I have really been getting into this whole health thing that I have been on for the past week or so. I have been a bit lethargic lately because I have been having some issues, but I am really doing a lot of research and having fun with this! I went to the library today and got a couple of books. One is In Defence of Food by Michael Pollan, and the other is YOU: The Owners Manual. I have read You: On a Diet and I used to have it, and I really enjoyed it. Mainly my focus is to live a healthier lifestyle and make healthy choices for a longer life.
I want to lose weight, and that is a big part of it of course, but health is my main objective. My dad had a heart attack 8 years ago right before he turned 50, and heart disease is big all through his family. All of his siblings have something wrong with their hearts. My uncle on my moms side also had a heart attack. My mom has diabetes (she is ~160lbs, 5 foot 7, not a big woman) and my dad is pre-diabetic (~212lbs, now 199lbs, 6 feet). They have been concerned with their health, and seeing this makes me want to really do well for myself. My brother also lost a lot of weight in the last few years. He is 19, and went from a size XXL to a size M. He has always been good looking, but he is now very handsome. Seeing how my brother did this for himself motivates me. He was a lot more radical with his regiment, working out constantly and taking protein powder and such, and I just don't have the ability to do that with my schooling and everything. I feel like I can make some great life changing habits, though.
Contrary to what I thought when I first started counting my calories, it is actually not that terrible! I can eat whenever I want (just not 3 hours before bed!) and there are so many good foods to choose from. I make grocery lists and have some foods on a list on my computer that are good for the body and things to definitely look for. Some of which is apples, bananas, blueberries, cantaloupe, cherries, grapes, oranges, strawberries, carrots, celery, cucumbers, garlic, onions, potatoes, spinach, squash, tomatoes, turnips, and yams. I also drink green tea and a lot of water. Yogurt is a part of my diet for most days, because I have always suffered from digestive troubles, and I find a feel a lot better and things work a lot better with natural probiotic yogurt. I am also eating whole grain foods and making my own pasta sauces with veggies and herbs instead of grabbing a jar of Bertolli or whatever is cheap. It is just simple changes like these, and counting my calories. I also plan on becoming more active, but as of right now I don't really have a way to do that. I figure it is good to go at this gradually. Start by making food changes, then slowly incorporate more activity. Hopefully by the time I see my parents mid-November, there will be some progress and things will be great! I really want to try to pass on these sorts of habits to my parents. They are pretty healthy, but we definitely eat out a lot and need more home cooking. I love them so much and really want them to be healthy and be around as long as possible!
Be healthy, be happy!
Love,
Erica.
No comments:
Post a Comment