You know that friend: the one who stays trim from one year to the next, is always in good health, and never mentions a word about dieting or needing to lose weight. She’s just naturally fit, and it doesn’t appear that she has to work at it. She doesn’t struggle to lose the same twenty pounds over and over, and is always bouncing around full of energy.
Don’t you just hate her?
Well, no, you don’t. She’s actually a pretty nice person. But what’s her secret? And why won’t she share it?
The truth is, there is no secret. Most healthy people just happen to have similar habits, even if they aren’t conscious of them. Genetics is important, of course, and we won’t all be perfectly toned no matter what we do. But you can learn a few tips from healthy people, and work them into your weight loss and fitness plan.
They sleep well. Whether they’re just blessed to lead lower-stress lives, or perhaps their spouses don’t snore, healthy people tend to get eight solid hours of sleep each night. Since adequate sleep is linked to lower levels of appetite boosting hormones that cause cravings (especially for sugar), this makes sense.
They’re active, without really thinking about it. There are the healthy people who really work at it, with strict exercise regimens, and then there are those who don’t seem to focus on exercise at all. Either method can work, but you can bet those “non exercising” people really are working out! They just don’t see it that way. They enjoy active hobbies, they play with their kids at the park, or they work very physical jobs.
They take care of their emotional health. Again, methods vary, but healthy people tend to take care of their mental and emotional health, as well as the physical. They have developed coping strategies to help them deal with stress, sadness, loneliness, and other negative emotions. If they do have vices, they aren’t food or alcohol.
They eat when they’re hungry. Not only do most health conscious folks avoid eating their emotions; they also don’t eat when they’re bored. Always on the go, they only eat when their hunger reminds them of mealtime. They don’t eat out of habit, or just because other people around them are eating. They’re too busy to notice!
They stop eating when they’re full. Fit people just never picked up the habit of eating because it feels good, or because there is still food on their plates. Therefore, they eat when they’re hungry and they stop eating when they are full. It can be hard to learn this habit, but you can! Eat meals more slowly, taking large sips of water and setting down your fork between every bite. Take your time, and you might notice that your stomach begins sending the “full” signal while you’re eating.
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