Let's reconsider the when, why, and what of eating and exercising because the prevailing advice in our country isn't working. Americans are struggling more than ever to be physically fit and maintain a proper weight.
We came across a recent article online about habits of successful people. Two of the habits were exercising first thing in the morning and eating a quick breakfast.
These two habits aren't bad habits- but neither is a fitness requirement and one of them is misleading.
Following the clock is not a prerequisite for good workout habits. Eating right can be sabotaged if the "quick" concept is abused or misinterpreted.
MORNING WORKOUTS:
The reason given for a morning workout was to get a boost of energy. Really? After a night's sleep you still need a boost when you first get up? Doesn't sound right.
What does "eat a quick breakfast" entail? Oatmeal was mentioned. You should never rush eating but if you must eat a quick breakfast then you better know how to make it nutritious.
Exercise should be part of everyone's day- just like getting out of bed and brushing your teeth- at whatever time of day works best for you. The virtue and benefit is in working out and is not tied to a time of day.
Notice when your body- and your mind- feel most inclined to move. Early morning could be all wrong for you. Some people never feel like working out before 3 PM.
Exercise should feel good once you get started- no matter what time of day you move your body.
If you won't exercise unless you get it out of the way early in the morning then early morning is a good choice for you. Other people feel a build-up of stress as the day wears on so working out later in the day releases their stress. Focus on moderation, consistency, and whatever encourages your good habits.
EATING BREAKFAST:
Half of fitness is eating well. Eating well and time of day have no relevance to each other.
One thing that should never be encouraged is eating in a rush. You need to enjoy every single bite of food you eat- emotionally and physically. Enjoy your food bite by bite. Rushing while eating does not promote this enjoyment.
Here are 2 ways of eating when time is short- a not so good way and a better way:
• Swallowing a mouthful of instant cereal quickly- followed by another mouthful swallowed just as quickly.
OR the better example:
• Taking a mouthful of any truly nutritious food and enjoying the chew time- consciously enjoying the food in your mouth- bite by bite.
"Quick" could be nutritious but often isn't.
Inferior nutrition is not inextricably tied to "quick." A quick meal or snack that's nutritious may simply require advance planning rather than additional prep time.
"Fast, quick food" is a marketing concept. It likely makes you think of restaurant chains that sell hamburgers. There's nothing fundamentally fast about hamburgers. At home they are not the quickest meal to prepare or clean up afterward.
Fast food restaurants are fast because the food was cooked before you showed up to buy it.
The result of so many years of successful marketing is unhealthy eating assumptions- we think "snacks" are chips and cookies and "fast" is food from restaurants that cooked it before you got there. All wrong.
"Fast food" can be healthy food but the term today has come to mean a certain type of restaurant food.
To be responsible about your food choices you need to know what responsible choices are- and then don't choose anything else.
Genuinely fast food is stuff like raw veggies or nuts- Mother Nature's "true fast food." If you're okay with grains or gluten you can select breads MADE OF (not just made with) 100% whole grains. Snacks should be understood to be very light meals.
Food that require no preparation or cooking can make its way into your mouth quickly- with nearly no waiting time. Once it's in your mouth take your time- no rushing. That's different from rushing while you're actually eating or simply buying food from a restaurant.
Don't let language and advertising confuse you about food. Try to eat real food- made by Mother Nature. Reject Frankenstein food- the cravage that wouldn't exist without the help of a laboratory.
Breakfast- or no breakfast- is another issue entirely.
The optimal time for your body to have its first food of the day is controversial and likely not the same for every human being. Factors determining when to eat include when you last ate and what activity you're about to engage in.
Your body does guide and direct you but to clearly interpret its signals you must first rid your body of cravage- garbage food created to drive cravings without significant nutrition. This is fundamental to eliminating cravings and recognizing your body's true hunger (important for recognizing how much and when to eat.)
Don't let an empty stomach scare you. It may sound odd at first but you may actually enjoy the feeling of an empty stomach for a few hours in the morning.
Some people dislike the feeling of a full stomach early in the day. Some people would rather save their food allotment for later in the day- kind of like saving your money so you can spend it later on.
Maybe it's good to wait to eat until your body reminds you- through a physical feeling of hunger- that you need food. We call this "true hunger." Stop eating before you're stuffed. This approach to eating can help you become slim or keep you that way.
When you're eating due to true hunger it's easier to make healthy food choices and the food you then eat tastes better. Try it.
The main thing is to work out, eat right and rest properly. Identify and make personal choices that promote these healthy concepts.
Strive to make every bite of food you eat count nutritionally and emotionally. Work out daily to keep your habit strong. Always be moderate knowing that the cumulative effect of consistency makes brief daily workouts more effective.
