Column Rocio Dos Santos Arenas
80% of what your success is based on what you eat and how you eat it
We are now on week three of our countdown and I am hoping you feel motivated and energized, ready to soak in more information and discover a fun way to exercise if you do not have the privilege of too much extra time in your hands.
Today we shall begin talking about calories … I would like to ask you to do something … stop counting them!!
If you embrace a real food approach to your daily meals and fill your body with fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, sustainable animal products and an active lifestyle you do not need to count those calories anymore! It is old school, demotivating and does not leave much room for self-education as all you see are numbers instead of food groups.
Image by silviarita from Pixabay
Everything in moderation and aiming for good health is what you are aiming for.
You must have heard the term clean eating before … and if you haven’t, let me just say, it means having an approach as a whole to your diet. Eating real foods and avoiding things that are packaged or processed. If you can read the ingredients and could make that same product in your house then go ahead and eat it, otherwise please leave it back on the shelf.
Clean eating is all about knowing what you put on the table and what your body ingests daily.
Let me ask you something? How long do you spend in the vegetable / fruit / animal product section of the supermarket versus the time you spend in the packaged and processed food area?
You would want three quarters of your time to be spent in the real food section where you can buy your animal products, dairy, vegetables and fruits leaving the rest for your last quarter.
When was the last time you read the label of an item you were purchasing? My advice to you is that you try to get into the habit of doing so.
- If there are ingredients that you do not understand, put it down
- If sugar accounts for more than 16g of the total, put it down ( each 4g is one teaspoon)
- If you see way too many preservatives, colourings and additives , put it down
- If it claims too many things on the packaging (natural, eco, bio, free from …) read it well, check the ingredients and if it is promising too much, put it down
Since you will be spending more time in the fresh produce area you will need tips and tricks on how to better keep your groceries lasting crisp and bright for longer:
- Place some kitchen paper towel in the salad bags on both sides, remove all air and seal the bag. This way the excess humidity will be caught by the kitchen paper and not by your salad leaves leaving them crispier and lasting longer.
- Remove all plastics and bags from your vegetable produce should you buy them like that. Vegetables are meant to breathe, and they can’t do so inside plastic bags
- Potatoes, onions and garlic are not to be kept together, keep your potatoes alone as they have an excess humidity that onions and garlic do not like
- Roll your asparagus in a tea towel and place them in the fridge drawer to make them last longer
- Place your herbs in a small glass with water and cover them slightly with a plastic wrap or similar, you can also keep them unwrapped in the glass of water but inside the fridge drawer instead.
I do hope you are taking notes and applying some of the tips from these past few articles in our countdown to summer as this is all been done for YOU!
Workout Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay
Have 4 minutes to spare? Ready to work out?
Let’s do some Tabata today!
Tabata is a form of high intensity interval training, specifically, it’s a four-minute workout consisting of 8 rounds of 20 seconds of work at maximum effort, followed by 10 seconds of rest.
Choose a spacious area in your house or outdoors. You will need a timer, comfortable attire, sports shoes and a fitness mat.
Start by stretching your entire body and preparing your joints for what is coming, mild stretching before commencing any type of exercise is crucial in order to do so safely.
Warm up by jogging on the spot for 1 minute.
You are now ready!
Workout in Lavaux, CH – Credit photo Rocio dos Santos Arenas
Repeat each exercise below with as many reps as possible in 20 seconds at maximum effort, followed by 10 seconds of rest.
- Jumping Jacks
- High Knee Jumps
- Burpees
- Mountain Climbers
- Chest Lifts
- Russian Twist
- High plank
- Squats
Make sure you cool down and stretch once you have finished the sequence.
Well done!
Do come back next week and get to know what exercise routine is right for you, how often to work out, the importance of moving from an anatomical perspective and a yummy poke bowl recipe.
About the author:
Rocio Dos Santos Arenas is an Holistic Health Coach specialized in gut health conditions and food intolerances and is a trained Pilates and Yoga instructor and movement enthusiast. She is currently living in the French part of Switzerland spreading knowledge and awareness about the importance of a healthy body and a healthy mind and transforming people through an active lifestyle with group classes, courses, workshops, retreats. She recently found her company Activ Wellness to provide you with the guidance, tools and support you need and bring changes and so you become stronger, healthier and more focused.
