Happy. One simple feeling, yet almost unattainable for so many. Being happy isn't just smiling, laughing, or looking a certain way. It is deeper than that. Our body and mind respond to how we live...for some of us happiness is the end result, for other it's misery.
Though there are many many factors when it comes to our happiness, there are simple things we can do to help make us feel so much better! Food, fitness, and our attitude towards life/people/situations are some major factors in creating a happier YOU!
Let's start with food.
Food is a HUGE part of our lives. We use it all day, and it either fuels us or destroys us! A diet full of alcohol, heavy in fatty food, animal products, and nutrient poor foods will greatly affect our mood, not just our weight. Food determines what kind of energy we have, how we move, how we sleep! The average person on the S.A.D diet, (with daily alcohol consumption), has trouble sleeping, feels bloated, lacks desire to exercise, and often suffers from depression or numerous diet related health issues. Diet is by far one of the most important factors to our happiness. When you eat well, you feel well! Eating food which gives you great energy, makes you feel light, and allows the body to heal, will naturally boost your mood!
...and a high energy diet leads to exercise!
Fitness is an antidpressant! Physical activity often makes us feel childlike. It is freeing and it feels GOOD! If you look at children, recess is the highlight of their day, a moment where they can move and stretch! Endorphins get released, our minds relax, the body awakens, and we truly feel incredible! For many, exercising daily is the key to keeping stress away and maintaining a positive outlook on their day! Fitness does not have to be a grueling workout, it can be the most simple form of play! Kicking a ball around, going for a walk, or just dancing around your house! When we release endorphins and begin to feel good, our outlook on life tends to be more positive!
...which leads me to our attitudes!
Staying positive 24/7 is not realistic. We all have good and bad days, though, many people consistently have bad days and a negative outlook on everything. Positive thoughts, and positive words, attract a positive LIFE! Spending endless hours being passive aggressive, negative, and mean spirited creates massive chaos in our bodies, even when those words are not targeted at ourselves. The energy we release towards others, gets returned right back to us in many forms. You cannot have a happy life with a negative mind. Loving oneself and finding inner peace requires a positive mindset. Take a moment, pause, and be grateful! Clear your mind of stituations which are not your business and don't spend time being consumed by other people's lives or problems! When we remove negative nonsense from our minds, we make space for more postive and useful thoughts!
Help your life stay on a path to happiness by by fueling properly, moving your body, and adjusting your mindset! These 3 very simple steps will drastically improve your life!
Naturally Vegan Health & FitnessⓋ
Showing posts with label active. Show all posts
Showing posts with label active. Show all posts
Thursday, October 26, 2017
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Running On Carbs
It has been a while since I blogged...mostly because I have been truly enjoying my spring and summer! Spring welcomed running season for me, and summer brought more mileage and lots of fun trails to my already busy life, but I'm not even complaining because I love it!
Running and carbs go hand in hand! It is perfect fuel for all your running adventures, and eating a consistant high carb diet can truly help you make vast improvements. Even as a beginner, a decent running schedule paired with a high carb diet can make training so much better. It is like running on unlimited fuel all the time, lots of energy, even during fasted runs!
What most people do is carb load the night before a run, while consuming a high fat, high protein diet most other days. This is not the best method as the body slows down quite a bit when digesting fat and protein, leaving you feeling sluggish, and adding carbs onto a slow and miserable disgestion isn't going to make much improvement.
Eating a high carb diet means your digestion is moving smoothly and quickly leaving you energized and ready to move! No need to 'carb load' when you are literally running on carbs, haha! Food is your foundation! Though you still need to run your butt off a high carb diet will make it so much more enjoyable! If you want to improve your running, or begin a running routine, here are some tips:
1. Improve your diet, improve your speed! You just cannot out run a bad diet...seriously, lol! Eating too much fat or protein will leave you feeling heavy and sluggish...maybe even sleepy, which is not ideal for running!
2. Start with 30 minutes a day and see how many miles you can manage to run in that time. It is ok to do a run walk combo, as long as you just keep moving! Once you have an idea of how many miles you can run in 30 minutes, focus on speeding up a bit until you can run a 5k in 30 minutes or less!
3. Now that you are comfortably running a 5k in 30 mins or less, begin adding some mileage. Short runs turn into 4 miles, and a long run is now 6 miles. Hills and sprints should also be introduced. Finding a nice hilly route to do your long run is a great way to push your legs and your lungs!
