Got Balance?

May 25, 2014

balance2Summer is coming, oh-so-quickly, and obviously my first thoughts are: 1) omigosh what am I going to do with my kids? 2) my electric bill is about to double. and 3) OH NOoooooooo. I have to put on a bikini and I haven’t done more than walk to my car and back in months!  I loathe the stress that number 3 brings. I say every year that I will stay consistent, but alas something inevitably “comes up” and messes up my routine.

I know I have a very short amount of time to get it together, and I always do the wrong thing. Crazy detox diet for a week or two, and double up on running and ab workouts. Bad, bad, bad. As then I end up with the same owies and injuries from over-doing it. (not to mention a severe craving for french fries).

As I was googling the latest fad in healthy detox diets and latest information on busting out some killer abs in say….one week, I came across an article about abdominal muscles. It discussed whether cruntches (Blekgh!) or planks (Blekgh!) were better for creating those “6-pack abs” we all wish we had, but rarely ever achieve. According to this doctor, (I kind of knew what he was going to say, as I subscribe to the same school of thought). Not ONE particular exercise will do it all. Both cruntches and planks are excellent for abs. In most cases, it’s just a matter of actually DOING them. Imagine that? LOL. I have always agreed that mixing it up in exercise is better for your muscles, and would provide the best results. But, it’s still always good to hear a doctor back you up. Here’s a link to the article…

Cruntches or Planks?

I consider this kind of thinking synonymous with losing weight. It can’t be just diet. It has to be diet + exercise. It’s a pretty simple equation, really. Burn off more than you take in, and weight will go away. See? Easy. Now, just calculate every single morsel you ingest, and make sure you exercise more than that daily. Right? NO. This is where most people fail at dieting. You have to set a diet or nutritional program that you can LIVE WITH. Temporary diet fads will give you temporary results. Period.

So, much like mixing it up with exercise, I say mix it up with the foods you eat. In other words, don’t just eat garbage fast food. Obviously. But also try to eat like we learned in 3rd grade with the food pyramid. Folks there is a reason it is called a BALANCED DIET. It is a balance of all types of foods, and each in moderation. We run into problems when we eat over indulge in any one particular group. No  matter what it is, even the veggies. It eventually throws off the metabolism and functioning of our bodies. Keep it simple. Many small portions throughout the day, and a variety of foods. Heck, try some of the cool stuff at the produce markets that you’ve never tried. Be adventurous! But always love who you are! A happy, healthy life to you!

…and btw, does anyone know a great babysitter for two semi-possessed little boys for the summer???

 

 

Andrew Vertson
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