Your Body Image: Nutrition for Life!
Guest Blog by Lisa Marsal
We are bombarded daily by the media to look a certain way. Most women in the USA feel this continuous subtle pressure to conform, and as a result, many of us suffer from low body image.
There are many ways to overcome this negative sense of self and good nutrition is one of the key factors in this movement. We all want to look our best but being that best person should only be achieved through good nutrition and healthy living. Practicing a healthy lifestyle will enhance positivity, mood, and encourage good body image.
Good nutrition will result in healthy skin, hair, and nails.
Exercise will result in an overall feeling of wellness and positivity.
Good rest and sleep will help keep a handle on stress.
Developing positive relationships with food and healthy eating habits is the key to wellness. Time management around buying, preparing, and eating food is another key to the overall consumption of healthy meals, and preparing your own meals at home is a must.
Tips for grocery shopping:
- Plan your meals beforehand. Alternate between a couple of easy lunches and suppers each week substituting chicken, fish or meat.
- Aim to have enough time to think through your menu plan, and purchase all that you need in one shopping trip avoiding last minute dashes to the grocery store. Rushing around the store leads to impulse purchases and grabbing quick on the go grocery items.
- Buy store brands and stock up on items such as tuna, cheese, or frozen veggies when they go on sale.
- Buy fresh local fruit and veg that are in season.
- Always make a list before heading to the grocery store and stick to it.
Tips for meal preparation:
Begin every meal you prepare with a salad. That way you will fill up on healthier foods and will eat less of the main course.- Avoid fast food at all costs. These foods are full of unhealthy sugar, salt, and fats. This increases the risk for heart disease, elevated blood cholesterol, blood pressure, and increased insulin.
- Try to include a legume (beans, lentils, split peas, hummus) with every main meal. Research has shown that people who consume one cup of legumes three times a week live a longer, healthier life.
- Exclude meat at least once a week from your menu plan.
- Drink an iced cold glass of water with every meal to aid digestion.
Tips for eating:
- Be mindful of what you are eating and focus on how you feel after each meal. Understanding the nourishment that you are giving your body, and taking time to enjoy your meals will leave you feeling satisfied sooner.
- Make the right changes. Aim to replace each unhealthy food you remove from your diet with a healthy replacement. Try switching from butter to olive oil, make your own salad dressing or swap a bagel for whole-grain toast.
- Eat all the colors of the rainbow. Great natural nutrition rich in minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins is found in dark green, orange, and red fruits and vegetables.
- Make sure that your whole grains are just that and not partial whole grains. Foods that contain white flour, sugar and rice have zero nutrients. Rather pass on bread, pasta, and breakfast cereal and replace them with brown rice and whole wheat pasta.
- Eat with others whenever the opportunity presents itself. Be a good role model to your kids and family. Avoid eating in front of the TV as this leads to mindless eating which can result in over eating.
Lisa Marsal is a certified Pilates mat and reformer instructor. She is a co-owner of Pilates on Hilton.