4. Add some cross training like spinning, mountain biking, hiking, or some cardio based fitness classes.
5. Introduce weight training, especially on those legs and core workout. Strong abs, glutes, hamstrings, and quads are the key to speed and increasing distance!
6. Rest! It is important to include a rest day or 2! You won't lose any speed or distance...you may actually improve! Over training can lead to injuries as well as burning out!
7. Get out there and have some fun! Challenge yourself, compete with yourself, sign up for some races, and enjoy every mile!
Running and carbs go hand in hand! It is perfect fuel for all your running adventures, and eating a consistant high carb diet can truly help you make vast improvements. Even as a beginner, a decent running schedule paired with a high carb diet can make training so much better. It is like running on unlimited fuel all the time, lots of energy, even during fasted runs!
What most people do is carb load the night before a run, while consuming a high fat, high protein diet most other days. This is not the best method as the body slows down quite a bit when digesting fat and protein, leaving you feeling sluggish, and adding carbs onto a slow and miserable disgestion isn't going to make much improvement.
Eating a high carb diet means your digestion is moving smoothly and quickly leaving you energized and ready to move! No need to 'carb load' when you are literally running on carbs, haha! Food is your foundation! Though you still need to run your butt off a high carb diet will make it so much more enjoyable! If you want to improve your running, or begin a running routine, here are some tips:
1. Improve your diet, improve your speed! You just cannot out run a bad diet...seriously, lol! Eating too much fat or protein will leave you feeling heavy and sluggish...maybe even sleepy, which is not ideal for running!
2. Start with 30 minutes a day and see how many miles you can manage to run in that time. It is ok to do a run walk combo, as long as you just keep moving! Once you have an idea of how many miles you can run in 30 minutes, focus on speeding up a bit until you can run a 5k in 30 minutes or less!
3. Now that you are comfortably running a 5k in 30 mins or less, begin adding some mileage. Short runs turn into 4 miles, and a long run is now 6 miles. Hills and sprints should also be introduced. Finding a nice hilly route to do your long run is a great way to push your legs and your lungs!
4. Add some cross training like spinning, mountain biking, hiking, or some cardio based fitness classes.
5. Introduce weight training, especially on those legs and core workout. Strong abs, glutes, hamstrings, and quads are the key to speed and increasing distance!
6. Rest! It is important to include a rest day or 2! You won't lose any speed or distance...you may actually improve! Over training can lead to injuries as well as burning out!
7. Get out there and have some fun! Challenge yourself, compete with yourself, sign up for some races, and enjoy every mile!
Thursday, June 4, 2015
When to stop counting
To count or not to count? That is the question...well, in the high carb community it is! What are we counting? Calories, and hopefully lots of them! Here's a little background on this. The high carb community consists of many, many fruit bats, but some are more influential than others! Some claim counting calories to make sure you eat enough is extremely important and the key to long term success. Others say to just trust your body and eat until you are full. So what is the best? Should you count or not? Here's a little background on both sides.
High carbers, mainly Raw Till 4 followers, love to smash in the calories, while allowing their bodies to heal and their metabolism to reboot! New comers are often coming from a past of major damage, like eating disorders and obesity, most also come from a sedentary lifestyle. The guidelines are very strict and promise amazing results...eventually. It is not a program which promises quick results. Some gain weight in the first year or two, before beginning to lose. The calorie suggestion is 2000+ for women and 2500+ for men. Sounds like a lot if you are coming from a 1200 calorie starvation diet! But, in all honesty not only is it easy to do, but you all feel really good! No more light headedness, no more cravings, no more need for caffiene, and so much energy! The down side for many...and the reason why many women quit, is the initial weight gain. Going from a past of dieting and calorie restricting to a lifestyle of abundance can lead to weight gain. The body for the first time is being fueled with the proper amount of food. It will store a bit before it begins to shed! From what I have experienced is a bit of weight gain, especially after giving up caffiene, but it eventually came off. Others struggle with this. It truly leads them to question the lifestyle and look for quick fixes, like caffiene, protein shakes, pre and post workout drinks, and eating much less. When they see the weight begins to come off, they swear that Raw Till 4 does not work and some begin to sell all sorts of gimmics to 'help' you shed those pesky pounds and listen to your body.
