Drink more water!
Move it or lose it!
Eat more of the right foods!
Rest & Recover!
It makes up almost 2/3 of our body mass, covers more than 3/4 of our planet's surface, and is the single most important component of all living things. Without water, every creature from the tiniest single-celled organisms to the largest animals on earth would simply cease to exist. Every biochemical reaction in our bodies depends on it. It feeds us by carrying nutrients to our cells and cleanses and purifies us by allowing for the removal of metabolites and toxins. Yet, most of us do not get enough of it, and even more of us take it completely for granted.
Start each day with a 16 oz (500 ml) glass in the morning immediately after you wake up and before anything else passes your lips. Bring along a large, refillable bottle of water to sip throughout the day at work. Don't wait until you are thirsty! By then it's too late... your body has already started to become dehydrated! And avoid soft drinks & juices - they often contain too much refined sugar & empty calories, and many are loaded with artificial ingredients.
Listen to me when I say that if you want to radically change the way you look and feel - drink more water!!!
Like everything in nature, the human body tends to take the path of least resistance. If you choose an inactive lifestyle, your body will soon oblige with a loss in muscle tone, strength, and mobility. Sedentary living can also lead to all kinds of health problems including obesity, low energy levels, inability to cope with stress, increased risk of injury and susceptibility to disease.
To look and feel your best, you need to challenge your body by engaging in some form of exercise at least 3 times per week. I also recommend that you include a component of resistance
There are so many fad diets out there which claim to confer remarkable results in very little time, yet many of these techniques will not help you to achieve the balance necessary for sustainable healthy living. In many cases, the results are temporary and you will eventually pack on the pounds (often more than before) soon after stopping the diet.
You must keep in mind that good health, like everything else in life is all about balance. In order to achieve true, lasting results, you need to be mindful of what, when, and how much you eat. That having been said, eating healthy does not have to be difficult or boring. Quite the contrary - some of the best tasting foods I have ever tried are simple to prepare and packed with nutritional goodness. The key to success is to make healthy eating choices every day.
Equally important to staying active, is getting adequate rest. Six to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep in a quiet, darkened room, is recommended for adults.
Rest is also important after exercise, since this is when the body repairs itself and builds muscle. You should give yourself at least 48 hours rest between workouts to allow exercised muscles to fully recover.
Not getting enough rest will rob you of energy, make workouts less effective, and increases the likelihood of injury.
Do's
• Eat a good breakfast - it's the most important meal of the day. Hot oatmeal with a tablespoon of ground flax seed or flax oil, and a scoop of Fitlicious French Vanilla, served with a side of boiled eggs and a piece of fresh fruit is a great way to start your day!
• In a rush? Try mixing up a breakfast smoothie by adding a scoop of inbalance whey protein powder in a blender with 1 cup of non-fat milk, unsweetened almond or rice milk, 1/2 cup of frozen fruit, a tablespoon of ground flaxseed, almond butter, or 1/2 avocado, and one or two scoops of your favourite Fitlicious Flavour Blaster - That's a delicious 3 minute meal ready to go!!!
• Eat sufficient protein & complex carbohydrates, at each meal (choose from fresh, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, and starches from legumes, brown rice & sweet potatoes). Raw is even better!
• Spread your caloric intake into 5 or 6 smaller meals- this will help to avoid the wild swings in blood glucose levels and cravings associated with consuming only 2 or 3 large meals per day
• Plan meals ahead of time - this is a good habit to get into, which will help to keep bad eating habits in check
• Snack on a piece of fresh fruit or unsalted almonds if you get hungry between meals
• Take a quality multi-vitamin - it's your insurance policy to ensure your body always gets the micronutrients it requires
• Have an inbalance New Zealand whey protein isolate shake 30 minutes before a workout (unless you've recently eaten a meal) and immediately after your workouts
Don't's
• Don't skip meals - this will rob you of energy and you will be more likely to fill up on junk when your stomach starts to rumble!
