Healthy Living for the Busy Executive: Part 1
If any of you only recently tuned into my column for the first time, you may think this title is a bit contradictory to my last few. However, I am a firm believer in balance! If you remain adamantly in the shallow end of the pool, every once in a while you really need to go off the deep end. You will all be glad to know I have, however, returned to the three-foot waters. Although within the next week or so I’m sure you will also read about how long it took me to get back here.
If I took a rough guesstimate I’d say 80 percent of America wishes they ate healthier and exercised more. However, wishing is a long way from doing. In my days as a personal trainer, I heard every situation and reason as to why this desire remains nothing more than a desire. When you break it all down there are two main culprits I believe responsible for this:
1) Lack of knowledge
2) Lack of consistency (Usually due to less-than-adequate knowledge resulting in drastic rules and diets.)
Over the next few columns you’ll see a collection of myths, bad ideas, and facts which will, hopefully, make staying healthy on a time frame a bit clearer (and easier.)
Bad Idea #1: “But I don’t eat a lot -- I don’t even eat breakfast!”
Whether you’re thinking this is an ideal way to cut calories or you’re simply too busy to eat in the morning -- this is one of the worst things you could be doing to your body.
Why?
You heard it in school, now you get to hear it as an adult: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Your metabolism, which is hugely responsible for how many calories you burn during the day, takes its queue from how you treat it. After eight hours of sleep (so of course, no food) your metabolism is waiting for something to wake it up and tell it to get to work! No, your metabolism does not stop while you’re sleeping (also a myth) but it does slow down. Breakfast for your metabolism is like coffee for your work ethic! If you’re not eating until lunch, your metabolism’s going to hit the snooze and go back to bed.
What to do about it:
If you’re not accustomed to eating in the morning you’re not going to want to. You need to train your metabolism by using what I call “the two bite rule.” Take two bites of something -- fruit, a whole wheat bagel, just something to start waking up your metabolism. After doing this for a few days, you’ll notice you’ll actually start getting hungry and will eventually be able to eat a complete breakfast.
Excuse #1: “I don’t have time to eat healthy."
Life is all about priorities. What you’re really saying is “I’d rather sleep in during the morning, finish more work during the day, and relax in the evening.” This is what typically justifies people’s Carl’s Jr. and Taco Bell runs at lunch -- instant gratification and no long-term vision.
The Reality:
Eating healthy is not as difficult as you’d think. But it does take a perception shift. Packing a lunch to take to work takes about five minutes. Salad and a sandwich is easy, or what I like to do is healthfully cook a large batch of chicken and rice and use the extra for the next couple days. (But I eat a little more boring than most people.) You don’t necessarily have to keep it at that level -- but use common sense; you have a good idea what you should and shouldn’t be eating.
Little Known Fact #1: Not all fat is bad fat!!
People and the media are starting to become more aware of the serious dangers of bad fats, but not a lot of people understand the benefits of good fats.
Fat vs. Fat
Anything with the word “hydrogenated” or “trans fat” and typically anything from a fast food restaurant is going to be filled with bad fats. Bad fats are inexpensive and easily accessible. Meanwhile, they contribute to excess body fat, heart disease and bad cholesterol. Margarine and mayonnaise are two examples of bad fats commonly found at home. Good fats, on the other hand, help you LOSE excess body fat (hard to believe, I know) and also help LOWER bad cholesterol. Good fats include olive and canola oil, most nuts, avocados, and the omega 3 fats found in fish. You will notice that the good fats I listed typically have some “saturated” fat content -- that’s okay. A small amount of certain saturated fat is healthy if you stick to the ones I’ve listed. Saturated fats outside of what I’ve listed, you probably already know, should be avoided.
Practical application
A lot of people are really weary of changing their whole diet around. The trick with fats is not to cut them out, just substitute the good for the bad. For example, I use olive oil sometimes three times a day. Use it as your main cooking oil, or for frying things. I use light Miracle Whip on sandwiches (there’s very few calories and it’s soybean based which is much better than mayo) and for butter I use something called Smart Balance which tastes exactly like real butter (trust me I hate simulated butter taste) and it uses a perfect balance of all the best fats listed above. Beyond just the health benefits good fat is an important part of feeling full with whatever you eat. A typical person eats 60% carbohydrates, 20 percent protein and 20 percent fat. A much better diet would actually be 30 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent fat and 40 percent protein. Remember: carbohydrates are used for energy; do NOT cut them out and only eat as many as you will use! Protein and fat will sustain you longer and keep you fuller.
Next time:
Why 3 meals a day doesn’t cut it
A diet you can stick to
Assassins from below the radar
Precocious entrepreneur, workaholic and a rabid perfectionist Crystal Starlight is a pro right down the line. Email her at [email protected]