Sunday, June 16, 2013

Healthy Habits Continue!!

I've had a busy weekend, but it's time to blog!

My husband & I had a great talk this week! We talked about the slow progression we've gone through in the past year in an effort to get healthier and about what we've learned along the way! 

Stage 1 - Increased activity levels:
Getting more active through lifting weight & some cardio/HIIT helped us lose some extra weight as soon as we made a push to get healthier. Exercising regularly helped regulate our sleep patterns & gave us a great sense of accomplishment. Even though we were not "runners" a few years ago, at the present time, the hubby & I have both run long races. His current record is the (8 mile) Turkey Trot & mine is the (13.1 mile) Dallas Half-Marathon. It feels so good to know we can make those kinds of demands on our body & our bodies will perform. Even though our bodies changed for the better through increased activity levels, we weren't satisfied. I was especially disappointed at my fluctuating energy levels & weight fluctuations...

Stage 2 - From fast food to home cooking:
The positive changes in our bodies multiplied once we started eating healthier. Fast food is cheap, easy & has flavors that are meant to get you hooked. Even the salads at many fast food places are LOADED with SUGAR & fat - the sugar content tends to skyrocket when dressing is added.  When I started making home cooked meals I was pretty uninformed as far as what was healthy & what wasn't. I would find a recipe that looked tasty & try it out without much regard to nutrition but, even then, cooking at home instead of eating fast food tremendously reduced the amount of added sodium, added sugar, and chemical preservatives we were eating. We progressed further and made even more of a push to educate ourselves on health and nutrition.

Stage 3 - Home cooking goes all-natural:
The hardest & most rewarding challenge we've faced to date has been the change away from processed foods to all natural foods. This step came about when my health was not good.  I had never struggled with weight gain but in 2011 the number on the scale climbed and climbed despite an increase in my activity level and a positive change in my food intake.  I am so thankful that my doctors listened to my symptoms - persistent fatigue, weight gain, acne, moodiness, etc. - and worked with me to make me feel better.  We discussed medications and I also discussed my food intake and exercise habits with my doctors at length after my Hashimoto's diagnosis. After those conversations, I knew that if I wanted to feel great and stabilize my weight I would need to put in some work and change my habits.  When a particular doctor told me what kind of meal plan I should follow, I was overwhelmed but I was determined to feel healthy again.  I went all natural.  Instead of consuming added fats like sauces & cream cheese we get our fat from foods like avocados & nuts. Instead of topping a home made salad with Light dressing that comes loaded with unpronounceable chemicals, I make dressing using things like grapefruit. (Who would have thought?) I make my own pestos now!  I can even make lasagna using all natural veggies & meats without the processed pasta layers. I'm not a doctor and you have to find what works for you, but feeding my body an abundance of natural and nutrient rich foods has absolutely made a difference in both my appearance and my health.  I don't take thyroid medication any more AND I don't struggle with my Hashimoto symptoms anymore.

It's hard to explain how your body just feels better when you feed it the right foods but its worth sticking out the inevitable adjustment period that comes with big changes in order to feel so good.  Yes, it takes work.  Yes, there are times when I have to resist cravings.  Yes, it's a LIFESTYLE change and not just a quick fix, but it's worth it.  The Fuel System has been a great product to have in my arsenal because it provides a practical application of so much of what my doctor suggested when my health was failing.  I eat fruit every day. I eat veggies every day. A significant part of my diet is made up of protein. Eating five meals a day helps keep my metabolism going. There are almost no ingredients that I put in my body that I can't pronounce.

My husband had no health ailments motivating him to go through the above phases, but he has joined me in the journey.  I know that part of why he has gone through all of this with me is simply because he is my biggest supporter.  He likes to take these challenges on when I do, just so I can have a partner to help me through.  But he has also gone through the various phases and kept up with the changes because he sees how they benefit him. In phase one he would accompany me on my runs at the start, but by the end he was setting his own goals and ran the 8-mile Turkey Trot without me!  In phase two, he started out politely accepting whatever experiment I put in front of him but then began looking forward to home-cooked meals and started to dread greasy fast food.  In phase three, what started out as a four-week challenge is now turning into a lifestyle change for him.  He's even asked that I continue making green smoothies for him to drink at work each day! I love it! I love that he has continued our Thursday body composition check ins although we've finished the four week challenge.  I love that he learned so much in those four weeks that his body has continued to change! I love that he asks questions and wants to know more about why we're eating the way we're eating.  I love it when I hear him trying to pass that knowledge on to others!!  I'm really excited about the positive changes we've made and I'm excited to see how we progress further.

Smoothie prep for me & Hubby:


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