Thrive Health Counseling

Being consistently healthy and fit can be challenging.  Most of us need an event like a race or a wedding or a college reunion to really motivate us to get into shape. But what about getting into shape and staying that way? What about being fit and healthy just for the sake of being fit and healthy?

In my opinion, there are two things that can really help in maintaining a level of health and fitness over the long haul: consistency and stacking the odds in your favor. 

Consistency is an obvious one. The more consistently you move your body, the more consistently you will be able to build strength and be cardiovascularly fit. The more consistently you eat well, the more consistently you will be able to maintain your weight and feel great. Easy. 

But what is the key to being consistent? I believe the answer lies in doing everything possible to stack the odds in your favor. 

Here's what I mean. 

If I'm planning to do an early morning workout, I always lay out everything I need the night before. When the alarm goes off at that horrendously early hour, all I have to do is roll out of bed, put my clothes on and head out the door. Sneakers, check. Jump rope, check. Mental attitude, check. My body might be begging to crawl back into bed and my brain may not even be firing yet, but I've made it easy on myself to get out the door and get moving. 

With just a few minutes of planning and forethought the night before, I have essentially stacked the odds in my favor of showing up for the work out the next morning. I always feel a heck of a lot better getting up and getting after it than if I stayed in bed and slept longer. But health is not just about working out for an hour in a given day. How do you stack the odds in your favor to maintain your health for the rest of the waking hours? Just like laying out your gear the night before, its all in the planning. Plan your meals, plan your snacks, even plan your cheats. If your pantry consists of nothing but nuts, seeds and dried fruit, chances are you'll reach for one of those options than if your pantry is stocked with chips, crackers and cookies. 

Stack the odds in your favor of reaching for a healthy snack or meal by putting only good things in your kitchen and bringing healthy options with you to work and on the go.

Below are some great tips on how to give your pantry a "make-over" and ultimately make it easy on yourself to stay healthy when you get hungry.

10 Steps To Primalize Your Pantry 

We've all heard that High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is horrendous, but can any of us actually recall why?  In the article below, Dr. Mark Hyman lists five compelling reasons why HFCS should be avoided at all costs. One of the main reasons is that unlike cane sugar, the chemical components of HFCS cause disruptions in the body leading to increased appetite, weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and dementia. High Fructose Corn Syrup tends to be found in processed, poor quality foods that contain nothing but empty calories but it can also be found in some common, seemingly harmless foods such as certain brands of yogurts, cereals, bread, sport drinks and sodas.

 

Read on to learn more and remember to scrutinize ALL food labels!

I was in the middle of the St. Lawrence River on my second stand up paddle board outing when it happened. My feet had finally released from their tensed up position that was helping me balance, my arms had settled into a rhythmic paddling, and the fretting over what I had not accomplished for the day finally quieted down in my mind.

Paddle four times on the left side, knees slightly bent, nice long strokes. Take in the view, glide, breathe, repeat on the other side. I got into a zone and at that moment nothing else mattered - not even the time or the day. I had surrendered to the present. 

Amidst this moment of bliss, three thoughts did wander into my mind. The first was a deep appreciation for the hard work I had done in CrossFit over the past year. This hard work enabled me to pick up a new sport - a sport that requires balance, coordination and arm strength - with relative ease. The second thought was how refreshing it was to get out of the gym and use my body in a different way other than the daily wod. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing but respect for the wod, but I realized that I hadn't done much in the way of sport other than CrossFit. I hadn't tested my abilities in the real world and felt lucky to have this opportunity to do so. The third and probably the most important thought was realizing how vital it was to unplug myself from my life, even for a few moments.

So now that the weather is finally beautiful, this is my call to action to all of you.

Get outside and use your body. Try a new sport or return to one that you have already mastered. Test out your new found strength, coordination and ability, I guarantee you'll like what you feel.

Appreciate all that you have done to get here: the early mornings, the frustrating skill work, overcoming any fears and doubts, the sore muscles, the endless reps, the burpees, showing up even when you didn't want to.

And even if your vacation plans are months away, try to set aside some time each weekend to take time, turn off your electronic life, and be present.

It seems as if gluten is on the top of this year's nutrition offenders list. Previous culprits have included hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, MSG and artificial colors and sweeteners. These remain on the questionable list and should be avoided at all costs.