If I had a dollar for every time I’m asked that question, I could pay for the renowned Emeril Lagasse to move into my home and be my personal chef.
First off, that would be really cool. Secondly, I always answer that question with a question.
What do you like to eat?
On the surface, outlining what people should eat every day may seem to make sense. When it’s time to train our bodies, there’s a definite sense of ease and confidence when you walk into a gym knowing precisely what we need to do. At that point, all that’s left to do is the work.
But what if I told you to eat kale and liver, and you don’t like kale and liver? Would you listen to what I recommended you eat? I don’t think so. For some people, it’s hard enough to eat healthy when losing weight and getting healthy are the reasons why we’re doing it. It becomes even harder to follow a disciplined approach like that when you’re told to eat foods you don’t enjoy.
True quality nutrition begins with the habits we possess, not the foods we eat. The foods we eat stem from the habits we develop over the years, which stem from the choices we make along the way. As we develop healthy habits over time, we develop a better handle on the foods we should eat – and in turn, the healthy foods we eat. And if we enjoy them, we’re more likely to eat them.
It’s like having the best of both worlds. You eat foods you enjoy, and you enjoy the health benefits that come from eating those foods. You do that consistently enough over a long period of time, you develop the healthy habits that become ingrained within the quality of life you covet.
Managing portion control, drinking more water and less alcohol, eating more lean protein and fewer processed foods, making good choices when eating out as consistently as you do at home – these are the steps needed to build a healthy nutritional plan that leads to long-lasting results.
Work smarter, not simply harder – and that doesn’t need to change much at all during the holiday season, even though we often at the holidays with equal amounts of dread and excitement.
We look forward to spending quality time with family and friends, but we fear the gatherings that often are centered around a holiday table filled with delicious foods that aren’t all healthy.
I used to think that way too. Now, I look at that table with the same level of excitement that I do the time I’m spending with the people I care about the most. I eat what I want, which often means everything I find on the table, and I don’t give it a second of worry. Instead, I savor every last bite.
Because once again, I work smarter – by planning out other meals outside of those holiday meals to keep me on track with my nutritional plan. Holiday meals comprise a small number of meals in the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. Whether I stick to my caloric intake or go over that total really doesn’t make a difference in my overall plan.
And I also work harder, as making sure I stay active on days when I don’t have many, if any, holiday plans. So when Jan. 2 arrives, I don’t start over or even get on track. I just keep moving forward.
You can do the same. But if you need help with that or anything in your health and fitness plan, or if you would like to learn more about how to learn more about me and Fernandes Fit, contact me at 814.504.7774 or send an email to [email protected]. You can also head to fernandesfit.com for more information.
