Committing to Change – a Beginner’s Guide to Getting Healthy

We’ve all got it: those few extra pounds we wish we didn’t. In a day and age where “body positivity” is being thrown around as a defense for obesity, it’s almost taboo to even touch on. But let’s face it – most of us are overweight, and all the trends are only pointing away from us as a culture finding a solution. When getting your favorite fast food DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR is as simple as a few taps on your phone (because drive-thrus are neither quick nor convenient enough anymore), the never-ending pursuit of accommodation is what continually feeds the “NOW-NOW-NOW” immediacy we’ve come to require as a people. That sums up the whole issue in a nutshell, doesn’t it? If getting IN shape was as easy as getting OUT of shape, we’d all be walking around like marble statues. Countless hopeful gym newbies sign up with some New-Years-Resolution-Get-Fit deal at their local big box gym, but fall off by the time Valentine’s day candy goes on sale in mid-February. Why? Because fitness is a process, not a purchase. My own fitness experience follows along that story line too. With fitness videos that work you out in 90 minutes getting replaced by the NEW and IMPROVED version that does it in 60 minutes, then again replaced by the 20-minute version, what’s the message there? That all I need is 20 minutes of jumping around a few days a week to look like the guy on the cover of the fitness magazines? Count me in! Wrong.

The moral of the story here is you have to mentally prepare yourself, more so than physically, for ALL of the effort it takes actually to commit to change. It’s more than a diet; it’s more than jumping around for 20 minutes, it’s more than mindlessly throwing weights onto bars and moving them around for a little while. It’s taking the time to research and understand just what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. It’s a mental switch you flip that says, “OK, yes, I’m doing this, no matter what it takes. And I’m not stopping until I get where I want to be.” That’s the hardest part, folks. We get frustrated and discouraged because whatever “it” is, “it” doesn’t work for us. So, we give up. We continually make excuses and rationalize our way out of following through with these commitments and promises we make to ourselves, and until we’re MENTALLY prepared to follow through with them, we’ll just end up spinning our wheels. Don’t quit because the “gains” aren’t just rolling in. Don’t get discouraged because the scale doesn’t immediately say what you want it to say and the person in the mirror doesn’t immediately look how you want them to look. It’s ok to not go 100mph right from the start. It’s ok to not even EXPECT yourself to go 100mph right from the start. You’ve gotta crawl before you can walk, and walk before you can run. Commit to the change, however large or small; it’s all significant. Remember, the keyword is COMMITMENT. Not 50% effort, not 90%, but ALL in, FULLY committed. Start your healthy lifestyle by just committing to healthy choices, and I promise those decisions will take you exactly where you want to go.

#Fitness #Lifestyle #wellness #Calories #Health #commitment #weightloss #sweat #workout #exercise

The Truth About Ketosis

“Fats are bad and carbs are good!” For many years, this myth has been so widely thought true that those of us from the last generation feel as though it were tattooed upon our brains. Today, as we walk down the grocery aisles we still recognize its influence in the remaining “Fat Free” product labels. Thankfully, the world is becoming more aware that fats are essential for good health and sugars are the real problem. This is evident by the recent explosion of “Sugar Free” marketing labels found on food products of all kinds. We are obviously reaching a turning point that will forever change our views concerning the benefits of fat in our diets. Science has only reached the tip of the iceberg with respect to the diverse health benefits of a “high fat low carb” diet.

Understandably, it is hard to trust science when we are still utilizing chemotherapy to treat cancer with only a 15 percent survival rate! Yet, the truth is physicians prescribe chemo, scientists develop solutions and publish results. The scientifically tested, “ketogenic diet” is becoming the latest rage. Yes, it’s a diet that allows you to eat BACON! What meat eating hippie would NOT be inspired by that? It is an extremely simple yet hard to understand, multifaceted process, which in a nutshell comes down to this: A body deprived of carbohydrates it will enter a state of ketosis!

Our body is a highly effective machine. It employs several different pathways to produce fuel. Glucose, which is produced by the breakdown of carbohydrates, is our body’s primary fuel source. Without getting into too many details, when glucose levels are inadequate, the body turns to fats as an alternative resource. Our cellular communication and nutritional flow is based on lipids (fats). The idea that we would deprive our body of fats is horrifying especially once one understands how our neurons communicate and how our cells are structured.

Sugars, carbs, and glucose are the main fuel source for multiple diseases. Once that fuel source is cut off our body regains the upper hand. The human body operates in a ketogenic state in a decidedly efficient manner. Ketones are the fuel produced by the breakdown of fats. They are known to starve cancer cells, increase neurological function, increase satiation, lower blood pressure, and lower cholesterol.

Now that you are sold concerning the benefits of the “Keto Diet” with plenty of reliable facts, the diet regulations are the next questions which require answers. Macros is a hard concept to grasp for most people. To put it as simply as possible, the Keto Diet allows for limited carbs with a regulated amount of protein and increased allowable fat grams. The macro nutrient breakdown would consist of 5% carbs, 20% protein, and 75% fats. Calculating the proper macros is based on your goals, weight, and body fat percentage. There are plenty of free Keto Calculators found on the internet that will help determine the correct macros.

Keep in mind, everyone’s body is different in reference to how resistant we are to ketosis. My recommendation is to start a ketogenic diet in a fasted state with 20 percent less fats than are suggested. Depleting the body’s glycogen would be ideal before starting the diet as well. In order to deplete your body of glycogen, perform cardiovascular or High Intensity Interval Training while you are fasting. Additionally, make sure to drink a minimum of a gallon of water per day to assist your body in eliminating metabolic waste and toxins.

Ketogenic dieting is increasing in popularity now that well-known actors and athletes are bragging about the benefits. Yes, this diet will bring about a more aesthetically pleasing figure, but what it does for individual health far exceeds the benefits of enhanced appearance.

#KetogenicDiet #Bacon #bodyfatpercentage #lowercholesterol #lowerbloodpressure #ketosis #KetoCalculator

Never Put Your Calories on a Credit Card!

Do you wish to live a healthier lifestyle? Begin to give the same consideration to what you eat that you give to your finances! In today’s world, we all recognize how easy it is to purchase things we want “right now” with our all too handy plastic credit cards. Doing so, most certainly provides immediate gratification! Then a short time later, the bill comes and we often no longer feel so ecstatic about the same purchase which held such excitement only 30 days ago. At which time, it becomes just another rotten bill to pay! To top it off, if you’re unlike me and always pay in full each month, there is that nasty little thing called interest. Of course, it is also easy to recognize that interest on debt is not your friend.

It’s exactly the same with the instant gratification one experiences when you eat that little something extra or that “cheat meal” before you’ve earned it. This is why I am such an advocate of early am workouts. Get up and out the door creating a caloric deficit before starting your day, then if you feel like eating a little something extra, it’s already paid for! You’ve earned it! Developing an ‘earn it first’ routine opposed to ingesting a large meal and indulging in dessert while telling yourself, “I’ll work it off tomorrow” makes more sense. Because when “LIFE HAPPENS” and you miss your workout, much the same as not paying that credit card bill in full, the “interest” starts to balloon along with your waist line!

So remember! Learn to burn it and earn it before you enjoy it and you will be on your way to a much healthier lifestyle! Never put your calories on a credit card!

#Calories #CreditCard #DontCheat #Thinkofyourself #Never #HealthierLifestyle