Health Pillar

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There  are  two main sections of  your physical health. They are nutrition and exercise. Both of these topics have been highly inflated from the very simple subjects that they are. There seems to be  an endless supply of information on  how you should eat different foods, calorie counting, running, weightlifting...and so on.

Well, now it is time for you to simplify and decide what works for you.

Complete a brief  evaluation of how you feel about your physical health.

Please rate each statement 1 through 10. 1 being the worst and 10 being absolutely fantastic!

How do you feel if/when...?

a) Over all you feel physically healthy

b) You eat mostly healthy food

c)  You feel strong

d) You like the amount of medications you take in a day

e) Simple actions like tying your shoes or standing up from a seated position  is easy.

Consider the answers you provided while working in the next section.

Where would you like to be?

In your Health Pillar book write a brief  5 statements about how you would like to feel physically.  You can include things such as:

My body is feeling stronger.

I enjoy eating many healthy foods.

I can see that I am looking better

I enjoy physical activities that I did when I was younger

Know that wherever you are now physically can improve much faster than you ever thought with  some effort. But also, be patient. These re permanent changes you are making.

As discussed previously, there are many companies looking to help you with this. Before  looking to them for help. You can use your health notebook/app. and make some lists.

list the foods you like under each topic.

lean meats- Turkey, 

fish 

vegetables

fruits

grains

legumes

These items will be 95% of what you will eat. 

It can get confusing when you are being told something like; don't  eat grapes they are full of sugar. When in reality how many grapes can someone eat? Not enough to be unhealthy. The more items you can list in each of the categories above the easier it will be to build a healthy diet made just for you.

You likely know what can make you less healthy already. Soda, anything fried in oil, french fries, almost everything on a restaurant menu. 

Avoiding sugary, low quality food is the best plan. Can you have a doughnut once in a while or a piece of cake at a birthday party? That is your choice. If you are able to have just one piece of cake and not 5 pieces and  have no medical conditions, it is fine.

Many think to lose weight and eat healthy you can only eat salad and  a  piece of salmon. Those are great choices, but if you've gone from eating french toast to scrambled eggs or choosing grilled shrimp over fried you are improving. It is consistently choosing a healthier option that moves you in the right direction. 

Simply build grocery lists and meals using your healthy food you like.

Building a diet that works for you specifically is the best way to succeed in eating properly. Get your notebook or notes app. out and list the following topics with plenty of room to build your list of foods you like under each topic. Where many go wrong with eating is they try to eat only kale salads, 30 gallons of water, and grilled chicken breast. Of course, drinking plenty of water and eating grilled chicken breast and kale are all healthy, but if you hate kale and don't like grilled chicken breast it won't be long until you feel like you are starving and start raiding your fridge and pantry.

Consider your allergies while listing items.

So, Here are your topics. 

Lean meats (protein alternatives for vegans and vegetarians, of course) Turkey, chicken, fish, sea food...and so on.

Vegetables- Let's include starches here as well. like sweet potatoes and corn. 

Some people decided in childhood that they hate all vegetables. Well, there are so many ways to cook them and spices to add I'm sure you can find a way to incorporate them into your diet. .

Fruits- eat fruit!  Eat Apples, bananas, grapes and all the others. It may bring up your sugar level, odds are the fruit you are eating has far less sugar than a candy bar you may have been thinking of. Plus, fruit has vitamins, minerals and other nutrients your body really needs.  You still may want to avoid bottles of fruit juice, most have little actual fruit juice and very few aren't packed with way too much sugar.

Legumes- These are your seeds and nuts. Many people eat almost no legumes on a regular basis. This is a shame because they are full of flavor, vitamins, minerals and fiber. 

Try some different types of nuts; almonds, walnuts, pecans and so on..

Be sure to list sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and more. They can be fantastic on a salad!

Whole grain breads, cereals and rice can be healthy too, in moderation.

Dairy products- Keep your dairy selection to those with low sugar and salt choices.

The foods you have listed in these categories should take the place of foods high in fat, sugar and sodium. Also, avoiding fried foods and highly processed food is a great part of this plan.

Whether you like to spend time cooking, going to restaurants, on a budget or just need to eat on the go, there are healthy options for you. So, start listing them.

The reality of food and drinks. People have been sold on the belief that many foods and drinks are making their lives better, more fun or exciting when in reality they are making companies rich and people sick, weak and dependent on the chemicals they put in the "food". Did you ever think you could go without coffee, energy drinks, beer, fast food, ice cream...and all of the other "fun' you've been sold? Well, this needs to be the goal of every human on Earth. Like any addiction it will be challenging. But the feeling of a body without these chemicals is like waking up after a long, not fun, roller coaster ride of emotions, cravings and sickness. 

Simply put, foods and drinks are fuel for your body, that is it. Caffeinated, sugary, salty, processed foods are making you sick. 

If you are on a medicine for high blood pressure, diabetes, or just about anything. Read what causes the disease you are treating and find a doctor that will help you get healthy enough to not need the medicine.

Wait don't worry. Like everything else  this is  where you design exercise that works for you. Perhaps you have been sitting in an office chair 8 hours a day for the last three years. And now it's time to start working out? Yes, it is. But at your level.

Before starting any new exercise plan talk to your doctor. 

Start at your level and progress over time. 

You know it is list building time. choose the activities you may like, love or hate the least. Below is a description  of the three main types of activities you will be doing now.  Of course, all of these choices have multiple health benefits. For instance, calisthenics is a great choice for cardio, muscle building and flexibility.

Cardio- This is exercise that gets your heart lungs and the rest of your cardiovascular system pumping.

swimming            bicycling                   karate

walking                 jumping rope          boxing

jogging                 hiking                          skipping

running                dancing                      and so much more

Muscle building- This is exercise where you will be working and building those muscles.

weight lifting - primarily using weights

Calisthenics - Primarily using your own body weight

Flexibility- These ares exercises that will increase your body's range of motion and allow greater movement

basic stretching

Yoga

and more

These are of course a small list of possibilities . These are ideas to get you started on building an exercise program that works for you. The reason you will want to make as large a list as you can is because you will need to change what you do to improve, grow and to avoid getting bored.