Friday, January 7, 2011

Marching to the beat of your own drummer!


The most important thing I have seen repeatedly in people that have successfully adopted a healthier lifestyle is that they have personalized it to their lives.
So many of these diet and exercise programs being pitched to us daily are all about taking one formula and applying it to the masses.  It is no wonder so many people try and fail using these methods. 
I talked to a few of my friends and family that are living out a healthy lifestyle and they shared with me some of the ways they have made this journey more personal and more successful.
Calorie replacements:
-Maggie kicked her daily soda habit replacing it with seltzer water and sometimes spiking it with juice or a squeeze of lemon or lime.
-Samantha had a lifelong love affair with dessert after dinner.  An affair she was not willing to give up.  Her solution is to allow herself a dessert a day as long as it is 100 calories or less.  She has found a variety of 100-calorie desserts to keep her satisfied and fit. 
-Chris is a self-admitted carnivore.  In an effort to keep the beef but cut out as much of the fat as possible he now makes his lean meat burgers by adding oatmeal to the mix.  He can still enjoy a thick juicy burger but with half the meat.
Adapting exercises to your life:
-After years of trying to use the hundreds of dollars worth of exercise equipment he purchased for his home Rob finally decided he was best motivated at a gym.  He sold and donated all of his equipment and joined a 24 hour gym near his work.  Now he makes it a point to either work out on his way to work or on his way home from work. 
-The best exercise for beginners and couch potatoes is walking or running.  This exercise is one you can do on your time and pace.  It’s the perfect starter and gateway exercise to a lifelong healthy habit!
You are unique and should embrace that daily especially when it comes to your food and fitness!

No comments:

Post a Comment