Quick and Simple Steps To Better Health
You can’t escape the constant barrage of health recommendations communicated to the public. Often the advice is filled with complicated and short-term strategies that do more to confuse you than to help you. Personally I think the solution is much simpler. So below are a few easy concepts to help you lead a healthier lifestyle. Don’t over think it…keeping it simple is the key.
Eat Your Breakfast – This is a simple, widely known concept but many people still skip breakfast. Remember that breakfast for most of us if the first food we are getting in almost 10 hours. But your body needs food to keep energy levels up. Also, if your body goes without food for long periods of time, it can actually hold on to fat because it thinks it's being starved. Another reason I feel a healthy – and filling – breakfast is super important is because it sets the tone for the day, both physically and psychologically. If you start your day off with a healthy breakfast you will want to “keep the momentum” going for the rest of the day. Physically, a healthy and fiber filled filling breakfast will keep you satisfied for a good portion of the morning and afternoon. My favorite way to start the day is a big bowl of steel cut oats with berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc.) and nuts (walnuts or almonds…watch any allergies). This is a great start to the day so try it yourself and see how you do.
Eat More Plant-based Whole Foods – Boxes, bags and cans oh my! A 2009 study showed that 63% of calories for the average American came from processed foods containing excess fats, oils, added sugars and refined grains. Twenty five percent of calories came from animal based foods which are a primary source of saturated fat. Also, cholesterol is only found in animal foods. A paltry 12% of calories come from plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, beans and lentils, nuts and seeds and whole grains – with half of that 12% coming from processed foods like apples in apple pie and nuts in candy bars. The absolute best thing you can do for your health is to eat a diet consisting mostly of nutrient dense, plant-based whole foods while limiting and or removing animal based foods and processed foods.
Eat More Food – Ever been told to eat more food for better health? Conventional nutritional advice calls for some type of portion control. But portion control generally means deprivation which leads to frustration. When you eat a plant-based diet – with plenty of leafy green/colorful vegetables, fruits and 100% whole grains – portion control is essentially a non-issue. So eat your heart out!
Be Careful with Dressings, Condiments & Toppings – These “foods” can really hurt your health. Salad dressings almost always have tons of sugar and salt while oil based dressings can be calorie dense. Ketchups and BBQ sauces are often loaded with salts and sugars and relatively high in calories as well. And don’t be fooled by “innocent” toppings like croutons for salads and soups. These bite-sized refined grains basically have the nutritional profile of chips – in some cases worse with high levels of salt and saturated fat. Would you put chips on an otherwise healthy salad? I didn’t think so. So watch out for these small additions.
Packaging: Ignore the Front and Read the Back – The main objective of the front of the package is to sell you the product. Remember it’s always about the money so NEVER TRUST THE FRONT OF THE PACKAGE. Look at the Nutrition Facts details and pay special attention to the Ingredients – they tell the story. If you don’t understand or can’t pronounce the ingredients, don’t eat it. The best foods are the ones that don’t need labels – NO LABELS, NO ADS, NO GIMICS…NO PROBLEM!!!
Drink Water – Drinking plenty of water and staying hydrated is important. Interestingly, sometimes when you think you are hungry or craving unhealthy foods, a big glass of water can help alleviate those feelings. For me, the best thing about drinking plenty of water is it stops you from drinking unhealthy drinks like sodas, sports drinks and gourmet coffees. All of these things are generally full of sugar and high in calories. As an example, many of the beverages at Starbucks are more than 550 calories but because it disguises itself as “coffee” you tend to overlook the calories. But the reality is that a strawberry milkshake at Baskin Robbins is “only” 560 calories. You would never think of drinking one of those each day – would you? So stick to water as often as possible and don’t drink your calories.
Get Your Partner on Board – One of the biggest impediments to making healthy lifestyle changes can be a partner or family member. It is critical that they do not stop you from making healthy lifestyle changes. The first step is to invite them to join you. If they resist, make the changes yourself and don’t let them bring you down. In time, they will see and appreciate the changes that you made and start to ask questions and get engaged. So be a little selfish, lead the way and take care of yourself first. Sometimes it’s the best way to positively impact others.
Don’t Obsess Over Exercise – Food trumps all, but getting some regular and appropriate exercise is important. Exercise does not have to be grueling and a gym membership is not necessary. The key is to vary your exercise and get it consistently – try and fit it into your daily activities. Thirty minutes a day is enough for most people. Alternate between cardio exercises (like walking, biking and running) and body resistance exercise (like pushups, squats and lunges). Walking stairs is great exercise so take the stairs instead of the elevator. On a conference call at work; do wall sits while you talk. Watching the kids play sports; walk around the field while you watch the game. Watching TV; sit on the floor and stretch. Try and get some exercise each day.
Stay Well…Tom Dunnam