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You ABsolutely are what you eat and how you eat.
I get asked all the time which is more important, exercise or food. I always explain that food is the most important because without fueling your body properly it cannot function optimally. You can exercise all you want, but if you eat a crappy diet, exercise is not going to work to get rid of toxins and body fat then build quality muscles in your body along with fueling your organs with vitality. Not all calories are created equal, especially how they break down in the body. To be honest, I think counting calories is a complete waste of time.
There are hundreds of books written on diets and ways of eating that are quite different from one another. It can make your head spin. I just believe that it doesn’t have to be that complicated. You body has the answers. Your body is your own nutritionist. Think of your food choices as a fun exploration. Now this may sound harsh, but If you want to self-sabotage the health of your body by using excuses (and let’s be honest laziness) for the state of your health then that’s okay. It IS your body and your life. However, if there is a voice inside of you that says, ” You can do better” then begin with small steps and keep deciding. But please be honest with yourself and don’t make excuses. And if you do, that’s okay, too. Freedom is a great thing.
Many people use the excuse that they can’t afford organic fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, grains, grass fed beef and free range chicken and eggs, etc. I will never say that tha is not ture. However, if you really looked closely at how much food you REALLY need to eat to be healthy you would be amazed. When your body is satiated with the nutrients it needs you won’t have cravings for unhealthy empty calories. You won’t be as hungry. The money spent on a bunch of processed hormone, GMO, antibiotic filled junk food is slowly depleting vital energy from your body, suppressing your immune system and shortening your life. Then if you get sick or develop a health issue you spend money on over the counter or prescription medications because of heartburn, cold remedies, constipation, diarrhea or infections. Think about the gas money you spend on trips to the doctor or drug store along with work loss. 70% of our immune sytem is in the GUT.
Starchy carbs (bread, pasta, cookies, crackers, cakes, etc) make you hungrier so you think you have to eat more. AND they block valuable nutrients from being absorbed and utilized by your body. Have you thought about how it affects your relationships when you are fatigued and cranky because you don’t feel well (and probably don’t sleep well)? The research is solid about how quality food is medicine (unless you are reading studies conducted or funded by the companies that produce the junk food). by the way, foods can cause inflamation throughout the body and that can result in pain. Other foods reduce pain and can even eliminate it along with a corrective exercise program.
I have made some “not so good” choices in my life, so please understand that what I am telling you is not about bragging about what a good girl I am. My story about my accident and how I became pain free is to try to get you to think about making small changes (or big if you want) to become a better you. Food choices were a huge part of my journey to be pain free. All of what I said above is not about judgment. It is all about awareness and discovery. I am here to support you if you are not happy with your body and how you feel.
I will never say I am a perfect with my eating, but a have discovered which foods resonate with me and which don’t. Do I still love a good pizza once in a while. You bet! I usually have gluten free crust, but I still get ill effects. It affects my sleep and my digestive tract. I eat organic free range chicken/ turkey, grass fed beef and organic veggies/fruit 95% of the time and I rarely get sick. When I travel it is hard to get the food I usually eat. I found out that my body does not like pork. But that is me. At 68 I am at my ideal weight and have flat abs. Menopause was a breeze. I love coffee (again organic) Too much makes me want to jump out of my skin. Not good. I drink red wine. Too much makes me lethargic and then not sleep well which leads to fatigue and sometimes depression. Not good. I AM AWARE. I listen and I am a good girl most of the time.
From all the diets I have personally checked out, I believe that the Metabolic Typing Diet is the best. With that being said, I also believe movement is still extremely imperative and ranks right up there behind food choices. That is why I wrote my free eBook “30 Intentions in 30 Days” with easy ideas to keep moving. It IS an EASY read with links to 14 videos. Balancing your body’s physical needs with optimal posture and then developing functional strength to assist in daily living is critical to your health.
I also believe there are other ways of looking at your unique needs. I have found that the Blood Type Diet www.dadmo.com and Dr. Abravanel’s Body Type Diet http://www.bodytypes.com has been helpful. Bottom line, the question is “What is the best for you specifically?” That takes some investigation.
If you truly want to reach for optimal health you have to begin to become aware of your body’s reaction to the foods you eat.
Document what you eat for a week or two. Then jot down briefly the answer to the following questions. Keep a little notebook with you.
How do you feel after you each meal or snack?
Did you feel energized and satiated?
Do you feel bloated and get gassy?
Do you have indigestion or heartburn?
How is your digestion system working? Loose stools/constipation?
Are you left craving anything?
How did you sleep?
Did you wake up refreshed?
Did you get a headache after eating and/or drinking beverages (coffee, tea, soda, wine, etc)?
Example:
Breakfast: fruit and eggs. No issues
Lunch: chicken sandwich. Felt sleepy around 2:30 then gassy – needed coffee.
Dinner: pizza. Slept okay but woke up sluggish. Loose stools
This is just a quick example to help you get started and it does not take much time. There is no right or wrong, just awareness.
In my blog about The Metabolic Typing Diet I talk about Bill Walcott’s questionnaire that it is quite comprehensive. It can feel quite overwhelming and you may have a hard time answering the questions. That is why just a little notebook answering the questions that I posted above would begin to give you some answers. Paul Chek and his book “How To Eat, Move, and Be Healthy” has a metabolic questionnaire and also some other great questionnaires.
But before you go into in-depth research into figuring out your type (unless you are really curious and want to) just begin to journal and answer the quick questions above. It is simple and a great beginning so that you could begin to take the steps necessary to truly move toward optimal health
You may have seen these tips below many, many times. Great! But the big question is, “Are you heeding this advice?” Here are the tips:
Only eat when you are hungry.
Chew your food until it becomes liquid as though you were drinking it.
Do not eat when you are upset.
Avoid eating processed food.
Avoid fast food restaurants.
Avoid GMO foods.
Find out if you are gluten intolerant by eliminating wheat.
Read labels (there is gluten/wheat in many processed foods such as catsup and soy sauce)
Only eat certified organic fruits and veggies, grass fed and free range poultry OR grown locally with no pesticides.
Be careful of the source of fish you eat. (Never farm raised.) Rotate all your foods every 4 days. According to Paul Chek, “a rotation diet requires that you don’t eat food from the same genetic family more than once every four days.” There is solid science behind this. I highly recommend his book as mentioned above.
Chew your food until it actually becomes liquid on your mouth so. (There is a reason we have enzymes in our mouth to begin the digestion process)
Combine your food properly so they digest easily. (See chart below)
When you crave sugar have fresh fruit on hand.
Nutrition is such a complicated science, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming if you just listen to your body.
I hope you have found this blog helpful. I have many ‘Fit-Tip’ ideas available on my YouTube channel and in my free eBook “30 Intentions in 30 Days.” To learn more about Posture for Health and my Body Re-Design Program and Body Re-Design Retreats visit my website www.JacqueWalters.com. Also, if you are in need of “just a get-away” take a look at my Mountain Guest House Retreat. Please subscribe to my YouTube Channel or follow me on Facebook for easy fit-tip ideas to incorporate into your life to become a healthier YOU. They only take minutes a day.
You can also give me a call to find out more about my retreats and services. There is no obligation, only information and a time to answer your questions.
May your life be blessed and pain free,
