Stacy: "Health vs. Appearance"

Happy Thursday!

Hope everyone is having a good one :)

I'm doing the "blogging at work while on lunch break" thing right now. Today seems to be dragging a bit (4pm, where art thou?) The upside? I like the outfit I have on today, so that automatically makes for a good day in my book ;)

Cute flats thanks to Mr. UPS man, who delivered them yesterday:



One of my favorite sweaters a la outlet price, and black dress pants from NY&Company. Holler ;)

Breakfast was Kashi Cereal with almond milk, a banana, and some coffee for di-zombifying purposes. Anybody else have to wake up for work at 5 in the morning? It seems I'll never get used it, but a warm drink like coffee or tea helps a bit. It's even harder now that it's getting so cold outside! There needs to be a law against having to wake up while it's still dark and freezing outside. Yeah, Congress? Get on that, ASAP! Thanks ;)

Anyway, while flipping through a magazine I purchased at the newsstand this morning, I realized the countless articles regarding weight loss, and diets that guarantee you'll "Lose 5 pounds in 10 Days!" It got me thinking about the stress many women put on their appearance vs. the mainstream, lackadaisical approach many seem to take with their health.

Health vs. Appearance

*Always consult a physician before making any kind of dietary changes. Also,
if you have any condition that may cause sensitivity to information regarding this topic, I would suggest stopping here. I would never want to influence anybody negatively, only share my experiences in the hopes that it may help someone else.*

Who doesn’t want a toned, fit, and strong body, clear skin, healthy hair, and to be about 5 or so inches taller?! Okay, maybe that last one is only a dream of mine- but you'd say the same thing if you were standing in this hole next to me! Moving right along...

I've tried every diet under the sun. In my experience, I've always felt so restricted, and while some may have led to short-term weight loss, they also led to disordered eating habits and negative body image. I couldn't maintain the results when I returned to "eating normally" and regardless of how much weight I would lose, I was never happy with it.

I decided something had to give. I had to take a different approach, because obviously what I was doing wasn't working. The constant pressure I put on myself, the inability to truly enjoy eating, the vicious cycle of guilt I'd feel when I consumed a "bad" food, etc. Why couldn't I just enjoy food and be healthy at the same time? What was I doing wrong?! Well:

1. My focus was in the wrong place- I put so much emphasis on calories, and "good vs. bad" foods, that I forgot rule number one: my health! Yes calories matter. Overeating will surely result in weight gain, but, the type of calories you consume matter just as much, if not, more! This hit me one day as I was looking for a snack in the pantry, and my dad offered me raw cashews. "Do you know how much fat is in that, dad?!" So I grabbed a 100 calorie pack of cookies instead :) Obviously the nuts were less processed, contained healthy fats, and were the overall better choice. Needless to say, I was still not satisfied when I finished the third bag. Problem? I'd say so.

2. Maybe, just maybe, I'm not supposed to be the stick thin vision of myself that I had in mind. I'd get there and was still unsatisfied! Happiness will never come with the number on a scale. It's about living life, forming relationships, and not overthinking every last morsel of food you consume (this is coming from a reformed nutritional data tracking monster).

3. I learned to put myself first. Surely my health is more important than my appearance. What good is a hot bod that feels crappy all the time? Ironically, in putting my health first by choosing whole foods, my body started changing, and I (dare I say it?) started to like it! It was a win win all around (Score. 1 point for Stace).

THE BEST DIET?

Ready for the greatest answer to the question I get asked the most...................................?

"The one that makes you feel good." Cop out? Not quite. I am not a Registered Dietitian, so I won't tell you what to eat, instead I'll say this: learn to listen to your body. Eat slowly, and stop when you're satisfied, not when you are full and waddling when you walk (I was infamous for this! lol). Try your best to incorporate less processed, packaged food items, and more fruits and veggies, whole grains, lean protein, nuts, seeds (unless, of course, you have a medical condition or allergy that doesn't allow for that). It's a process. A very gratifying process.

All in all?

Stop restricting yourself- it'll only make you cranky- and no one will want to be your friend. (Kidding!! Kind of...)

Stop underfeeding yourself- there's only so much your body can take, and ready for the kicker? You'll gain it all back, plus more.

Stop over thinking- while it can be an emotional journey, the concept of losing weight is actually pretty simple! Many fail because they go on fad diets rather than change their lifestyle in a way they can maintain. If it seems to good to be true, it is.

Start making smart choices: replacing white starches with whole grains, eliminating trans fats from your diet, saying no to sugary soft drinks, etc.

Start now! Move slowly as any true change takes time. But do yourself a favor and don't "start tomorrow" or on "the first of the month." If this is something you truly want for yourself, right now is the time.

Start educating yourself! Read as much material as you can, ask questions (to fitness professionals, nutritionists, those who have lost weight without going on a fad diet). The more you know, the better equipped you are. Knowledge is power, yo ;)

Questions? Feel free to ask me!
LifestyleFitnessConcepts@gmail.com

<3,

Stace