Considering what it is I do (work-wise), I’m often asked what my philosophy is on living the ‘good life’.
My feeling is that attaining good health and ideal body weight is a fairly simple formula (note – I say ‘simple’, which may be different to ‘easy’!). In a nutshell it goes like this…
I believe that a minimum of 80% of all the food we eat should be real (by that we mean that it should have grown on/in the earth, or swum in the sea without being processed or had additives, colourants, flavourants or preservatives added to it). Let your hair down 20% of the time.
Raw food should be consumed before every meal – even if just a side salad, a fresh vegetable juice, al dente steamed vegetables, or traditionally prepared fermented vegetables. These all contribute vital enzymes that will help you digest your food adequately.
Drink pure water in quantities appropriate for your body weight and take whole, unadulterated salt with your meals. Drink alcohol in moderation and don’t consume daily. Avoid sugary fruit juices, fizzy drinks and other such beverages.
Perform some form of exercise daily – even if only taking the dog for a stroll, walking on the beach, gardening, or house cleaning. Exercise moderately/intensely at least three times weekly and in the mornings when your cortisol levels are naturally high. Prioritise resistance training over cardio, unless training for a specific cardio event.
Get enough sleep (between 6 and 8 hours) and get to bed early enough to take advantage of your body’s physical repair phase (approximately 10.00pm-2.00am). Get up with the sun, or as close to it as possible. Keep lights dimmed at night; avoid working on the computer; avoid watching TV (for at least 60-90 minutes before going to bed) or reading a highly exciting book just before sleeping.
Practice good breathing technique and become aware of your breath throughout the day. Eat slowly and thoroughly and relax while doing so – this all aids digestion, which helps promote good health and ideal weight. Stay in the moment as often as you can (avoid dwelling on the past, or pondering over the future).
Manage the thoughts that cross your mind – remain positive, stay empowered and be gentle and tolerant with yourself and others.
So that’s about it really. Stay as close to this as possible and I feel sure you’ll experience some pretty phenomenal benefits that’ll make it worth your time and effort…
