Do you have a sense of body dissatisfaction?
The causes are as numerous as the stars. Some of us may not be as trim as we might want, while others of us get in shape only to lose it.
First, your shape is YOUR shape – not someone else’s. No one should measure their own health or appearance in relation to society, Tik-Toc, or any other medium.
But being mindful about how I was feeling in my own skin, I knew I didn’t like the feel.
Plus, there was that whole thing about the nimrod who took over my body. I let poor thinking pull me into trying to ‘fit in’ to a norm that was NOT ME – that’s never a good idea.
After five days of being gluten and sugar free, the pain in my hip from the self-induced inflammation was finally gone. Whew! That’s something I do not want to feel again.
So, my seminal moment of clarity, motivation, and desire for change came as a trifecta:
1. Not liking the feeling of waistline lumpiness
2. Knowing I had caused inflammation in my body.
3. Reading a book recommended by a friend, who was experimenting with his own body redesign.
About that book. The Amazon sales page showed that the author and I had similar points of view on diet, exercise, and approach to change and sustainability.
When I opened Timothy Ferriss’s The 4-hour Body, I was intrigued. This thick publication will take some time to read; but I was confident enough to implement his familiar concepts after just page 85.
Cleaning up one’s entire way of eating is, excuse the pun, biting off too much to chew, and virtually guarantee’s failure due to the overwhelm.
Tim and I agree that if you adjust just one meal – breakfast – great results can follow that will encourage more extended modifications.
Here’s an easy punch list using our combined ideas:
- Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning to get hydration started.
- Eat within one hour of getting up to kickstart metabolism, normalize blood sugar and insulin levels, help stress hormones naturally decline, assist with weight loss, and help maintain muscle. If you skip breakfast, failure is guaranteed for a body redesign.
3. Aim for high protein and no added carbs of the white variety: potatoes, breads, grains, or sugar. No fruit or fruit juice (a sugar bomb). Tim’s goal is 30 grams of protein at breakfast which is achieved by using 1 whole egg, egg whites, and legumes (esp. lentils or black beans).
4. Add vegetables: spinach – especially for its attributes for improving muscle performance and glucose metabolism; any cruciferous vegetable (broccoli family and cauliflower), or my favorite – okra. Onions and mushrooms add variety and flavor.
Lentils are a staple in my breakfast scramble and are a more user-friendly legume in terms of flatulence/gas repercussions.
Start by cooking or reheating the green veggies in your sauté pan. Lentils can be added to this mixture or sprinkled on top after serving. Add the eggs to the mix, cook, and serve. I like to add whatever’s on hand: a few sliced cherry tomatoes, avocado, arugula, and top with a dollop of salsa or a balsamic vinaigrette.
Like Mikey once said, “Try it, you’ll like it!”
Try it for six days, return to your normal meal for the seventh as a reset, then repeat. As always, check with your healthcare provider before changing your diet or exercise routines.
Coupled with a bit more exercise, I’m headed in the right direction – for me.
How about you?
In health –
Deidre
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