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4 Hour Diets, 8 Minute
Workouts?
By
Kathi Casey |
 March
is National Nutrition Month and there is so much in the news
these days about nutrition. A new food pyramid was released
by the FDA, Tim Ferris’ book called “The 4 Hour Body” hit
the market in February, headlines are everywhere talking
about eight minute fitness plans or another “new” calorie or
carbohydrate restricting diet. It’s an endless onslaught.
As Baby Boomers age, we seem much more interested in
simplifying our lives, not complicating them with more fad
diets, fitness gadgets, etc. So ignore all the “next best”
health hype. Here is my solution for simplifying your
nutrition and fitness goals for a healthy lifestyle that
doesn’t cost a dime, doesn’t mean spending hours in the gym
(unless you want to) and makes you feel a whole lot better.
1. Take a trip down memory lane. What physical activities
did you love to do as a child? Hike, swim, play tennis? Did
you ride your bike and love the feel of the wind playing
with your hair as you sped down the driveway on two wheels?
You were in good shape then, you can be in good shape now.
Whatever your love was – start doing it again! Get yourself
a new bike, pull those hiking boots out of the closet, dust
off the tennis racket, get those skis tuned up – whatever it
is. Don’t wait, start now. Enjoy that feeling again. That’s
all it takes. The whole idea is to get your body up, out and
moving again, doing something you enjoy. You don’t have to
go to the gym for two hours or run ten miles. Any physical
activity that you add to your routine helps make you
healthier. If you’re doing something you like it won’t feel
like a chore, but rather, something to look forward to. And
if you can enlist a friend you’ll have even more fun. Your
heart and your blood pressure will thank you.
2. Keep a food log for a week. I know I’ve mentioned this
before, but it’s a tip worth repeating. When you write it
all down, you will be amazed at the amount of food you put
into your mouth on a daily basis. Most people are shocked.
We all over-estimate how much exercise we get and
underestimate how much food we eat. Looking at a list of
everything that we eat and drink will help us to make better
choices. We’ll see how it easy it can be to substitute an
apple for that plate of cheese and crackers that we munch on
while cooking dinner. Or maybe we’ll replace our mid
afternoon snack of a bag of chips with a small hand-made bag
of trail mix, or a handful of yummy walnuts. There are so
many simple, tasty, smarter treats that are good for us,
that I’m sure you can find one you like to substitute for
that treat you know is bad for you. When you make the
choices yourself, you won’t feel deprived, you’ll enjoy the
changes, and they’ll become a healthy new habit.
National Women’s Day is this month. I know most people in
the US don’t pay attention to that one since we have
Mother’s Day in May; however, National Women’s Day
celebrates every woman, not just moms. So let’s take time
this month to appreciate all of the women in our lives –
sisters, aunts, daughters, grandmas, mothers and nieces.
Give sis a call and let her know that you love her. Take
your daughter out to dinner or meet your niece for a cup of
coffee. Giving the gift of appreciation is one way to
improve not only the health of the person you’re
appreciating, but your own as well. Feelings of gratitude
and appreciation release endorphins (feel good hormones)
into your body which, in turn, can boost your immunity,
reduce stress and lower your blood pressure. Pretty nice
return on the investment wouldn’t you say? And to get you
started, here’s a gift from me to you. I appreciate every
one of you and wish only the best of health to you all. Here
is a link to some funny jokes: www.kathicaseypilates.
com/en/jokes/ which will make you laugh and that will
release endorphins too! |
About The Author
Kathi Casey, RYT, CPI is located in Otis and offers a
great deal of helpful information at her web site. Please
visit her at www.Kathi- CaseyPilates.com and
www.CoolBoomers.net.
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