Recipe for a Healthy Lifestyle
- Balance in life should include: Personal/family time, work, sleep in equal proportions.
- Personal time should include intentional exercise for optimal energy and productivity.
- Stress management. Stress actually produces cortisol which contributes to extra storage of belly fat. Use stretching as part of stress management.
Nutritional ingredients:
- No refined sugar (limited should be less than 5% added sugar per serving)
- Limited bread
- Limited processed foods
- Veggies/fruit (see list of carbohydrates below) should cover 1/2 of plate or 2 fistsfuls, protein (see list of proteins below) should be 1/3 of plate or one fistful, healthy fat or low fat dairy (see healthy fat below) should be 1/6 of plate or ½ of a palm
- Legumes can substitute for veggies and protein.
- Eat a minimum of 3 meals a day and no more than 3 small snacks in addition to a meal.
- Eat whole foods (came from the ground or had a mother)
- If sensitive to sugars, reach for fruits that have a low glycemic index.
- If using a sweetener, use the natural sweeteners listed below in extreme moderation.
- Before or after strength training session, take in extra protein supplement like a protein shake.
- Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day.
- Limit caffeine intake.
- Limit soft drinks or eliminate then all together.
Proteins:
Eggs, low fat cheese, cottage cheese, meat, cold water fish, salmon, halibut, cod, mackerel, sardines, shellfish, poultry, milk, yogurt, soybeans, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
Healthy Fat:
Oily fish, nuts (unsalted and unprocessed), cooking oils, seeds, flaxseed oil, freshly ground flaxseed, avocados, leafy greens, whole grains, coconut milk, almond milk, and almond butter. Unsaturated fats include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. The body can more readily use these fats because they do not “solidify” within the digestive or circulatory system as saturated fats do.
Carbohydrates:
Beans, vegetables (see below), fruit (see below), dairy, whole grain, squash, artichokes, leeks, lima beans, okra, pumpkin, sweet potatoes or yams, turnips.
Choose low glycemic fruits: Blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, elderberries, raspberries, strawberries, sour green apples.
Moderate GI: Cherries, pears, apricots, melons, oranges, peaches, plums, grapefruit, pitted prunes, applies, avocados, kiwi, lemons, limes, nectarines, tangerines, passion fruit, persimmons, pomegranates.
High GI: Bananas, pineapples, grapes, watermelon, mango, papaya (avoid during weight loss)
Vegetables: Arugula, asparagus, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, beet greens, bell peppers, broad beans, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cassava, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chayote fruit, chicory, chives, collard greens, cucumber, jicama, jalepeno peppers, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mushrooms, mustard greens, onions, parsley, radishes, eggplant, endive, fennel, garlic, ginger, root, green beans, hearts of palm, radicchio, snap beans, snow peas, shallots, spinach, spaghetti squash, summer squash, swiss chard, tomatoes, turnip greens, watercress.
Natural sweeteners (in extreme moderation):
Stevia, xylitol, blue agava nectar.
Physical Ingredients:
- 2 hours of stretching per week. Can be done at work or home, before/after workouts.
- Minimum of 2 sessions of strength training per week which include 8-10 different strength and conditioning exercises performed 8-12 repetitions each..
- Total weekly activity should include 2.5 hours of moderate or vigorous cardio activity.
- Moderate/vigorous activity should increase heart rate to a minimum of 65% and a maximum of 85% of your maximum heart rate. ((220 – age) *.65 = target heart rate per minute for minimum and (220 – age) * .85 = target heart rate per minute for maximum.)
Directions:
Blend all ingredients together, taking in daily portions as prescribed and enjoy a lifetime of health and a superior quality of life.
