FORT POLK, La. — If you are anything like me, January almost always equates to plenty of promises to myself about new exercise goals and eating healthier. In fact, I think those are pretty good things to focus on while dealing with the many and varied overwhelming issues happening in the world at large.
Putting the emphasis on being as healthy as possible is even more important if you already know, like I do, that there is definite room for improvement.
For the purposes of being kind to myself, I have been what you could gently call “fluffy” — to steal the words of comedian Gabriel Iglesias (he is hilarious by the way) — for most of my life.
Being fluffy, if you haven’t guessed it, is all about those extra pounds hanging around your waist, thighs, stomach and more. It doesn’t help that I sit at a desk looking at a computer much of the day.
Fortunately, I’ve always been athletic. For a long time, that saved me from being as large as I could have been. My problem is that I love food. I enjoy cooking and creating it almost as much as eating it.
I think that’s part of the Louisiana culture I grew up in and, partly, just me. Like many, I have exercised, dieted, made progress and fallen off the wagon time and again when it comes to my weight.
Also, when I’m stressed, I use comfort foods (usually dishes like creamy, cheesy and warm mac and cheese or a variety of other options) to soothe my anxiety. That’s not good.
As someone who knows the lifelong struggle of trying to eat what you are supposed to, solving the problem isn’t just about understanding that exercise and eating recommended nutritional choices can lead to weight loss and better health.
The real issue is motivating myself to follow through. It’s not easy. Cravings — whether salty or sweet — can derail your good intentions and progress in a heartbeat. It’s extremely difficult to deny the deliciousness of pizza, cheeseburgers, pies, cookies, chips, ice cream and even an ice-cold soda.
To eat healthy or not is a course of action that is also challenging no matter where you are — work, home or eating out — or during a full meal or snack.
I try to curb temptation by eating home-cooked meals for lunch while I’m at work; but sometimes, you just want to go out with your friends for a meal. Though it’s not happening as often during COVID-19, when you do eat at a fast food or fancy restaurant, choosing the good-for-you option when your band of buddies is eating the most calorie laden, yummy thing on the menu is a little bit like torture. Hang tough, you can do it. It’s all about your frame of mind.
You might still be young enough to flout any issues you have with healthy eating, but I’m getting up there and that means trying to slim down and letting go of the junk and fried foods I’ve happily consumed most of my life. Making these changes isn’t just for the sake of vanity, but also for my longevity. I can tell you, at least according to my doctors, it’s going to make a difference.
Another problem for me is, as I’ve aged, my metabolism has inevitably slowed. I find it even harder to maintain a healthy weight than I used, not to mention losing a pound or two. So I read all the nutritional information, talk to my doctors and I learn what I should do as new and better information and science is discovered about the effects certain foods have on the body.
The bad guys in the food world used to be fats and salts, then it was carbs and now it seems to be sugar. Really, it’s a combination of all those things, especially when eating them in unhealthy amounts. That is keeping folks from reaching their goals.
Speaking of sugar, it seems to be everywhere. If you have ever read a nutrition label, sugar — just like salt — is in everything.
Don’t believe me? If you search “Why is sugar bad for your?,” on the internet, you will have your choice of articles and research about the dangers of this sweet ingredient. It seems to increase the likelihood of everything from heart disease and diabetes to cavities and weight gain. In addition, sugar adds no nutritional value to your food, according to www.medicalnewstoday.com.
But as I mentioned before, it’s not the only contributor to that extra layer of cushion some of us own.
So, as I face 2021, my goal is to simply try to better my health by exercising more, eating more fruits and vegetables and cutting down on salt and sugar in my diet.
I’ve even started gathering healthy recipes that look delicious to try in the next few months.
I don’t know if all this effort will help dip the scale in my favor, but it’s definitely worth the effort for my heart, if not for my hips. If you are in the same boat and are hoping, whatever your ultimate goal, to be healthier, I wish you luck. We got this!
Social Sharing