Saturday, March 12, 2011

Living Lean and Dumping the Mean


I am a huge advocate of “living lean.”  There are countless benefits to adopting a philosophy that encourages living simply.
About 10 years ago my husband and I began to ‘declutter’ our lives.  We were already committed to eating healthy and exercising but now we were ready to further simplify our lives. 
One of the first casualties was our well-intentioned addiction to juices.  After reading the label one day, we realized we would be better off making our own instead of consuming all those sugars and chemicals.  Using an old, hand held juicer, my husband began to squeeze out the juice of two oranges every morning.  It was not the glass full we were use to, but when you live lean, and naturally, you begin to realize what a true serving size looks like, and it becomes enough to satisfy you.
The other must-have item that we improved upon was peanut butter.  For years we had been buying the fresh ground store brand.  Now we buy organic peanuts and grind them ourselves.  Even without any added sugar or salt or oils, the peanut butter is phenomenal.
We have also simplified the way we cook.  Gone are the days when we had countless sauces and condiments in our fridge.  Today we buy lean meats, vegetables and grains and season them with fresh herbs. 
Our exercise routine also got a make-over.  My husband bought a compact weight set and now we save money and time working out at home.  Our cardio workout still consists of lacing up and hitting the road for a brisk walk or a quick run.
When you make the decision to live lean, you are not just going to lose weight and improve your overall health you will also save money and time.   Money and time are two of the biggest causes of stress so by leaning out your life, you can eliminate a variety of health and life issues.  

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