I’ve been pretty immersed just lately in all the
studies/articles/conversation about what I’d call “habits of highly effective
healthy people”.
As I may have mentioned a time or 50, a lot of the
information one finds in these studies is contradictory, and I’ve come to the
conclusion that:
1.
The human body is WAAAAAAY too complex to study
using our current scientific methods. You can’t just add kale, see what
happens, and call that a meaningful result. There are far too many things going
on in the body, and outside of it, to decide that x or y is, singularly, the
cause of z.
2.
It’s likely the case that different people of
different gender and different ages with different genetic backgrounds have
different nutritional and exercise needs
So I think that all any of can do is experiment, in a
controlled, well-documented way, on OURSELVES to see what works. That’s what
I’ve been doing for the past month +, and I’ve come to some conclusions about
what works for ME.
I obviously don’t have it down pat yet; I haven’t seen the
level of results I’d like to see AND, perversely, I don’t do all the things I
know work all the time. Also, there are some more experiments that I want to do
on me over the next few weeks (like eliminating fruit for a while and seeing what
that does) and my opinions may change. But here are some things I’ve become
pretty convinced of:
Drinking 16 oz of hot lemon water with ginger and turmeric
first thing in the morning works. I’ve been doing this for a couple of years,
and it’s kept me mostly cold-free during that time; plus, it’s about the only
official hydration I get during the day, since I often forget to drink water
all day.
Skipping breakfast works for me. The only time I get hungry
before about 11 in the morning is when I ate (or drank) a lot of carbs the
night before. If and when I eat breakfast, I am MUCH hungrier for the rest of
the day than if I just skip it. Sorry, conventional wisdom (and politics, cause
that’s what really drives the whole “breakfast is the most important meal…”
thing), it’s not for me.
Weighing myself EVERY DAY. Another behavior that a lot of
the weight-loss programs disagree with; most say weigh in once a week. But a
daily weigh in keeps me honest AND lets me see the immediate effects of what I
did or didn’t do yesterday.
Eating a little protein with each meal works for me. If I
eat only vegetables or grains, I’m hungry again an hour later. If I eat an egg
or a little meat with the meal, I’m satisfied until the next meal.
Eating salads for lunch works for me. They’re filling, easy
to make, and about the only time I get green, leafy vegetables. Topped with
fish, chicken, or beans, they also hold me until dinner.
Making meals at home. I enjoy it, I don’t have to wonder how
much sugar or butter or whatever is hiding in what I’m eating, and I don’t eat
3 courses when at my dinner table like I do when at a restaurant.
Keeping the foods that have control over me at distance. I
just can’t start on bread, pasta, sushi…because I can’t ever finish.
Working out first thing in the morning. Generally, if it
isn’t done by 10:30, it’s not happening no matter how determined I am.
Since #100DaysofHealth are about physical AND mental health,
and since my main stressors are around not focusing, not being in the moment, living
in my head, and being constantly overwhelmed by all that I have to do right now
and in the immediate future, I also know that I do better when:
I don’t play video games. Yeah, that might sound like a
strange one to start with, but I (again) have a hard time stopping myself once
I start. They have an effect on my brain that I can’t describe: I lose time,
can’t stick with a decision (like to go to bed at a certain time, or to stop
playing the stupid game). I love them, and I hate them.
I meditate 20 minutes a day. Sporadically doesn’t seem to do
much; daily after a week or so, makes me more consistently in the moment. I
notice small things I wouldn’t normally notice.
I plan my week at the beginning of the week and plan my day
at the beginning of the day. I spend more time beating myself up about all the
things that I’m not accomplishing that I should be accomplishing than anything
else. The beatings are milder when I look at a calendar and my to do list at
the beginning of the week and have a realistic view of what I WILL be able to
do; I’m then able to delegate and or/let go of more of the semi-important stuff
and prioritize the really important stuff.
I remember to set intentions. It’s one thing to say—or write—goals.
It’s a different thing altogether to set an INTENTION to see a certain thing
happen in a day or a week
And perhaps most importantly, I say no. Much of my own
stress is self-inflicted, because I agree to do things that I don’t have time
to do. It’s not motivated by the usual, “I need everyone’s approval” thing, but
by the usual, entrepreneurial “Wow, that would be SOOOOOO COOOOOOL” thing.
Because I have a tough time turning down roles, projects, and tasks that I’m
passionate about (and that’s a LOT of things), I find myself always
overwhelmed, always behind, and always doing a half-assed job at things that I want
to do a full-ass job on. I end up resenting the thing, the people who asked me
to do the thing, and myself for having agreed to do it.
Especially as I make my health my main focus—and deal with
all of the time commitments that such a project adds to my days—I need to
recommit to saying no, starting now.
Everything you said is pretty much what I have found works for me. I added CrossFit, five times a week. It has a much needed social aspect to keep you going and h.i.i.t. and keeps me around like minded people. I also listen to audible books regularly about health, helps to maintain passion. Ray S
ReplyDelete