Have you ever thought that losing or gaining weight would ultimately make you happy?
Or, maybe once you got that six pack — then you would be able to walk around with a smile on your face.
Well, as much as having a beautiful body can build confidence — true health is anything but vain.
I’ve had many clients come to see me who have tried all sorts of weight loss programs. And… they lost weight. But they also reveal that they still don’t feel good.
They still suffer from digestive distress, have serious cravings, or are unaware of the harm they may be doing to their bodies.
They feel lost. As I divulge into foods and their effects on the body, I always go over the importance of the full circle of health — your thoughts, your actions, your sense of gratitude in your life and empathy for others are all key factors in living a healthful life.
Stress always seems to be an underlying condition for many of our ailments, including weight issues — that is also critical to address. So let’s de-stress shall we?!
Exercise will get you sweating and release some endorphins and avoiding processed foods may keep you from feeling crummy but I also like to focus on what brings out your spark.
I want you to be able to laugh from your gut, find that inner child in you and do something spontaneous.
Something fun.
And do it often.
This could be as simple as packing up the kids and saying — lets go to the park!
But rather than sitting on the bench watching them, looking at your watch for when it’s time to go home — you’re right in there playing with them.
Why not!? It’s amazing how putting forth this little bit of effort to play can bring out something inside you that lights you up.
Energy doesn’t come to those who wait for it to magically show up after rest and more rest. It comes from jumping in and doing.
So enough with the excuses of “I’m too tired.” I just don’t have the energy and get out there and start. Try. Make the effort.
This is your life. Why not enjoy it?
A beautiful body can come as an aftermath of spending time exercising and eating right, but a beautiful life also includes taking the time to do something you enjoy, doing things for others, respecting yourself and those around you — that’s where true health lies.
It takes effort to focus on happiness as a means to health, to think positively amongst all the negative in our lives, but with a little practice it can become habit and then you’re inner glow can shine through – which might just outshine that six pack.
“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs are people who have come alive.”
— Harold Whitman
“The first step to coming alive is to nourish mind, body and spirit... Exercise, eat whole foods, and think positively.”
— Inner Glow Nutrition
• I also wanted to point out from a previous column on fats, the mention of butter as it is actually a source of saturated fat and was not intended to be listed under the list of unsaturated fats. Also pointed out by a reader and worth mentioning was another source of unsaturated fat, which grows in abundance in Alberta — canola oil. If consuming canola oil, look for non GMO sources.
Kristin Fraser, BSc, is a holistic nutritionist and local freelance writer. Her column appears every second Thursday. She can be reached at kristin@somethingtochewon.ca.