New Year's resolutions almost beg to broken. Most often they are way too ambitious and don't have a firm grasp on reality. And while eating healthier and developing a more sound approach to fitness is high on the list of most people, a lot of people struggle with what "healthy" constitutes. Writer Leanne Ely, author of Healthy Foods, offers some insight.
Who's the expert?
There are books, diet gurus and all kinds of fitness infomercials
out there throwing conflicting information out to the public by
the bucket full. There are low-fat, low-carb and low-protein
diets-to name just a few. On the other side of the fence are high
carb, high protein and high fat diets even. Contradictions are
legion and each one has their own particular spin, with their own
particular "scientific data." It's enough to make you crazy!
How do you deal with this information overload and manage to maintain a modicum of sanity? The answer may surprise you and probably relieve you. Do you really want to know who the expert is?
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It's you! You're the one who knows if you bloat after eating fettuccine and you're the one who knows citrus doesn't agree with you. You know if you need a more substantial breakfast than the next guy and you also know if you've secretly hiding a box of Little Debbie's in the front seat of the car, too.
The answer to weight problems, health problems and food allergies is you. Surprised? Hoping to hear there was a new diet doc in town willing to take on your problems? Believe me, you might actually get some good information from some of these experts, but one size never, ever, ever fits all and don't be duped into believing that. You know what works for you and what doesn't. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that to make sense of a healthy diet, you need to eat healthy! What does that entail and how can you get to this Promised Land?
Eat close to nature
Eat as close to nature as possible by eating foods that are
easily identifiable. If you're pouring something out of a box
and reconstituting it with water, not only are you probably
eating a whole box full of chemicals, you're paying premium
dollars for that chem-food. A good rule of thumb -- if you can't
pronounce the ingredient on the label, don't eat it.
It's about eating what suits you. If you get squeamish at meat of any sort, be a vegetarian but give the rest of the world the grace not to be a vegetarian. If you feel better and eat less when you consume a little more protein, you're on the right track.
The bottom line is figuring out what your body likes and doesn't
like. Do a little sleuthing. Allow yourself some experimentation
and find out what fits. Remember, YOU'RE the expert!
Links, information and more for you
About the author: Leanne Ely is the author of Healthy Foods: An Irreverent Guide to Understanding Nutrition and Feeding Your Family Well. Leanne is also the editor of a new, weekly subscription newsletter called Menu-Mailer. Menu-Mailer will give you the menu, to healthy, family recipes and a grocery list every week delivered right to your e-mail address for just pennies a day. For more information send an e-mail toleanneely@aol.com.
