Several factors contribute to a lifestyle of success. Eating a good diet and exercising contribute to that lifestyle. What you eat makes a big difference if you want to stay healthy. Losing weight, feeling energized and being able to complete daily activities without being run down starts with what you put in your mouth.
Look at how you start your day, finish your lunch, and make it through your mid afternoon slump. It's what can even help you get through your evenings. Kids, sports, exercising, getting home from work can all be taxing. Often 5 hour energy, coffee, or energy drinks are what help you accomplish your day. Although energy drinks get you moving or help you finish your activities, they also inhibit your ability to complete those tasks in the future without the help of those drinks. How many of you reach for your cup of coffee before you check your phone. How many of you have your coffee maker set to go off before your alarm so you can get out of bed. Others are paying for the owners of Starbucks to put their great grand children through college. Thats just once facet of what can begin a downward spiral into feeling slumped and tired. It's not just the energy drinks, but a host of what goes into our bodies that make us feel tired.
Sugar is a delicious treat in any form and can be what makes you reach for your energy drinks throughout the day. What's for breakfast? Poptarts, waffles (whole wheat or regular) with syrup, toast with butter and jam. Lunch can be the hardest meal to continue to work after. Who doesn't wish they could close their door and lay on the floor for 20 mins about 30 mins after their lunch. Whether its over eating or eating the carb laden meals that make us reach for another cup of coffee. Then on to dinner which may consist of a pasta or pizza if your in a hurry.
What about those of you who don't want breakfast in the mornings. "It makes my stomach sick, I don't have an appetite for breakfast". This typically means your blood sugar is low and you NEED something to eat. It doesn't have to be a big breakfast, but something that can get you through the morning so your not starving for lunch, then over eating once you get there. Even having a snack in the frig waiting for you at 8 am when you get to the office is better than waiting until lunch to eat.
"So what should I eat?" We have been conditioned to eat a sugary meal in the mornings to get our day started, but often times that sugary meal makes us crave a sugared lunch or sugared snack afterwards. Keeping your blood sugar at a regular burning level is what you want to set as your goal. "What's that?" Instead of tossing several logs on the fire (lots of sugar) and making your insulin shoot up (big flames), put a few logs on the fire and let it begin to build a little to get your day started. Oatmeal can be a good start, (unless you want to avoid grains- another post), or a boiled egg with half a banana to get your day started. Followed up with some water or herbal tea. Does that sound too hard to transition to? Eggs and bacon is better than loading your body with sugared syrup. Well what about the fat and cholesterol? Thats another post all together as well.
Afternoon meals should keep the fire burning at a low roar, or even a mid morning snack of mixed nuts to get you to your afternoon meal. You should avoid huge carb loads at lunch, which is simpler than it sounds. Breads and pastas are the worst meal to have when you have to go back, concentrate, and sit still. Actually the worst meal to eat if you want to maintain any sort of weight. But over all, eating a salad with some chicken or fish, which can get boring is a good start. But what about after that first week of salads. Meat of sorts is always a good filler. Some good protein to slowly keep your "fire" burning with a side of fruit or veggie, which will have the carbs you need to keep your blood sugar at a good level. Try not to over consume when you eat lunch and have a smart snack for right before your drive home. Decreases road rage, which is essential in Houston, and keeps you from gorging at dinner before you sleep.
Dinner can be small with a good meat and veggie or fruit on the side. Again avoiding the breads and pastas to prevent you from loading your body with sugar before you intend to go to sleep.
Does all this sound too hard to change too? Can't give up your coffee and change your diet all in one week? Rome wasn't built in a day either. Slowly change how you eat and you will start to see that you don't crave as much sugar as you did before. Slowly take yourself off of coffee, cup at a time if needed, and you will see that you don't crave that either. Think of the money you will save not buying coffee or energy drinks. Use that money towards your new wardrobe you'll need once you lose weight from eating better.
No comments:
Post a Comment