Some Healthy Living Tips You Might Not Find in a Fad Diet Book!

Okay, I am going to put it out there...sometimes in our eager

attempts to live healthy, we end up becoming less than joyful to be

around. I believe that if we become so rigid in our day to day

approach to healthy eating, we can sometimes set up a terrible

relationship with food. This hyper focus on sticking to the right diet

can actually make us so stressed that we exude extreme moodiness and

actually stop losing weight. When we are stressed our bodies can

produce more cortisol which can make us gain weight. Though, I believe

in eating REAL, unprocessed foods and not indulging in junk food, I

think from time to time, it's okay to enjoy that piece of chocolate or

slice of Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.

Below are SIX rules that I live by that have kept me healthy over the years!

~ Eat mostly organic, REAL foods with a strong emphasis on plants.

BUT, with that said, know that it's okay to splurge once and a great

while- Yes, I splurge from time to time! I actually think it's

important to do so. I enjoy holiday feasts just like everyone else. I

don't starve myself leading up to it, and I don't forbid myself from

having a piece of holiday pumpkin pie. Because I go into a holiday

celebration knowing I am not forbidding myself anything, I

instinctively don't overindulge. I am content with only one serving.

When we become overly focused on elimination, we get stressed and that

sometimes leads to overindulging from grazing or picking at our

favorite foods all night long or opening the fridge later on at night.

~ Embrace your age with grace and confidence. I often laugh when people try to hide

their age as they get older. Aging is a fact of life. To me, if you

respect yourself fully, you don't need to hide who you are- that

includes your age. By embracing, I mean accept it; it's okay and

actually very important to implement healthy strategies to keep you

looking younger and feeling energetic. Drinking lots of water is the

best solution for keeping aging skin moist and youthful and keeping

that extra bounce in your step. Dehydration leads to haggard looking

skin and fatigue. Aim for 1/2 you body weight in ounces. ( PS: Folks,

I am 52! :-) )

~ Make time for fun with friends. This could be taking a trip

together or dining once a month with close friends. Laughing and

taking time to be together with friends or family is good for the

heart and soul.

~ Exercise at least five or six times a week. Exercise releases

endorphins, the "feel good" hormones and can help fight depression and

anxiety.

~ Avoid staying indoors all day long and disconnect from the cell

phone or computer. Being outdoors allows you to soak up some essential vitamin D. Vitamin D has been shown to boost immunity and help fight against depression and anxiety.

~Last but not least: Get plenty of sleep. According to some studies, appetite increases by a whopping 25 per cent if you are exhausted.

Remember, Folks, food ( NOT just what's on a plate) determines how we feel and heal!

#faddiets #healthyliving #primaryfoods #antiagingstrategies #aging