here is a list that is updated every year to tell you about the best fruits and vegetables to buy organic and the safest ones to continue to buy conventional.
Change your meats!
Switching over to grass-fed meat, wild game (good news for hunters!), free-range chicken or turkey, and wild caught fish will get you the best nutrition for sure. The catch? It is for sure more expensive. Again, the Peoples Food Coop is my go-to here. You can get grass-fed beef for around $5 a pound, and they also sell grass-fed beef steaks, lamb, bison, wild caught fish and more, There are also several local meat vendors at the Cameron Park Farmers Market on Friday evenings, and several area farms you can purchase meat from directly.Some key points to remember here! You don't have to be perfect to be healthy. The conventional steak on sale will always be better than the bagel sandwich. No matter where the burger comes from, you will always be better off without the bun. Top it off with a fried egg and some avocado and you have a pretty delicious meal!
Change your attitude!
Choosing not to eat something versus thinking you CAN'T eat something can make all of the difference in the world. Train yourself to think differently, approach your meals with a different mindset and don't forget to just ignore those around you who try to tempt you with the office cookie. You can enjoy your garden fresh cucumbers or apple slices and smile, knowing in your mind who is really getting the reward here.
Hope this helps! Please don't hesitate to utilize your Eupraxia trainers as resources, we are here to help! Facebook and email (info@eupraxia.us) are excellent ways to reach out!
Stay Healthy!
~Lindsay
