Intuitive Eating Principle #2
Honor your hunger. Hunger is not your enemy. Respond to your early signs of hunger by feeding your body. If you let yourself get excessively hungry, then you are likely to overeat.
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fitness
Health Hack: Plant a Fig Tree
My fig tree is two years old and I have an abundant harvest this year. The mockingbirds and I share them. LOL. Figs have incredible benefits. Check out the following benefits from eating figs.
Compared to other foods, figs were found to be one of the densest in phenolic antioxidants and nutrients, mostly fiber, in a study on the amount and quality of phenol antioxidants in dried and fresh fruits. . . . Figs are dense in phenol antioxidants and nutrients, especially fiber. They’re potent antioxidants.
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Health Hack: Walking & Breast Cancer
“[Walking] reduces the risk of developing breast cancer. Researchers already know that any kind of physical activity blunts the risk of breast cancer. But an American Cancer Society study that zeroed in on walking found that women who walked seven or more hours a week had a 14% lower risk of breast cancer than those who walked three hours or fewer per week. And walking provided this protection even for the women with breast cancer risk factors, such as being overweight or using supplemental hormones.”
Source: Healthbeat Harvard Medical School
Nutrition Hack: Fuel Up for Exercise
“Eating a healthy breakfast is especially important on days when exercise is on your agenda. Skipping breakfast can leave you feeling lightheaded or lethargic while you’re working out. Choosing the right kind of breakfast is crucial. . . . A plain white bagel or doughnut won’t keep you feeling full for long. A fiber- and protein-rich breakfast may fend off hunger pangs for longer and provide the energy you need to keep your exercise going.”
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Health Hack: Just Exercise!
“When it comes to health and well-being, regular exercise is about as close to a magic potion as you can get.” —Thich Nhat Hanh
Fitness Hack: A Surprising Connection Between Pushups & Heart Health
In a 10-year study published in February, researchers reported that men who can do 40 pushups have a whopping 96% lower risk of heart disease than guys who can’t muster 10. The average man in the study: Nearly 40 years old and overweight, but not obese. All 1,562 men were physically active firefighters rather than office workers. The study’s results strengthen the case that muscle-building promotes heart health. “Resistance training is super important,” says Kaiser Permanente sports medicine specialist Robert E. Sallis, MD, who was not involved in the study. “It seems to have the same benefits as cardiovascular exercise.”
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Fitness Hack: Check Your Heart Rate
Aerobic fitness: Heart rate at rest
Your heart rate at rest is a measure of heart health and fitness. For most adults, a healthy heart rate is 60 to 100 beats a minute. To check your pulse over your carotid artery, place your index and middle fingers on your neck to the side of your windpipe. To check your pulse at your wrist, place two fingers between the bone and the tendon over your radial artery, located on the palm side of your wrist below the thumb. When you feel your pulse, look at your watch and count the number of beats in 10 seconds. Multiply this number by 6 to get your heart rate per minute. Let’s say you count 15 beats in 10 seconds. Multiply 15 by 6 for a total of 90 beats a minute.
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Health Hack: Our Muscles Need Protein to Repair and Grow
“Protein is important because it provides the amino acids your body needs to build and repair muscle. Most research suggests very active people should eat 1.2 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. That means a 150-pound person should eat 82 to 136 grams each day. People who aren’t active should eat less protein. Aim for .8 grams per kilogram of body weight each day. Good sources of protein are poultry (25 grams in 3 ounces) and fish (20 grams in 3 ounces). Those who prefer to avoid meat can try soybeans (20 grams per cup) and legumes like beans, peanuts and chickpeas (about 15 grams per cup). Eggs, Greek yogurt, cheese and tofu are good sources, too.”
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Fitness Hack: Tune in To Music
“Running with music is a great way to get in a groove (just make sure it’s not blasting too loudly, or you won’t hear those cars!). To pick the ultimate iPod playlist, think about what gets you going. “I know several elite athletes that listen to what we’d consider ‘relaxing’ music, such as symphony music, while they do a hard workout,” says Andrew Kastor. So don’t feel like you have to download Lady Gaga because her tunes are supposed to pump you up—go with any music that you find uplifting.”
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Health Hack: I Think I’ll Make a Strawberry Smoothie
Vitamin C: An essential nutrient
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Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that supports normal growth and development, and helps your body absorb iron. Because your body doesn’t produce or store vitamin C, it’s important to include it in your diet. For most people, an orange, or a cup of strawberries, chopped red pepper or broccoli provides enough vitamin C for the day.
