I have always been able to maintain a constant weight, never really watching what I ate, just making sure I ate in moderation. But I never felt totally at peace with my body - there always seemed to be a disharmony or disconnect. I thought that was the way I was supposed to feel, but then I read something out of Dr. Andersen's book, Dr. A's Habits of Health, that changed my perspective. (Dr. Andersen is the spokesman for Take Shape for Life and this book is the foundation of the entire program).
What he discusses in Chapter 2 is the difference between "non-sick" and "healthy." Most medical doctors do not recognize anything other than "sick" or "healthy." But there is a third category - "non-sick" which most people fall into. I know I did!
Non-sickness is like purgatory. You are simply surviving, but not thriving. It is caused by eating too much nutritionally barren food, which overworks the pancreas and encourages your body to store fat. Low energy levels, weak and flabby muscles and poor sleep are the hallmarks of being non-sick. Eventually, over years of existing on nutritionally poor food, your body finally develops a disease - such as diabetes.
It boils down to the small, seemingly inconsequential choices you make every day. Do I eat an apple or crackers? Do I order water with lunch or sweet tea? Do I choose the lean meat option under the Weight Watchers portion of the menu, or go for the juicy, greasy hamburger?
The choice you make at that moment does not seem so huge - you may get indigestion, but there are pills for that. You may put on a pound or two, but you can diet, right? You worked hard all week and you deserve that steak, even when know your intestines will revolt tomorrow morning.
The problem is that these poor choices add up over time. The body has an amazing ability to handle a few bad choices. But over time, that heavy influx of saturated animal fat, high-fructose corn syrup and a lack of healthy vegetables, leads to a rise in insulin, cholesterol, triglycerides and inflammation. Your body can only handle so much of bad food, before it has to react.
For many years (I am too embarrassed to even write how many!) I have lived on processed food. Frozen meals that are easy to prepare, restaurant food that is over-salted, covered in butter and overcooked. I would occasionally try the latest diet - Atkins or South Beach, for example, just to see if I felt better. I would lose weight, but then go back to my old eating habits. And I never felt as if I was in tune with my body.
Now I see that I was existing in a state of numbness - non-sickness - that I thought was normal! After just five days on the Take Shape for Life program, I listen more to my body. Yesterday, for example, I came home after having lunch with my dad, and discovered that I felt slightly drained. Instead of pushing past that feeling, I laid down and took a nap! (Just ask my husband, and he will tell you that I NEVER do that). But rest was what my body needed at that moment. When I woke up, I felt refreshed and energized.
I have never listened to my body before! What a revelation - and a gift! My body is a finely tuned instrument. I am giving it the nutrition is needs to perform at its best. And it is responding (I have lost 4.5 lbs. since Monday). But I feel better and I know that as the next several weeks progress, that condition will improve. I do not ever want to go back to the way I was, just existing but not thriving.
Small lessons learned over time lead to better choices. Better choices made over time lead to optimal health.
To learn more about Take Shape for Life, please visit http://www.davideriksen.tsfl.com Or call me - you have my cell number!
No comments:
Post a Comment