
Hey Movers, hope your Monday will be fun and that you’ll have time to do a bit of moving about! If you’re new to Move-It Monday, you can read more about Move-It Monday here
When to eat
Optimum nutrition means eating the right foods at the right time and good health depends on eating regular meals. Breakfast kick starts the metabolism and boosts blood sugar levels. If you miss breakfast it may lead you to feeling tired and unable to concentrate. Lunch should be the biggest meal of the day because this is when the metabolism is at its most effective. Have a light supper at least two hours before you go to bed as it is hard for hte body to digest a large meal at the end of the day.
How to eat
A leisurely meal is much more enjoyable than a snack on the hoof and infinitely more relaxing. The next time you eat, sit down and savour each mouthful. Experience the different flavours and notice how they complement each other. If you are drinking a glass of wine, wait before swallowing and allow the complexities of taste to become apparent. As you chew, appreciate the different textures of food. If you take time to appreciate food you are less likely to overeat and more likely to chew properly, which will benefit your digestion.
The problem with stimulants
Stimulants such as tea, coffee, chocolate and sugar, are chemicals that act on the body like rocket fuel, giving a quick burst of energy followed by a rapid burnout. They boost your energy levels by stimulating the adrenal glands, which sit on top of your kidneys and release hormones that give your body’s cells an express delivery of glucose. You soon become caught in a vicious circle whereby you need more of the stimulant to get the same effect until you become dependent upon it.
Stimulants also contain toxins and your body has only a finite capacity to deal with these. As your body’s chemistry becomes more exhausted, your body is in a constant state of red alert and you become prey to anxiety, fatigue and mood swings.
Reducing stimulant dependence
Cutting down on stimulants is essential to helping you feel relaxed. Keep a diary for three days to identify which stimulants you rely on and be honest about just how much of each you are consuming. Try to identify at which point in the day you usually take them (as a reaction to a stressful situation, or as a pick-me-up, for example) and see if a pattern emerges. Try to replace these behaviour patterns with healthier ones, such as eating a piece of fruit instead of a bar of chocolate.
Cutting out stimulants completely is impossible for most people, but the way to cut down is to target one at a time and reduce you intake until it is no longer a daily necessity. You will probably feel groggy and get regular headaches for the first few days (particularly if you are addicted to coffee), but persevere and you will soon feel much better and healthier. Nicotine and alcochol dependence are very hard habits to overcome and may require professional counselling or group theraphy.
For lots more ideas see previous Move It Mondays below:
Move More
Your workout
Obsesity
Bikini Body
Move your booty
Have Fun
Magic Number
Charts
Exotic Fruit
Complementary Medicine
10 Tips
Lifestyle
5k
Visit Your Park
Yoga
Eat your way to health
Exercise
Stress
Diet
Sleep
Filed under: Fitness, Move It Monday, Weight Loss | Tagged: diet, eat, Move It Monday, stimulants | 6 Comments »