Yesterday I detailed 7 healthy habits that increase fat and illness. Today, we get to dig into Healthy Habit #1: Eat Less and Exercise More.
This healthy habit has been ingrained in my subconscious since I was 14 and logically it makes sense.
In fact, I bet you have tried this as well and maybe it worked for awhile but eventually, the results stopped and frustration increased. Then your weight increased; so you worked out harder with little very limited results. When the results stop; we tend to stop as well and go back to our old ways of eating
As I said in my original blog post; I know many people who are struggling to release weight and are not over-eating. Unconscious eating can be a source yet, I know that releasing weight has less to do with the calories in/calories out theory and here are 5 reasons why:
- A calorie is NOT a calorie. 100 calories of fruit loops (my favorite go to binge food) and 100 calories of lean protein affect the body profoundly differently. Bio-chemically the fruit loops will spike your blood sugar and leave you hungry and craving more sugar while the lean protein will satiate your appetite and provide your muscles with fuel to repair and build.
- Overtraining or doing a workout just because it burns more calories will put your body into stress physiology. In turn, cortisol is released, fat burning capacity diminishes and your metabolism becomes slow and sluggish. Your body is primitive within; it does not know that you are trying to burn fat. From the constant pounding; it believes that you are in some big trouble and it will slow everything down so that you can survive.
- Eating less also turns on your body’s stress response because it believes this lack of food is the result of famine. Your body’s job is to keep you alive and to do that it stores your fat for survival.
- Eating less can lead to uncontrollable cravings, which in turn, can lead to binging, shame and then more eating. Think about the last time you were starving and you ate whatever was in front of you. Your body becomes a bigger force than you and eventually you will cave. If you don’t? That could mean an even bigger problem can be manifesting.
- Exercising more with less food leads to muscle is being used for fuel. Our muscle is so valuable! Even though it weighs more it is active 24/7. If you want to burn fat and keep lean muscle forget about eating less.
Exception: This healthy habit CAN work in the short term for a kick start but more is not better. Do not follow this protocol for more than a couple of days.
How to transform this healthy habit into a powerful practice:
- Eat the highest quality of food available to you at any particular moment. According to the book Cruise Ship or Nursing Home the author suggests to quit counting calories and start counting chemicals. In other words, eat more food from the pasture than the manufacturing plant.
- Exercise everyday. WHAT? Didn’t I just say how bad overtraining is for you? To me exercise is about mixing and matching intense with easy. For example, I used to work out 2 times a day, had the stopwatch on with the heart rate monitor and if I didn’t spend 60 minutes with a heart rate above 150; I was not a happy camper. Now I do exercise daily HOWEVER, 2 to 3 days are just 20 minute leisurely walks where I don’t sweat but I do get those endorphins! Furthermore, those intense days never last more than 30 minutes. The point is to move your body and spread the blood from your head to your tippy toes. While giving your needed stress release. Those 20 minutes walks after meals because it gives your digestion more oxygen and your metabolism more UUMPH!
- Move in a way that moves you. If you are doing a workout purely for the “supposed” calorie burn; stop it right now. If you are not moving in a way that moves you and makes you excited; your body feels it and turns on the stress physiology. What if you hate to exercise at all? Then just start walking. Your body is meant to move and after 21 days of walking for even 5 minutes will make you and your body happy.
- Get Balanced Macro=ly. Every body requires a balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats. Your metabolism won’t function optimally, your hormones will go wacky and your energy will plummet without this balance.
During my party; Simply Slim; How to eat what you want so you can wear what you want and have the energy to strut your stuff; you will learn your unique FIT quotient which will include learning your ideal macro-balance. Go here to learn more and RSVP.
Of course I want you to start taking action now so am sharing the Breakfast Experiment from The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Download your template here.
My inquiring mind wants to know: What action will you take right now to eat more balanced and to exercise in a way that moves you?
Wow! Mind blown! This is such a helpful post! It seems I’ve been doing it all wrong! 🙂
Erin: I am sure you are doing lots right and I am glad you found this post helpful! Happy Dance!
Great advice! I have struggled with weight all my life, thanks for sharing these inspiring tips. It’s good to hear an expert give advice that frees you from rigid calorie counting diets. I’m learning to eat better and change what I eat instead of counting the calories.
Amen Katharine! You can do it and your body does know what it needs. Just put you hand on your gut and ask it. May sound strange but is works like a charm!