2. Eat Right + Exercise = Weight Loss, Right? NOPE!
Excuse me? Did I just say that? Yes, I did.
Of course eating right and exercise are important for losing weight, but there are other bigger things at play.
Sometimes we punish ourselves for not doing the above perfectly, but maybe you're not doing the above perfectly because of your own natural instincts toward health.
What do we need to maintain good health? I believe most of us are naturally inclined towards health and balance, but with so many pressures and so much going on in our lives, our natural instincts often can't keep up.
Stress and Balance
For instance, you know that you should be eating healthfully, but work is stressful and at the end of the day all you want to do is go have fun with your friends or go home and relax.
In either case, eating well is not your priority. Rest and fun are, and rest and fun are essential and important to our health. Seeking after this is our natural attempt to balance what is imbalanced. This is a good thing.
In another situation, if you have a lot of stress at work, or you lack a fulfilling social life, you may find yourself snacking on "fun foods" a lot. These "fun foods" are rarely broccoli or carrots. But this is your attempt to balance, to comfort yourself, and to relieve stress. And often times, in the moment, it works. It makes you feel better.
Must it Be One or the Other?
Unfortunately, when we opt to care for one aspect of our health over another, we usually suffer. Making the choices above once in awhile can be great for you, but when it becomes routine, it can often lead to more imbalances. Ultimately, we end up feeling bad about ourself and bad about our body. And on top of it, physiologically we are lethargic and out of energy.
The truth is, the last thing that you probably need in these situations is the stress of trying to prepare a healthy meal and stick to a diet. For most people, it won't work. Statistics show us that.
But, you probably would like to do better in these areas. You might have even tried, and perhaps you even had some days that were successful! If you were given the tools you needed, you could do it.
It's More Difficult with the Wrong Perspective
But it's much harder to achieve balance and good health when we think eating right and exercising are the only things that will make us healthy. Because if you start focusing on those things and neglect the other aspects of your life, eventually you will go back to your old behaviors.
So when you want to make a change, I recommend you take an inventory of your life and ask yourself if you are getting your needs met in the following categories. If you want to eat better, but you are not having any fun in your life, you should figure out what makes you laugh and smile, and add some of that along with your broccoli. Otherwise, you're going to have ice cream for fun, and I assure you, it won't be broccoli flavored.
Essential Nutrients for Health and Balance
Social Life - a.k.a. emotional support and hugs, people who are there for you and who you can be yourself around.
Fun - laughs, giggles, smiles
Relaxation - time to let your body and mind rest, time to reflect on your life and thoughts, time to be undisturbed
Intellectually Stimulating and Interesting Work - not all of us are lucky enough to have a job that we love, but that doesn't mean you can't work on a project outside of work that fulfills this need. It may be personal, or it may be something you do with a team or organization. Just do something that either uses your smarts, creativity, or is making a difference in the world. Oh, and if work is really bad, then maybe it's time to re-write your career plan. e-mail me for more info: melissa@myheartdances.com
Healthy Food - Find foods that you like and are simultaneously packed with nutrients. Grab menus from restaurants near you and highlight the healthy dishes that sound tasty...keep them for a quick reference when you come home from work tired. And/Or make a large pot of soup or a casserole on the weekend with all your favorite ingredients, and freeze it in individual containers. Eat it for lunch at work or instead of take-out. Being prepared ahead of time will make the biggest difference. If you want to lose weight or achieve other health goals, e-mail me for help.
Exercise - By all means, do something fun. If you hate going to the gym, start walking outside, playing tennis, going on hikes, rollerblading, sex, jumping rope, swimming, dancing, playing with children - no one has to define exercise for you, as long as you get your heart rate up, you're doing great.
Coaching
If some area of your life is out of balance, please contact me for a coaching session. There's no risk. If you're not happy with your session, you get your money back.
And if you need more connection, come to my get together on December 4th, or come to one of my cooking classes. I'll introduce you to people!
Melissa
www.myheartdances.com
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™ was developed to support individuals in living from their heart and going after what they want in life. Our mission is to support you in deciding to be honest with yourself and be honest with others so you can face your fears and go after your dreams to "let your heart dance!"