EAT RIGHT TO BEAT THE COVID "15"!
OK! We're now well into month 3 of the worldwide quarantine. Some things are starting to open up, but let's be honest. We're still in quarantine mode and for many people that means proper nutrition and exercise has taken a backseat! So what should we do about it? First it's important to point out the benefits of sunlight and Vitamin D on your immune system. It's warmer now so get outside and take advantage of it! Not only are there those benefits, but the transmission of Covid outdoors in the warm weather is drastically reduced. If you're unsure about what type of exercise to do, just start with walking. Seriously people underestimate just how beneficial walking can be. I once trained a woman who was very heavy and unable to do most types of exercise except for walking and other simple movements. So that's exactly what we did along with a good meal plan (NOT a starvation diet!) and a lot of water. I mean close to a gallon a day! She dropped a ton of weight and to this day it's stayed off.
And that brings us to the whole point of this post. What is a good way to eat to beat the Covid "15"? First of all it's not to starve yourself. Without naming names, I've seen the ingredients of some well known meal replacement shakes that are sold and it's pure crap! Yes I'll go on record saying that and I don't care what anyone has to say about it! If you're expected to live off this garbage and their overpriced bars and snacks for the better part of the day I'd say that qualifies as crap! The ingredient list is nothing more than low grade protein, several different types of artificial sweeteners, a bit of fiber, low grade vitamins and minerals in small amounts, and appetite suppressants. It's also not a good idea to have a super structured timed and weighed meal plan. How long can you really follow that for? A couple of weeks? A month? Two months if you're superhumanly disciplined?
HELL NO!!! The key is to have some simple rules that you can live by realistically and long term. That's the only way you can make this a lifestyle and long lasting benefits. Yes this method may take longer, but it will last. Unlike people who take part in some of these extreme challenges or shows like The Biggest Loser. Don't get me started on that. My blood starts boiling even thinking about it!
So let's get to my 6 RULES TO HEALTHY EATING!
1) DRINK AT LEAST 8 CUPS OF WATER PER DAY
As I mentioned earlier, this alone can have tremendous benefits. It may sound difficult to drink this much, but it really isn’t that hard. Simply try to replace most of your drinks during the day with water. Also try to sip it throughout the day. Don’t just drink fluids during mealtime. If you get in the habit of carrying a water bottle with you, it won’t be very hard at all.
2) 30 IN 30
This means to try to eat some type of high protein food (30 grams roughly) within 30 minutes of waking up. This could be any number of things. Eggs, low fat milk, yogurt, granola cereal protein drink, nuts, seeds, legumes among other things. The key is to build a habit of eating a good Breakfast upon waking. There are tons of people who NEVER eat a real Breakfast. A coffee and maybe an English Muffin is very common. It is imperative to eat a good, high protein breakfast! If you’re doing Intermittent Fasting, that’s of course entirely different. But if you’re going to eat Breakfast, make sure you do it right!
3) TAKE A MULTI-VITAMIN
This isn’t too hard to do. There are many excellent One-A-Day Multi-Vitamins out there and you can very easily just take it with your Breakfast. Other excellent supplements to use include Omega 3 Fish Oil, CoEnzyme Q10, B Complex, and more. But to start, just a One-A-Day Multi-Vitamin is fine.
4) FOR ONE OF YOUR MEALS, REPLACE GRAINS WITH GREENS
Preferably for Dinner, but if you want to do this for Lunch that’s fine as well. So this is as simple as it sounds. All your meals should include some type of protein and some type of carbohydrate. Perhaps more than one type. There are numerous sources including brown rice, pasta, bread, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, etc. But for one of your meals, only have green vegetables (and/or other types) without grains. No one is saying to eliminate it. Just take it out for ONE of your meals. If you structure things in this way, it's possible to eat properly even while on vacation or at restaurants.
5) USE YOUR HAND TO MEASURE YOUR PORTIONS
Who has the time or patience to weigh all their food? Just follow this simple formula. The palm of your hand is the size of your protein. That’s a nice piece of chicken, some scrambled eggs, a good piece of Salmon, a burger patty, etc. Use your cupped hand to measure your starchy carbohydrates. That could be a baked potato or some mashed potatoes, some rice, some bread for a sandwich. And finally your closed fist represents your vegetables.
6) EAT ONE OR TWO CHEAT MEALS A WEEK
This is an important one. Quite frankly, it keeps you sane and allows you to enjoy the foods you love without getting too far off track. I won’t lie. I am a Card-Carrying Burger lover! I love my big juicy hamburgers with cheese, relish, mustard, onions, tomatoes, pickles, and ketchup! I eat them regularly, but by following these rules it doesn’t affect me. I did the same in the past even when I was trying to lose weight. Remember, this is something that can be done for a lifetime!
So that’s it! 6 Simple Rules To Healthy Eating. It really is quite simple when you think about it. It's been told thousands of times, but I'll tell it again. The Tortoise and The Hare. You know the story. "Slow and steady wins the race". That applies with this as much as anything. The pandemic won't be here forever and those extra pounds don't have to be either!
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