These former Raw Till 4 followers, end up leaving the movement. They are so happy with their quick weight loss from cutting the calories, supplementing, and drinking caffiene, they have actually
convinced themselves that this is 'listening to your body' or 'intuitive eating'. Since when does your body tell you it needs caffiene? Or a pre workout? That's the thing, your body does not tell you much, you are programmed by your past bad habits, and unfortuantely until you can heal your body and reprogram it, it will continue to lead you down a path of self sabotage!
So, let's get back to the original question. When should you count and when should you stop? When you begin this lifestyle, you need to count calories. You MUST!!! This is extremely important in the beginning especially since 99% of us are coming from a calorie restrictive diet. It has been ingrained in our heads, a programmed behavior! So, trusting yourself to eat enough can be difficult, and most just cannot rely on their body & mind to make the correct decision. The goal is to split up the daily calorie suggestion into 3 meals and 2 snacks. The reason for counting is strictly to prevent UNDER eating, which later leads to binge eating and massive cravings. High carb low fat vegan foods are very low in calories, eating more than ever can be difficult. It takes practice and patience. Learning how to divide up the calories through out the day can help lead you to great success.
My recommendation for clients is to count until your appetite regulates and you have stimulated it enough to actually eat 2000+ calories a day. This can takes months or even years. What I find is those who stop counting too early, begin their bad habits all over again. Behaviors like skipping breakfast for coffee, eating only when starving instead of fueling consistantly to avoid hunger spikes, and craving junk food! Working with a health coach to get to a comfortable eating schedule is very helpful. It may sound crazy, I often hear people say...'animals don't have health coaches or eating schedules, they just listen to their bodies' well, animals also have something called instinct and they trust it. Us humans have lost touch of our instinctual eating habits. We have been poisoned for 1000s of years with meat, dairy, and procesesed junk food. We cannot count on our bodies to eat intuitively. We must LEARN first what that is and how to do it properly. This means how much to eat as well. Unfortuanelty when weight loss is the motivator, majority of people will under eat, because it is a learned behavior.
What do I do when I start to gain weight? This is the hardest part of the lifestyle. I recommend you keep counting and eating enough calories. Begin to exercise regularly, and don't stress over the number. Look for other signs of healing. Are you feeling energized? Does your skin glow? Are you eating in abundance? Are you no longer starving yourself? These are all positive results, weight loss is not the only result you should be focused on! One recommendation I give my clients is just a simple change of foods, for example, changing from bananas to potatoes or rice. Eating less fruit more starches, and adding in more greens, and vise versa. The goal is to stay in the proper calorie count and stay high carb low fat, but there are ways to adjust the food to help promote weight loss. This would be something I work one on one with my clients! It can truly make a huge difference!
Can I stop counting eventually? YES! You will eventually know how much food equals a certain amount of calories! You will be able to recognize what full feels like and how to fuel through out the day to avoid getting too hungry. The goal is to consistantly fuel and feel energized all day. Lack of
calories will drain you quickly! Here are some tips for success:
-food journal and record how your energy was for that day. Record your activity as well. This will help you determine if you need to increase calories on fitness days.
-don't be affraid to mix things up! Try a fully raw day, a raw till 4 day, and a starch solution day. All these lifestyles are high carb low fat vegan and will help keep meals exciting!
-avoid drinking caffiene, as it is an appetite suppressant and will prevent you from reaching your caloric goal for the day.
-don't eat until you get sick! Some people come to this lifestyle and think they must down a 10 banana smoothie in one shot, which leaves them feeling sick and bloated. Be smart with your calories. Split them up, so maybe a 500 cal smoothie, and a 500 cal snack a bit later will help you consume enough food without getting sick.
-use Cronometer to help you keep track of your macronutrients, you want to stay in the 80/10/10 ratio.
-enjoy food!!! For the first time in your adult life you are eating in abundance! No longer panicking about having an extra potato or another plate of pasta! Remember, as long as the food is high carb, low fat vegan, you can eat it!!