• Avoid the "all you can eat" mentality. Gorging yourself will cause your blood glucose levels to spike - shifting your metabolism into fat storage mode! Portion control your meals and eat to feel satisfied - not stuffed!
• Don't eat foods which are high in sugar or refined white flour - these offer only empty calories, which will readily find their way to your waistline! Instead, sweeten food & beverages with a sugar-free, all-natural product like Fitlicious Flavour Blasters
• Don't eat foods which are high in fat and avoid foods which are high in hydrogenated fats - choose only lean cuts of meat
• Avoid eating too much red meat - limit protein from red meat to no more than once per week.
• Avoid deep fried foods - grilled or broiled is better
• Don't eat too much processed food - overcooked, heavily processed foods have far fewer nutrients than their raw food counterparts.
• Don't snack on junk foods - they offer little nutritional value and will ruin your appetite for the good stuff!
• Avoid adding salt to foods or eating foods which are high in salt. Too much sodium can cause all kinds of problems from bloating & water retention, to high blood pressure
• Don't eat a large meal before bed - this should be your smallest meal of the day - particularly if your goal is to lose weight. A piece of fresh fruit and a herbal tea is a good choice!
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Live in the moment!
Learn to Breathe!
I know what you're thinking. Learn to breathe? Inhale, exhale, repeat! What could be easier?
While the process seems simple, the truth of the matter is that most of us typically use only about 10% of our lung capacity when we breathe. Shallow breathing takes place in the upper portion of the lungs, which can result in a build up of secretions in the lower lobes, making breathing difficult and can even lead to respiratory problems. Active, deep breathing helps to break up these secretions, making our lungs more efficient at transporting oxygen into our bloodstream and carbon dioxide out.
Anyone looking to improve their health should consider taking up a yoga or mediation practice, both of which focus on the quality of the breath. Among a long list of health benefits, proper breathing technique is key to maintaining mental focus, maximizing exercise performance, and provides a very effective means of managing stress.
Brian Lang, Owner of Shunyata Yoga Studios writes:
"The physical and meditative practice of yoga not only strengthens and cleanses our body, but it also provides openness for our mind to become free as well. Through our breath we exhale or release whatever no longer serves us, and then we are able to inhale and receive all that does."
Copyright © 2012. inbalance nutrition
Division of De France Marketing Inc.
All rights reserved.
weight training in your exercise program to help build lean muscle. For every pound of lean muscle added to your frame, you will burn an extra 50 calories a day - WHILE RESTING!!!
Like proper nutrition, a disciplined approach is the key to success. Would you go a week without taking a shower or brushing your teeth? Yuck! Well this is the same mindset you need to develop with respect to exercise. Equally important is how you do the exercise. A leisurely ride on an exercise bike for 20 minutes while reading your favourite novel will not do you much good. You need to focus and put some real energy and enthusiasm into your workouts. Remember the key is to challenge your body! Put in some real effort, and you will be rewarded with real results.
Choosing an activity you enjoy and working out with a friend will also help. It's also a great idea to mix it up from time to time - keep your body guessing and try new things! This keeps it fun and your body will respond much faster.
Leading a healthy, balanced lifestyle is much easier than you think. It all starts with understanding what your body really needs and then following a few simple rules every day!
Follow these simple tips & Balance Your Lifestyle!
It is said that 95% of the thoughts that we have today, are the same thoughts that we had yesterday. In the hectic society in which we live, all too often we spend time dwelling about mistakes we have made in the past and worrying about what will happen in the future. This pattern of thinking does not serve us, however, because life can only be experienced in the present. All we will ever have, and all we will ever need can be found in every moment of every day.
An important part of leading a healthy, balanced lifestyle, is learning to experience the world around us with joy and awareness for where we are and what we are doing... right here, right now!
Want a terrific example of how to do it? Just watch a young child at play. They are experts at living in the moment!
Regardless of age, a big part of staying healthy is learning to live life fully in the present, while always staying young at heart!
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Colin J. De France
HBSc, CPT
President & CEO
inbalance nutrition
