The New Year is great time to re-evaluate and set new goals. When it comes to health we always told to eat a healthy diet and get lots exercise. This advice is of course spot on and we should be doing exactly that. But what does ‘eating a healthy diet’ mean? How do you start exercising so that it doesn’t feel like hard work or take from other commitments?
Here at The Health Fanatic we hope to provide you with information and offer support to get you started on a journey of healthy living and also motivate and support you in sustaining your healthy living lifestyle. Our aim is to connect people with common wellness goals and share real life experiences so that we can truly begin to understand what works and what doesn’t.
So first and foremost let’s look at diet and try and establish what ‘eating healthy’ means.
The Health Fanatic promotes a Low Carbohydrate High Fat (LCHF) diet. Furthermore we encourage everyone to eat real whole foods and to avoid processed foods. The rule of thumb is if you can’t pronounce an ingredient or don’t know what it is, then don’t eat it. And the big one - SAY NO TO SUGAR!
A LCHF diet, as the name implies, means eating foods that are low in carbohydrate and high in fats. In later articles we will look at various forms of low carbohydrate diets but essentially you are looking at restricting carbohydrates to fewer than 50 grams per day. Eating a LCHF diet is of course not recommended by the authorities and medical establishment. In recent years, more and more medical practitioners are coming to the conclusion that what they have been taught is wrong. The great South African example would be Professor Tim Noakes, who for years prescribed a diet high in carbohydrates, is now one of the leading proponents of LCHF diets.
So what are the benefits of eating a LCHF diet? In short, whilst on LCHF diet you will lose weight if you are overweight. Blood sugar levels and insulin levels will remain constant. LCHF diets contain foods which are by nature non-inflammatory, an important contributor to heart health. Recent research has shown that eating a LCHF diet greatly reduces the occurrence of cancer.
Because LCHF is so radical for most people, you should take your time to do some research and look at what other people have experienced.
We looked at diet first, since getting fit and active relies so much on the food you eat.
Regular exercise should not feel like work and it should be an enjoyable experience that you look forward to do every day. If it’s not, then what’s the point? Exercise can be social where you engage in activities with a group. South Africa has an abundance of sports and athletic clubs which most people are not even aware of. It can also be a solitary experience if you looking to get some time for yourself. It can also be family experience where all members of family can be active together. The biggest excuse one hears is that there is no time to exercise.
However staying fit is as important as eating well and getting regular sleep.
Exercise can take many forms as long as you raise your heart rate and also have some strength or resistance component to it. Raising your heart rate is good for heart health and stamina, strength or resistance training increases lean muscle mass and helps build a strong skeletal structure, whilst Yoga and Pilates assist with improving flexibility and stress.
An overall sense of wellbeing is improved by incorporating a healthy diet, regular exercise and encouraging positive relationships in our lives. We invite you to join us on our journey and look forward to you sharing your experiences.
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