The Party Isn't Over When You Get Healthy

The Party Isn't Over When You Get Healthy

Are you annoyed by people who seem to enjoy exercise? What about people who eat healthy with seemingly little effort? Do you wonder why it's so easy for them and such a struggle for you? One simple reason? Time. The longer a person follows a healthy lifestyle, the easier it becomes. That time and diligence offers a new, positive perspective on exercise while you may still see it as a struggle. After all, doesn't exercise mean getting up early and huffing and puffing through a killer workout? Doesn't weight loss mean giving up pizza and burgers for twigs and berries? It may look that way in the beginning but, if you stick with it, you can become one of those annoyingly healthy people and even go on to annoy others.

The Party Isn't Over

What does a healthy lifestyle look like? For some people, it looks like a lifestyle without any kind of fun. You have to slog through boring workouts. You have to start cooking your meals and you can't go out to eat anymore - what fun is that? At first, it may look like you have to give up everything in order to lose weight and get healthy. The reality is, what you gain from these changes is much more meaningful and satisfying. Not only will your body change, but your mind will change as well.

As you stay on your healthy path, you'll start to appreciate why healthy eating can be enjoyable and feel good. Why? Because of how your body responds to healthy food. That Big Mac might taste great, but imagine how it would feel to choose the healthier meal instead without feeling as though you've missed out on something. It can happen, but only if you never give up.

Here's a taste of what happens when you maintain a healthy diet:

• The way your body feels after a healthy meal will become more important to you than the instant pleasure of having something loaded with fat or sugar. Healthy foods make your body happy. Soon, you'll want to make your body happy more than you'll want that instant gratification.
• You'll start to enjoy healthy food. Take it from the Junk Food Queen I used to be - you CAN live without chips, soft drinks and hamburgers. And, you will gladly give those things up once you experience how your body feels after healthier meals.
• You'll realize you can still enjoy your favorite foods. The only difference is the frequency. Now, instead of having it several times a week, you might indulge once or twice a month. Many times, you may even turn that burger down because you know it will make you feel tired rather than energized.
• You will enjoy your favorite foods without guilt. The best part is this: by not indulging every time you want a treat, when you do eat it, you'll savor every single bite.
• You'll start to see food as a tool for your body, rather than something that controls your life. If you exercise, you'll learn very quickly how food affects your workouts. Eating a heavy, fatty meal may make you tired and, as a result, your workouts will suffer. Soon, you'll want better workouts and you'll be more motivated to eat healthy foods.
• You'll become more adventurous with food. Eating healthy often opens the door to more options than you usually give yourself. You'll try new vegetables and grains, experiment with herbs and flavors you've never tried. You'll begin to realize there are an amazing number of choices out there for healthy, tasty foods.
• Your family will benefit. Even if you're the only one in your family eating healthy, those habits rub off on others. Being a good role model for your kids is one way to teach them how to live healthy when they become adults. Part of that is teaching them the right way to eat.
• You'll be able to avoid temptation. Healthy eaters are much better at avoiding the usual pitfalls like party foods or overloaded buffets. Why? They learn, by practice, the different tools to staying healthy--eating regular meals so they're not starving, filling up on healthy foods first to eat less of the bad stuff, and choosing just a few quality treats to enjoy instead of everything in front of them.

These changes come over time, sometimes weeks, months or years of slowly working on your habits, choices, lifestyle and beliefs. Allowing yourself this time is crucial for permanently changing how you look at food and healthy eating.

By Paige Waehner