Tuesday, June 19, 2007
- Ayurveda 101
Ayurveda: An ancient philosophy of eating wisely that originated in India over 5,000 years ago. The definition of Ayurveda can be lengthy, and its theories regarding maintaining a balance between fitness and nutrition are unique and can seem complex. However, my interpretation of Ayurveda is simply this: If you are willing to change your lifestyle by eating wisely and doing a from of exercise on a regular basis, then you will naturally maintain a normal weight. There is never a need to “diet” or to become consumed with counting calories or carbohydrates. How does one change their lifestyle? Start consuming more unprocessed foods along with as natural herbs, spices, teas and roots. Eventually you'll be rid of the craving for coffee, salt, sugar and many fat based foods. You’ll then start to select foods that are beneficial automatically. Of course, consult your physician prior to embarking upon any fitness or nutrition journey!
For example, last night I was absolutely famished around 10pm. I had finished dinner around 7:00pm, and generally I would have been fine until breakfast this morning. I tried having my usual cup of warm milk - but this time with a handful of Cheerios (okay, I had four handfuls... okay, five). I realized that I was stil hungry because I had gone on a group walk and didn’t get home until a little after 8pm. At that hour, I didn’t want to eat a regular portion of dinner so just had a half turkey sandwich and very few frozen vegetables. It clearly was not enough and it was poor planning on my part. Going to bed hungry is never a good idea either. You just wake up "starving" and possibly over eating at breakfast - that is if you can't get through the night without getting up at 2am to eat something.
Had I gone for my husbands ever present chocolate chip cookies to have with my milk, I would have gone to bed in a very different state of mind. Ideally, I would like to have nothing to eat after 7pm, but I always fail and enjoy a late cup of herbal tea or glass of milk. I don’t imagine I’ll ever break out of this habit. Are you an after 7pm eater? How about trying to go without food after 7pm for a week? If you succeed, please let me know how you feel in the mornings as a result. Walking along with choosing food wisely is making a huge difference as to how I look and feel. I’m not exactly where I would like to be.
I’m feeling great about how this journey is going along, and I’m excited about eventually reaching my goal. Attitude is paramount to staying on the road to understanding more about what it means to eat "well" and get fit. Without a little knowledge of fitness and nutrition, your probably just spinning your wheels going on diets and weight loss trends. Eating well and exercising properly has to become a way of life, not something outside of your life. When you know the basics like the back of your hand, you’ll have no doubt that you’ll eventually reach YOUR fitness goals. Get walking.
For example, last night I was absolutely famished around 10pm. I had finished dinner around 7:00pm, and generally I would have been fine until breakfast this morning. I tried having my usual cup of warm milk - but this time with a handful of Cheerios (okay, I had four handfuls... okay, five). I realized that I was stil hungry because I had gone on a group walk and didn’t get home until a little after 8pm. At that hour, I didn’t want to eat a regular portion of dinner so just had a half turkey sandwich and very few frozen vegetables. It clearly was not enough and it was poor planning on my part. Going to bed hungry is never a good idea either. You just wake up "starving" and possibly over eating at breakfast - that is if you can't get through the night without getting up at 2am to eat something.
Had I gone for my husbands ever present chocolate chip cookies to have with my milk, I would have gone to bed in a very different state of mind. Ideally, I would like to have nothing to eat after 7pm, but I always fail and enjoy a late cup of herbal tea or glass of milk. I don’t imagine I’ll ever break out of this habit. Are you an after 7pm eater? How about trying to go without food after 7pm for a week? If you succeed, please let me know how you feel in the mornings as a result. Walking along with choosing food wisely is making a huge difference as to how I look and feel. I’m not exactly where I would like to be.
I’m feeling great about how this journey is going along, and I’m excited about eventually reaching my goal. Attitude is paramount to staying on the road to understanding more about what it means to eat "well" and get fit. Without a little knowledge of fitness and nutrition, your probably just spinning your wheels going on diets and weight loss trends. Eating well and exercising properly has to become a way of life, not something outside of your life. When you know the basics like the back of your hand, you’ll have no doubt that you’ll eventually reach YOUR fitness goals. Get walking.
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