Happy Monday!!
Sorry about our lack of posts last week, Mariah and I have been super busy. We are making up for it with a 2 posts this week, and one will detail the reason for our untimeliness. I, Bryanna, have some big news to share!! Again!!
Mariah is starting a fun health series for this month and will be sharing today, with a few inputs from Bryanna. So sit back, grab some coffee, tea, bucha, iced tea, whatever your favorite drink is & read on…..
This month I will be sharing some health tips. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is difficult. Let’s be honest, at times we all crave some chocolate, cookies, or brownies and a carrot stick just won’t cut it (unless you’re Bryanna when she’s not pregnant, because when she’s pregnant, watch out chocolate). However, we eventually carry these extra calories or are forced to restrict our intake to maintain our desired figure. If we didn’t have to worry about calories, we would eat those treats with no shame.
I am here to tell you it’s possible to satisfy your sweet tooth with an actual treat without the shame! You can eat what you want and still maintain your figure. However, there is a caveat. You have to be willing to alter other aspects of your lifestyle. The 80/20 approach to healthy living or flexible dieting. No one likes to be told no or they have to change, but the reality is, we need honest talk. Diet companies will tell you want you want to hear, but it is often untrue. A pill or surgery is not the best option or the answer to a sustainable healthy body. And they don’t work long term. We all need to reflect on our lifestyle and ask ourselves what areas we can change. We all have areas to work on!
An obvious way to maintain your healthy figure and indulge in sweets is to exercise. You don’t have to be a mathematician to understand the concept of burning calories. The daily calorie intake of an average woman ranges from 1600-2000, depending on age, fitness, and metabolism, as well as physical activity. Those marathon or endurance athletes are going to need to consume more calories in order to sustain their current physical exertion. Research also shows that the average woman burns about 65-100 calories per mile run (again depending on your current fitness level and weight). By adding some running or exercise to your daily routine, you give yourself enough leeway to indulge in a treat. My go-to exercise routine is running or cross-training if I am training for a triathlon. The run in the morning is worth it to me, especially if it means I can eat my favorite Wholesomely Fit treat later in the day.
Also, as Bryanna reminds us, making your own treats with real, natural sugars is always healthier than those conventional treats with artificial sweeteners. Real sugar is treated differently in the body, compared to artificial sugars / sweeteners or white table sugar. These natural sugars include, honey, maple syrup, bananas, dates, fruits, coconut sugar / syrup, etc. They are best consumed after a cardio session when the body utilizes those sugars to fuel the muscles for your next workout session and replenish glycogen stores. At other times, excess sugar is stored as fat, what we don’t want.
Another subtle way to cut calories is to substitute healthy ingredients into your recipes. Stevia is a natural sweetener containing zero calories. It is a great substitute for sugar. Olive oil and coconut oil are superior alternatives to canola oil. Apple cider vinegar is a better alternative to salad dressing, or olive oil and avocado oil with balsamic vinegar or lemon juice. Even if these alternatives have similar calorie counts, the higher nutritional content will benefit you in the long run, because as Bryanna always says “A calorie is not just a calorie.”
For example, 100 calories in m&m’s is different than 100 calories in a apple. So you may be eating your 1800 calories every day, but ask yourself what type of calories are they: whole food vs. junk food, nutrient dense vs empty calories.
In my next post, I will share some of my go-to recipes and how I use the healthy ingredients mentioned above.
Thanks and Until Next Time Be Whole and Be Fit