I wonder why it is that we humans don't seem to have a 'healthy' fear when it comes to the foods we eat. Nutritionist, dietitians and other food experts have been telling us long enough and often enough which foods can have a damaging impact on our health. Yet despite this, so many of us ignore these stark warnings even though we see obesity, unhappiness, and ill health all around us. Healthy eating advice is everywhere and most of us do read it and we do understand it, but still we want to eat junk more than we desire to become fit and well. Sound absurd doesn't it, but this phenomenon of craving beats us every time despite our best intentions. In the United States alone it is estimated that more than half the population is not only out of shape but overweight too.
The alarming thing about these statistics is the increase in obesity among our children. But should kids really be getting fat? Research shows that we're not consuming more than we used to, but simply piling on the pounds because we're not moving anymore. So often we blame a lot of the weight problems on the food, but so much of this crisis is due to the fact that we're becoming lazy as a nation. So, although healthy eating advice is a crucial part of general wellbeing, on its own it's useless. Exercise is the key here. Forget the TV, the video games, and all those other armchair recreational inactivates.
Get moving and get a little zest back into your life. Most folks find that when they start moving again, they not only feel good, but they begin to look one heck of a lot better too. When you start to look and feel great, the junk, convenience, and comfort foods begin to take second choice on your dinner plate.
Just about every diet out there, whether it's the latest fad or an old and proven eating plan, puts an emphasis on the exercise regime. Even the manufactures of the controversial slimming pills suggest that they work best with a change in eating habits and regular exercise. It's often said that we are what we eat.
Cynics of diets say the best way to lose weight is to simply put less in your mouth and get more exercise. Although this is true to a large extent, there are many different people with different metabolisms and reactions to certain foods. My mother always used to joke that she only had to look at a chocolate and she'd put on a pound. Of course, this is baloney, but we do notice that she seems to eat less than the rest of the family over the Christmas holidays yet gains more weight than any of us. The best healthy eating advice will not come from a glossy magazine, or pamphlet shoved through the mail box. If you are serious about loosing weight and getting back into shape, then the family doctor is the best place for you to seek help.
He has your medical history on file and he or she can advise you on a safe and 'healthy' eating plan. Obviously he won't be putting you on something like the Atkins Diet, if you've got a heart condition! Some folks bypass the doctor and go straight to a nutritionist for their healthy eating advice, and the nutritionist may come up with a real nourishing eating strategy that will have you just packed with a new found energy in no time at all. Wherever you go for your healthy eating advice, don't forget that you will have to include regular exercise into your plan. Now that doesn't mean you've got to join the local Gym and let it all hang out, it could be something as simple as walking the dog, swimming, or jogging etc.
The point is to get moving again. When you shift, so does your weight. Are you moving enough?.
Gary Tooth is a proficient writer for Lookatfood.com where he has articles on Living Longer and Healthier lives and Cake Designs. He also has other 'Food' related pieces on the site.