Day 25. The mind and body solution

Thriving in your mind and body through nutrition

SIX

Today we are focusing on what we put in our body and how the effects of good nutrition assist us going forward.  It's no point doing all this great life changing work if we fuel up with crap.

I really do feel a bit like the bionic woman - not that i was broken, but i can honestly say i feel like i have been to some exotic retreat, but all in the surrounds of my own home - which is what that book promised to deliver.  Cut back or quit drinking in the privacy of your own home.... Have I told you how great i feel??? i know, i know, it's only been about a b-zillion times. But, i am totally allowed to blow my own trumpet.

Now speaking of trumpets, if we aren't fueling up on the right things, then our old rear end trumpet ain't going to be delivering the right kind of music.  You know that old saying - put less in the front end and blow more out the back for a healthier lifestyle. Think beans beans the musical fruit, the more we eat, the more we toot.  Was that a louis armstrong piece?  I have probably put you off ever wanting to eat again. At least beans anyway!

Okay, back to the serious stuff. Basically, they want us to eat healthy (and exercise) because what we put into our body directly affects how we think and how we feel. I can't say that my diet has always been fantastic - i used to have maccas, coke, kfc, big rooster - the 4 major food groups. Oh and snacks - chips, chocolate and if there was chocolate coated chips, i would have had those as well.  And then one day i changed.  Just like bruce transitioned into caitlyn, i followed in the footsteps of both my sisters and transitioned into a vegetarian and have been so for 20 years.  Of course there's lots of bad vegetarian food but i believe in never cutting myself off or being so strict that i feel i should monitor everything that i eat.  I think that leads to poor body image and stress and we have enough stress without putting ourselves under the microscope to be picked apart about how we think we look to others. I find only eating what i need works for me but totally enjoying something extra if i feel like it.

Let's take a look at today's menu shall we....our theme is about thriving physically for health, energy and vitality.  We learn about how truly amazing our bodies are in the way they regenerate and that we can reverse some health issues with diet and exercise. The importance of physical health to help mental health is a focus. We are asked to make one new rule in our life in regards to nutrition and exercise - whether that's even just increasing our water intake or doing one pushup - it's about taking action. Doing something is better than doing nothing. And we get a little reminder of the fat, sugar and salt story. These are three of my favourite things, but the smart jan knows they need to be on the less is more scale. And finally, we are asked to consider different styles of eating healthy, till we find the one that is right for us.

I am pretty happy with my choices overall, so what were the action items that we get to chew over today.

Action 1. Drink lots of water
CHECK CHECK and CHECK.  Always have done, continue to do so and am probably even drinking more.

We are asked to start the day with 2 big glasses of water to combat any dehydration through the night (I hate that feeling when you sleep in airconditioning and it just sucks any ounce of moisture out of you) and they recommend the old the warm water and lemon juice to kick start the day.  Plus we are asked to drink at least 1 cup of water for every 2 hours we are awake.  i know i want to cut back drinking, but this doesn't seem like much really, so i am going to test this.

Action 2. Keep a food journal.
This i am not doing - sorry.  One journal is enough. And the reason i wont, is because i only eat when i need to. I am not really a snacker (however i did just stuff an easter egg into my mouth, but i am getting in practice for easter break - limbering up so to speak).  I am quite in tune with my body, so i seem to know what and when it needs extra or less of something.

Action 3. Make small changes to your diet
They suggest adding one new healthy change to our diet each week.  such as:
beginning with more water
cutting back on seconds
cutting back on processed foods with large amounts of sugar, salt and fat.

That's it.  Action items done or in progress.  We were asked not to set any major goals while doing this program, so they give us a bit of lee-way on deciding when and how we introduce dietary changes.

So i was sittng on the couch one night and i get a ping on my phone and it was my mum sending me a bit of a stat on how many KJ's i am saving, by not knocking back the plonk.

Now that i am practically starving, following that stat, how am i feeling?

I am feeling amazing and seem to be having deeper sleeps

Alcohol hasn't even been registering in my thoughts at all. It's quite amazing. 

And I have an even bigger spring in my step.