High carbers, mainly Raw Till 4 followers, love to smash in the calories, while allowing their bodies to heal and their metabolism to reboot! New comers are often coming from a past of major damage, like eating disorders and obesity, most also come from a sedentary lifestyle. The guidelines are very strict and promise amazing results...eventually. It is not a program which promises quick results. Some gain weight in the first year or two, before beginning to lose. The calorie suggestion is 2000+ for women and 2500+ for men. Sounds like a lot if you are coming from a 1200 calorie starvation diet! But, in all honesty not only is it easy to do, but you all feel really good! No more light headedness, no more cravings, no more need for caffiene, and so much energy! The down side for many...and the reason why many women quit, is the initial weight gain. Going from a past of dieting and calorie restricting to a lifestyle of abundance can lead to weight gain. The body for the first time is being fueled with the proper amount of food. It will store a bit before it begins to shed! From what I have experienced is a bit of weight gain, especially after giving up caffiene, but it eventually came off. Others struggle with this. It truly leads them to question the lifestyle and look for quick fixes, like caffiene, protein shakes, pre and post workout drinks, and eating much less. When they see the weight begins to come off, they swear that Raw Till 4 does not work and some begin to sell all sorts of gimmics to 'help' you shed those pesky pounds and listen to your body.
These former Raw Till 4 followers, end up leaving the movement. They are so happy with their quick weight loss from cutting the calories, supplementing, and drinking caffiene, they have actually
convinced themselves that this is 'listening to your body' or 'intuitive eating'. Since when does your body tell you it needs caffiene? Or a pre workout? That's the thing, your body does not tell you much, you are programmed by your past bad habits, and unfortuantely until you can heal your body and reprogram it, it will continue to lead you down a path of self sabotage!
So, let's get back to the original question. When should you count and when should you stop? When you begin this lifestyle, you need to count calories. You MUST!!! This is extremely important in the beginning especially since 99% of us are coming from a calorie restrictive diet. It has been ingrained in our heads, a programmed behavior! So, trusting yourself to eat enough can be difficult, and most just cannot rely on their body & mind to make the correct decision. The goal is to split up the daily calorie suggestion into 3 meals and 2 snacks. The reason for counting is strictly to prevent UNDER eating, which later leads to binge eating and massive cravings. High carb low fat vegan foods are very low in calories, eating more than ever can be difficult. It takes practice and patience. Learning how to divide up the calories through out the day can help lead you to great success.
My recommendation for clients is to count until your appetite regulates and you have stimulated it enough to actually eat 2000+ calories a day. This can takes months or even years. What I find is those who stop counting too early, begin their bad habits all over again. Behaviors like skipping breakfast for coffee, eating only when starving instead of fueling consistantly to avoid hunger spikes, and craving junk food! Working with a health coach to get to a comfortable eating schedule is very helpful. It may sound crazy, I often hear people say...'animals don't have health coaches or eating schedules, they just listen to their bodies' well, animals also have something called instinct and they trust it. Us humans have lost touch of our instinctual eating habits. We have been poisoned for 1000s of years with meat, dairy, and procesesed junk food. We cannot count on our bodies to eat intuitively. We must LEARN first what that is and how to do it properly. This means how much to eat as well. Unfortuanelty when weight loss is the motivator, majority of people will under eat, because it is a learned behavior.
What do I do when I start to gain weight? This is the hardest part of the lifestyle. I recommend you keep counting and eating enough calories. Begin to exercise regularly, and don't stress over the number. Look for other signs of healing. Are you feeling energized? Does your skin glow? Are you eating in abundance? Are you no longer starving yourself? These are all positive results, weight loss is not the only result you should be focused on! One recommendation I give my clients is just a simple change of foods, for example, changing from bananas to potatoes or rice. Eating less fruit more starches, and adding in more greens, and vise versa. The goal is to stay in the proper calorie count and stay high carb low fat, but there are ways to adjust the food to help promote weight loss. This would be something I work one on one with my clients! It can truly make a huge difference!
Can I stop counting eventually? YES! You will eventually know how much food equals a certain amount of calories! You will be able to recognize what full feels like and how to fuel through out the day to avoid getting too hungry. The goal is to consistantly fuel and feel energized all day. Lack of
calories will drain you quickly! Here are some tips for success:
-food journal and record how your energy was for that day. Record your activity as well. This will help you determine if you need to increase calories on fitness days.
-don't be affraid to mix things up! Try a fully raw day, a raw till 4 day, and a starch solution day. All these lifestyles are high carb low fat vegan and will help keep meals exciting!
-avoid drinking caffiene, as it is an appetite suppressant and will prevent you from reaching your caloric goal for the day.