We came across a recent article online about habits of successful people. Two of the habits were exercising first thing in the morning and eating a quick breakfast.
These two habits aren't bad habits- but neither is a fitness requirement and one of them is misleading.
Following the clock is not a prerequisite for good workout habits. Eating right can be sabotaged if the "quick" concept is abused or misinterpreted.
MORNING WORKOUTS:
The reason given for a morning workout was to get a boost of energy. Really? After a night's sleep you still need a boost when you first get up? Doesn't sound right.
What does "eat a quick breakfast" entail? Oatmeal was mentioned. You should never rush eating but if you must eat a quick breakfast then you better know how to make it nutritious.
Exercise should be part of everyone's day- just like getting out of bed and brushing your teeth- at whatever time of day works best for you. The virtue and benefit is in working out and is not tied to a time of day.
Notice when your body- and your mind- feel most inclined to move. Early morning could be all wrong for you. Some people never feel like working out before 3 PM.
Exercise should feel good once you get started- no matter what time of day you move your body.
If you won't exercise unless you get it out of the way early in the morning then early morning is a good choice for you. Other people feel a build-up of stress as the day wears on so working out later in the day releases their stress. Focus on moderation, consistency, and whatever encourages your good habits.
EATING BREAKFAST:
Half of fitness is eating well. Eating well and time of day have no relevance to each other.
One thing that should never be encouraged is eating in a rush. You need to enjoy every single bite of food you eat- emotionally and physically. Enjoy your food bite by bite. Rushing while eating does not promote this enjoyment.
Here are 2 ways of eating when time is short- a not so good way and a better way:
• Swallowing a mouthful of instant cereal quickly- followed by another mouthful swallowed just as quickly.
OR the better example:
• Taking a mouthful of any truly nutritious food and enjoying the chew time- consciously enjoying the food in your mouth- bite by bite.
"Quick" could be nutritious but often isn't.
Inferior nutrition is not inextricably tied to "quick." A quick meal or snack that's nutritious may simply require advance planning rather than additional prep time.
"Fast, quick food" is a marketing concept. It likely makes you think of restaurant chains that sell hamburgers. There's nothing fundamentally fast about hamburgers. At home they are not the quickest meal to prepare or clean up afterward.
Fast food restaurants are fast because the food was cooked before you showed up to buy it.
The result of so many years of successful marketing is unhealthy eating assumptions- we think "snacks" are chips and cookies and "fast" is food from restaurants that cooked it before you got there. All wrong.
"Fast food" can be healthy food but the term today has come to mean a certain type of restaurant food.
To be responsible about your food choices you need to know what responsible choices are- and then don't choose anything else.
Genuinely fast food is stuff like raw veggies or nuts- Mother Nature's "true fast food." If you're okay with grains or gluten you can select breads MADE OF (not just made with) 100% whole grains. Snacks should be understood to be very light meals.
Food that require no preparation or cooking can make its way into your mouth quickly- with nearly no waiting time. Once it's in your mouth take your time- no rushing. That's different from rushing while you're actually eating or simply buying food from a restaurant.
Don't let language and advertising confuse you about food. Try to eat real food- made by Mother Nature. Reject Frankenstein food- the cravage that wouldn't exist without the help of a laboratory.
Breakfast- or no breakfast- is another issue entirely.
The optimal time for your body to have its first food of the day is controversial and likely not the same for every human being. Factors determining when to eat include when you last ate and what activity you're about to engage in.
Your body does guide and direct you but to clearly interpret its signals you must first rid your body of cravage- garbage food created to drive cravings without significant nutrition. This is fundamental to eliminating cravings and recognizing your body's true hunger (important for recognizing how much and when to eat.)
Don't let an empty stomach scare you. It may sound odd at first but you may actually enjoy the feeling of an empty stomach for a few hours in the morning.
Some people dislike the feeling of a full stomach early in the day. Some people would rather save their food allotment for later in the day- kind of like saving your money so you can spend it later on.
Maybe it's good to wait to eat until your body reminds you- through a physical feeling of hunger- that you need food. We call this "true hunger." Stop eating before you're stuffed. This approach to eating can help you become slim or keep you that way.
When you're eating due to true hunger it's easier to make healthy food choices and the food you then eat tastes better. Try it.
The main thing is to work out, eat right and rest properly. Identify and make personal choices that promote these healthy concepts.
Strive to make every bite of food you eat count nutritionally and emotionally. Work out daily to keep your habit strong. Always be moderate knowing that the cumulative effect of consistency makes brief daily workouts more effective.
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire