A Balancing Act
Like the majority of the population I definitely like to eat. Some of you have wondered how I can possibly consume breads, sweet treats and bountiful lunches and still maintain a pretty consistent weight. I hope this blog post provides a few answers.
There’s no magic formula to maintaining a healthy mind and body - but I do think balance is key. And I don’t mean just exercising more and eating less, although that’s usually a good idea.
Homemade banana bread is one of my favourite tea time treats.
In terms of diet, nutrition is a super important facet of our daily lives, in my humble opinion. The American writer Michael Pollan’s book Food Rules is a terrific how-to-eat-healthy guide. (And he’s a very good writer!) So I try to eat lots of veggies, not too much meat, and a moderate amount of carbs.
Veggies and lean meat for the win!
Portion control is another key consideration. I absolutely am consuming less as I age. I’ve always had a regular work out routine, but that alone is not enough to stop the pounds from piling on. So what I find helpful is daily planning of what food I will eat and when.
This is not the same as menu planning, which I have never been very good at! I can’t get it together to do a weekly shop for example. I’m lucky to have a selection of grocery, health food store, butcher and fruit markets in easy walking distance. I can pick up items on a daily basis if the need arises or I just fancy something.
Daily planning on the other hand, involves deciding in the morning what I am prepared to give up in order to indulge in a tea time treat. Or maybe adding an extra walk if I’m going out for dinner because restaurant meals are always higher calorie and fat count than eating at home. If I skip tea time I can have a delicious chocolate oatmeal square for dessert after supper. You get the picture.
Twice weekly Pilates classes are fun and strengthening.
Other good (I think) nutritional habits I’ve developed to maintain a healthy weight: I never eat sweets in the morning before lunch. I never drink sweetened sodas and other than dark chocolate, I avoid the candy aisle. I do enjoy ice cream or gelato in the summer time but prefer a small serving. Potato chips once in a while with an egg salad sandwich - sure! Not a whole bag while watching tv.
In fact, one of the few things I’m fanatic about in life is moderation. (I realize that’s a bit of an oxymoron!) Master the balance and you’ll never look back.
