The sun is setting at a later hour, spring has sprung, people seem more cheerful on those daily walks, summer is right around the corner. But, I can’t help but notice that when the thought of summer comes to mind- it is surrounded by these words/phrases:
“diet,” “summer slim down,” “flat belly bikini body,” “1200 calorie weight-loss meal plan.” Ugh.
We live in a society where before summer arrives, we all have to “look the part.” Incomes, disordered eating patterns, stress-related behaviors, and a hole in your wallet for believing all of these diet trends.
Stop. Before you get started, STOP.
There is no need to hop on these trends when you have everything available to you within your reach. If you are looking to lose weight, don’t do it because you have summer in mind. Do it because you want to feel strong and happy every single day of the year. Let me help you make a sustainable change, not one that promotes unhealthy standards.
We start with the 6 Nutritional Foundations:
- Properly, Prepared Nutrient Dense Diet: Real Food Builds Real Health. A variety of nutrients is essential to a person’s optimal health and wellness.
- Blood Sugar Regulation: Balancing our energy levels by adjusting the quality and quantity of our macronutrients (protein, carb, fat), reducing stress levels, getting adequate sleep (at least 8 hours), and engaging in regular movement can help ensure we don’t have a blood sugar drop or spike.
- Digestion and Elimination: “We are what we absorb.” Now that we know how important it is to eat a nutrient-dense diet, we must also understand that we have to absorb those nutrients. Proper digestion provides the nutrients that fuel and build every single cell in the body.
- Fatty Acids: Healthy fats are required for stable energy, optimal brain function, hormone balance, and safety. Examples: Avocado, Wild Salmon, Olive Oil
- Mineral Balance: Minerals help build bones and lend a helping hand in balancing hormones and many other key body processes. We can’t make minerals on our own, so we must obtain them from whole foods and clean beverages.
- Hydration: Water is the most important nutrient. It’s required for numerous body processes and makes up 60% of the body. Dehydration is one of the number 1 deficiencies. Bottoms up!!
So, you read through the nutritional foundations. Now, you’re wondering how to get a start on all of this and how to do it right. Did you think I was going to leave you hanging? Here are some tips to consider when creating this lifestyle:
- Start your morning with warm water, lemon, and unrefined sea salt or pink Himalayan salt. This will help you absorb your water by providing you with minerals and electrolytes at the start of your day.
- Minimizing our consumption of processed foods.
- Eating a diverse range of local, seasonal, organic fruits and vegetables, grass-finished meats, pasture-raised poultry and eggs, and wild-caught seafood. If organic or grass-fed is not feasible in your budget, that is completely okay. Still eating a variety of these nutrients is sufficient.
- Including protein, carb, and fat in each meal. These macronutrients work better synergistically than they do in isolation.
- Improving the way we eat by slowing down, using our senses to fully experience what we are consuming, and avoiding distractions if we can. This helps in the digestion process.
- Move your body regularly. Any type of physical activity is better than nothing!
I want you to get “The Summer Body” image out of your head and focus on how you can treat your body with care in a healthy way every single day. We are meant to love our bodies for what they are, even on our worst days. Our bodies have gotten us through every day of our lives. It’s time we start caring for it the way it cares for us.
Any questions are welcomed in my email. Sending my love and support always,
Liz
