The truth is, being healthy isn’t so complicated. It boils down to a few simple standards that then other healthy habits begin to flow out of automatically. And I’ll just start by saying that following the same “Diet” that your mom, aunt, best friend or whomever, had “success” with, is NOT a healthy woman habit. In fact, most popular fad diets encourage unhealthy behaviors that will almost ALWAYS backfire in the end. So take to heart these following habits and if you aren’t already doing them, just begin to test them out and discover how amazing you will feel, not to mention enjoying how you look! Besides the obvious things like never smoking and not excessively drinking alcohol, here are the habits that healthy woman do on a regular basis.
WE FEAST IN THE A.M. While there are many reasons that eating breakfast reduces your chances of being overweight, the ones I will mention here are the facts that when we skip breakfast, it stalls out your metabolism because the body wants to go into starvation mode…. Survival. This causes the body to hoard calories and store fat. It also does a negative number on your blood sugars, causing cravings. When we DO eat breakfast, it creates a drop in the hunger hormone ghrelin, helping you to breeze right past that vending machine or fast food drive through in the afternoon.
WE DON’T DRINK OUR CALORIES Other than water, the only drinks worth a pour are coffee (no cream or sugar) and unsweet tea. Even juices should be seen as a treat, as juicing removes most of the fruit’s healthy fiber, while preserving the sugar, and in most cases, the sugar is concentrated (juice by concentrate) which means the water has been evaporated out, increasing the sugar consumed. Think of it like when your laundry detergent or any other cleaning supply is concentrated…this means its more powerful, right? That’s what is happening to the sugar from fruit in juice from. Included in this healthy habit of not drinking our calories is alcohol. It is a detriment to ANY fitness goal you may have. It has a VERY negative impact on the body. Glycogen, which is a long-term energy storage for the body and central nervous system is stored in your muscles and alcohol hinders this storage, making workouts less energetic and slows recovery afterward. Which, as you can imagine, severely hinders muscle growth. Obviously alcohol creates dehydration, terribly impairing normal bodily functions. It contains 7 calories per gram (which is a lot) and these calories offer no nutritional benefits. I understand that for many, drinking is a social event and can be enjoyed sparingly. Just bear all of what you’re learning here in mind when you are partaking.
WE FIGHT STRESS WITH POSITIVE EMOTION FOSTERING ACTIVITIES We don’t choose the path of least resistance when it comes to activities to relax and zap stress, such as wine, ice cream, or mind dulling games on our cell phone. These things only provide temporary, very short term relief. Instead activities that induce feelings of calm and safety put the brakes on the body’s stress response such as connecting with people or even your pet, and reading scripture.
WE SNOOZE AND LOSE In this case, it’s a good thing because when we get enough sleep, we win at fat loss! The rate at which we process calories from glucose drops when we skimp on rest. Sleep durations that are too short increase obesity by about 70%! Here’s why: Poor sleep increases your appetite because there are 2 hormones that are affected by sleep that signal the brain. One signals hunger while the other signals fullness. Inadequate sleep causes the body to produce more of the hunger signaling hormone. In addition, a sleep-deprived body will produce more of the stress hormone cortisol, causing cravings for sugary, fatty foods, even if you don’t feel stressed. Also, we produce the most growth hormone while we sleep, which burns fat and aids in repairing and building muscle, increasing strength and weight loss. Make it a priority to get more. Give yourself permission to nap, or at least increase the quality of sleep you get if increasing the amount isn’t possible. To help, try not to consume caffeine past 2 p.m., make sure that your room is cool enough, don’t drink alcohol after dinner, and stop blue screen activity 30 minutes prior to bedtime. Besides reducing your risk of being overweight, you will reduce your risk of heart disease, depression, anxiety, diabetes and more when you get enough ZZZs.
WE’RE ON A “SEE FOOD” DIET We only put healthy food in our sight. People who leave chips, baked goods, crackers, cereal, soda and other unhealthy foods out on their countertop are on average 26 lbs heavier than people who don’t. But here is an interesting fact…. people who put fruit on their countertops as opposed to leaving their countertops empty of food at all, weigh on average 13 lbs less than people who leave them empty. We are inclined to munch on what’s in sight and readily available. Really, we shouldn’t even be bringing the aforementioned bad food home from the grocery store, but if you must, put them at the back of the pantry…out of sight out of mind!
WE APPROACH OUR OWN NEEDS THOUGHTFULLY As woman, our tendency is to take care of everyone else first and then just give ourselves whatever is left over. But when we are thoughtful about our own needs, and take care of ourselves, we just become better at EVERYTHING. Doing what it takes to be in good health- Mind, Body and Spirit, we are better at taking care of others. When we feel good about ourselves and are confident, we are better balanced emotionally and mentally, therefore becoming more available to the emotional needs of others.
There you have it! There you habit! Remember that a habit is an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary. Follow these behaviors regularly and life takes on a whole new tune! A really beautiful one.
“First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you’re inspired or not.” -Octavia Butler
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