An important key to healthy living
The first time I tried surfing I was 16. That was *gasp* 33 years ago. It was the beginning of a personal transformation and life journey. I was at a crossroad and I could either go down the healthy path or unhealthy path. I fell in love with surfing that day and luckily it caused me to head down the healthy path.
Back then, healthy info was not readily available like it is now. There was the basic eat your veggies mantra but not much more. But what I did notice was that being in the water all day made me crave real food. I didn’t desire donuts after four hours of surfing or windsurfing. I wanted lean protein and veggies and good carbs. It just felt right. As the fitness craze started to take off and more science became available, it all started to make sense.
Like depending on auto-fill to spell words, I have often found it easy to depend only on what I’m hearing and reading and forget to pay attention to what I’m feeling. But whenever I go back to listening to my body I’m able to make better choices. If I have an upset stomach or I’m really tired I want to know why. I would then take an inventory and change what I was doing.
Many times there are the usual suspects when my body starts complaining:
- Processed food
- Simple carbs
- Too much sugar
- Lots of gluten
- Not enough sleep
- Stress
- Sodium overload
- Not enough activity
I’m slightly obsessive about reading the newest health and fitness info, but I think we need to be the experts of our bodies by listening to and adjusting how we’re treating it. Keeping a journal helps you to evaluate and start to make the connections between what you put into your body and how it responds. That includes exercise and sleep patterns. After awhile you learn what’s negatively affecting you and you can make some adjustments. It then will become a lifestyle.
Only you know how you feel. Listening to your body is one of the most important keys to lifetime health.
Do you listen to what your body has to say?
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Jun 28, 2011 @ 13:08:22
I think it’s really interesting to hear the perspective of truly listening to your body before we were inundated with healthy info! Very cool.
Jun 28, 2011 @ 13:18:44
So true – when we’re living healthy lifestyles, we can’t help but fuel our bodies with the best food that it needs!
Jun 28, 2011 @ 16:57:54
Hi Heather~ sometimes I think listening was easier then! Thanks for commenting
Jun 28, 2011 @ 17:00:53
Hi Janel ~ seems one begets the other!
Thanks for the comment!
Healthy Body Talk: What’s Yours Saying? | Freaking Fitness
Jun 30, 2011 @ 20:35:51
[...] Click on the Pepto-Bismol to head over to the Attune Foods blog and read about my important key for healthy [...]
Jul 01, 2011 @ 11:07:39
My body is always talking to me. The problem is with doing the right thing in response to what it’s telling me.
Jul 01, 2011 @ 18:49:33
Hi Matty
~ I totally get that. And the response is so important. When I feel my body is totally out of whack and I’m not feeling right, I start with cutting out sugar. It’s always a great place to start. Thanks for commenting!
Jul 14, 2011 @ 15:32:48
I love the idea of keeping a food journal. Keeping a journal of any kind really helps you make connections in your life… Once we notice these connections it is so much easier to make positive changes because suddenly things we never understood before make so much more sense!
Angela
http://www.habitformingsuccess.com
Jul 22, 2011 @ 20:08:49
So agree Angela! It definitely helps connect the dots!