-don't eat until you get sick! Some people come to this lifestyle and think they must down a 10 banana smoothie in one shot, which leaves them feeling sick and bloated. Be smart with your calories. Split them up, so maybe a 500 cal smoothie, and a 500 cal snack a bit later will help you consume enough food without getting sick.
-use Cronometer to help you keep track of your macronutrients, you want to stay in the 80/10/10 ratio.
-enjoy food!!! For the first time in your adult life you are eating in abundance! No longer panicking about having an extra potato or another plate of pasta! Remember, as long as the food is high carb, low fat vegan, you can eat it!!
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Staying Fit Is Easy In The Great Oudoors!
No place is perfect, but some come pretty darn close. When it comes to being active and enjoying the great outdoors, Maine and New Hampshire are pretty high on the list!! I am truly lucky to live in the woods, surrounded by gorgeous trees, rolling hills, ski mountains, lakes and rivers. What makes Maine and New Hampshire so wonderful is the year round activities it offers.
Living in a natural setting makes having a healthy lifestyle so easy. Being surrounded by nature helps fuel your desire to be active. Humans have a need to be outdoors, we require fresh clean air, physical activity, and sunshine! Nothing beats the smell of trees, grass, and the great outdoors! Staying active is far easier when you can do it outdoors. Life in the country is pretty fantastic! I look forward to numerous activities all year long!
Summer brings us refreshing lakes, rivers, and oceans...luckily I live 5 minutes from a lake, 10 minutes from the river, and an hour from the ocean! I get to enjoy all three!! I prefer the lake, so I spend most of my summer enjoying the sand and steady lake water! Canoeing, swimming, kayaking, and water skiing are all great water activities...but if you prefer the dry ground, the mountains are calling! Hiking is such a wonderful activity for all fitness levels. Maine and New Hampshire offer hikes for all ability levels! There are easy trails like Black Cap or Bald Peak Trail, and massive hikes like Mount Washington! The most rewarding feeling is finally reaching the summit and soaking up all the incredible views! You can also see all the beautiful sights on a bike! Both mountain biking and road cycling are a blast all summer long!
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| great photo opt before we headed back on the lake! |
Fall is one of my favorite seasons! The mild weather makes it ideal for hiking, biking, and trail running! The beautiful colors of fall make mountain views spectacular! There are other great outdoor activities like apple picking which is a great way to get local food, support local farms, and play amongst the trees! Don't forget about the raking and yard clean up!! If you need a great workout, try raking leaves!
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| After raking leaves, you can play in them! |
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| My son riding on the Mountain Division Trail |
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| Great hike up Bald Peak Trail in the Fall! |
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| My son and I on our cross country adventure |
Winter, though long and brutal, does offer fantastic outdoor activities! Skiing is probably the most popular winter sport in Maine and New Hampshire, with an abundance of ski mountains to choose from, it doesn't get any better! Cross country is also quite popular! There are many groomed trails, as well as companies which offer lessons for beginners! I recently began cross country skiing and loved it! Snow shoeing and winter hikes offer even more fun for those looking to stay off the skis! I take winter walks with my dogs often, we love the quiet of the woods during the cold months. It is very peaceful! Ice skating is a classic childhood activity, I remember skating on our pond in the back yard as a kid. The local park offers a beautiful skating rink for the whole community can enjoy!
Spring is when everything begins to awaken. The smell of 'the melt' is the best! Everything all of a sudden comes to life! My favorite part of Spring is the warmth in the air while there is snow still on the ground! All the winter activities, like skiing or snowshoeing, become a whole new experience! The snow feels different under your feet (or skis) and you can pretty much enjoy the activities without your winter gear! Spring is also when we lace up our running shoes and hit the pavement! Once the snow has melted, get back onto the trails and enjoy the mountains! If you are looking for a more low key activity, try gardening. Spring is time to get the lawn and gardens ready for the season. It is hard work, but always worth it! Fresh homegrown food is the best!
The beauty of the ever changing scenery makes Maine and New Hampshire such a lovely place to live. The fresh clean air, the variety of outdoor activities, make it easy to enjoy fitness year round! The weather, though not always perfect, is quite enjoyable! I really do like how different each season feels, each one has something fantastic to offer! It never gets boring! I can't imagine my life without nature, without the mountains, lakes, trees, and all activities that it has to offer. I look forward to what the next season will bring, as it is always different! There is something truly magical watching seasons change, it is the life cycle happening right in front of us!
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