"Changing our habits takes conscious, deliberate, repeated action, doing things over and over and OVER again."
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3. Move more Find something you love to do, whether that’s dancing, hiking, gardening, walking etc. It does not have to be working out in the gym, like we traditionally think of when we say EXERCISE. Make it part of your social life. I joined a running club when I figured out running made me feel really good and helped me lose 100 pounds. There I met my closest friends, and this became my social life and, therefore, my pleasure. Aside from dedicated exercise, focus on NEAT- Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. This is where the little things REALLY do add up. My top hacks for making increasing NEAT a habit: • Set an alert to get up every hour and take a walk about a sedentary job • March in place during commercials • Walk around during phone calls • Even standing at your desk if you can rather than sitting all increases NEAT It really does all add up!
4. Eat only when hungry
We often eat for many reasons other than true physical hunger, e.g. parties, watching TV, there’s food at the office, just because it’s time for lunch, etc. Any time we eat for reasons other than hunger, we eat in a surplus and will not lose fat! Many of us have lost our ability to determine when we are truly hungry and truly satisfied. Begin to ask yourself if you are really physically hungry, and when eating, pay attention to when you are no longer hungry/satisfied. My top hacks for making this a habit: • Before eating, ask, “am I really hungry?” If yes, eat. If no, wait a half hour and ask again. • Slow down, make your meal last 20 minutes • Halfway through your meal, ask, “am I satisfied?” If yes, stop eating. If no, eat half of what is left and repeat.
5. And of course, eat more plants! Plants are the most nutritionally dense foods while being less calorically dense. A hundred calories of oil, cheese or meat take up much less space in our stomach than 100 calories of plant food and provides much less nutrition (or none!). Therefore, by eating a whole food plant-based diet, you can eat much more volume for fewer calories yet more nutrients. Eat abundantly: fruits, starchy veggies, non-starchy veggies, leafy veggies, intact whole grains, legumes and lentils, herbs and spices, and mushrooms. Eat in moderation: avocadoes, nuts and seeds, dried fruits, pasta alternatives, plant-based milks, coconut meat, olives, soy products, sprouted bread, and fermented foods. Think eating plants can be boring? Think again! There are over 300,000 edible plants. That equals endless combinations! My top hacks for making eating more plants a habit: • Get in the habit of adding greens to all your meal---all kinds • Eat a side salad first before the main meal • Replace any processed snacks with healthier whole food plant based options. • Blend veggies and mushrooms into sauces Implement these 5 powerful habits, and you will be on the right path to losing fat and gaining a healthy, long life free of disease!
Getting fit and healthy and changing your life is SOOO much more than a specific work out routine or a special diet. It’s about finally finding the support, the accountability, the community! wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022
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