Saturday, September 17, 2011

Moderation is the key to a happy and healthy life


If you are like me you may sometimes become overwhelmed by the constant stream of health information that we are exposed to daily.  One day you are advised to load up on Vitamin B and the next day the magic bullet of good health is green tea.  After growing tired of trying to keep up with all these health trends I finally decided to practice what I have always been told is the secret to a good life - moderation. 
There are many reasons why people cannot commit to a healthy lifestyle but I am convinced that the main one is when they are pulled in several different directions.  What is the point of sticking to any type of health and weight management plan or fitness program if in a week they will find that whatever it is you are doing is all wrong? 
Moderation is not only about what you eat and drink.  This system can be useful when determining what type of information you are going to expose yourself to as well as experiment with. 
Thanks to all the cutting edge research we are better able to learn what supplements, vitamins, foods and exercises are best for us but as the caregiver of your body, it is up to you to sort through the noise and find what works best for you. 
When these reports come flooding in I do a quick assessment.  If what I am doing is working for me then I do not change what I am doing.  The only time I sit up and take note is when I find something that improve my already successful system.  For instance, when I read about quinoa having more protein than pasta and rice I made that change.  It was a subtle change because it is a grain that can be easily substituted.  When I heard that strawberries have more Vitamin C than orange juice, I cut back on the sugary OJ and now eat more strawberries. 
The same is true for your exercise routine.  If what you are doing is getting you injury free results then only make adjustments rather than drastic changes.
Being healthy and fit does not mean you have to chase every single trend or breakthrough that is reported, it is about knowing when to evolve and when to stay the same.

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