There are a number of reasons people in Florida exercise and focus on healthy eating. Sometimes, it’s all about body image, but most of the time, improving their everyday health is their top priority. There are so many lifestyle changes that affect your good health, but for most people, focusing on healthy eating and regular exercise makes a huge difference in the quality of life and overall good health.
It’s pretty obvious that alcohol, drug and tobacco can play a huge negative role in your health.
What’s less obvious is the role that eating fast food or processed food and a sedentary lifestyle plays. In fact, globally, a bad diet impacts the health negatively more often than alcohol abuse, drug abuse and tobacco combined. Of course, the consequences should never be minimized and the study by the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition was taking a world view which included malnutrition in countries where food was scarce, but it does make a point.
You can be starving, yet still overweight.
It’s sad to say, but too often people trying to lose weight are also malnourished. They consume to many calories that are empty and contain no nutrients. Candy is one of the biggest offenders and so are some of the so called granola bars or granola (which often contains candy). It’s not just what you eat, but what you drink, too. Soft drinks are the biggest offender, but most fruit drinks are too. It’s time to take charge and start providing your body with all the nutrients it needs for a healthy, long life.
Make it green and make it fresh.
How can you turn your health and eating habits around? Start by making sure you have more fresh fruits and vegetables on your plate. If you want to get really creative, start substitutions. Use spaghetti squash instead of the pasta spaghetti. Have a salad with each meal and make sure it contains more than just iceberg lettuce. Romaine and red leaf lettuce are better choices. Add some arugula, kale, cabbage and spinach, plus tomatoes, red pepper and even some onions and you have a bowl of nutrients ready for the dressing. Eating healthy means making small changes that become habits. Consider using Greek yogurt with a live culture over sour cream for your baked potato. Drink water instead of grabbing a soft drink.
- Don’t forget about exercise. Make every movement part of your exercise program. When doing house or yard work, put your whole body into the effort and work fast to build endurance.
- Take a break away from the computer every fifty minutes and get up and walk around or do a few jumping jacks. Studies show that prolonged sitting is just as lethal as no exercise at all.
- Avoid processed foods and those with ingredients you can’t pronounce. The fresher the food, the better.
- Cut out added sugar. It’s lethal and addictive. Eat foods for a week or two that contain no added sugar. If you crave something sweet, grab a few grapes or a slice of apple with some nut butter. After your trial run of a week or two, you’ll notice you no longer crave a sugary fix.