Thankfulness
Over years and years of intense studies and fighting hard to understand the science of nutrition, I have come to a very eye-opening conclusion. One of the key fundamentals to losing weight is not the perfect coach, nor is it found in the next “dieting revolution” or 30 day program. It doesn’t cost a dollar either. One of the biggest secrets to losing weight, or accomplishing any change in your body, is thankfulness.
Most any fitness plan incorporates removing some favorite foods of yours from your daily menu. Desserts, fast-food, and sugary drinks are typically replaced with whole foods and water. We are asked to remove these items and begin practicing self-discipline with our eating habits.
This is difficult for most people to do, because we have grown so accustomed to having all of these unhealthy, yet tasty, foods at our fingertips. Truthfully, we’re spoiled. When we are asked to remove these foods, we whine. In fact, we whine a lot. I whined too, until I realized this . . .
Go across seas. Go to a poverty stricken area, where food is scarce and homes are shacks. Go to parts of the world where they are drinking dirty water and many are dying from starvation. If you traveled to these areas of the world with a meal of lightly-seasoned baked chicken, 1/2 cup of grilled vegetables, and some brown rice and gave that to the people to eat they would be as happy as could be.
Then if you looked them in the eyes and told them that they could have this food to eat all of the time but there was a catch… and the catch was that they would have to eat that meal 5 times a day, every day. They would do it gladly, and think you were crazy. They wouldn’t see your “catch” as a challenge, rather a blessing.
We, on the other hand, would think “No way, Jose!”
The only difference is that coming from a poverty stricken area, a person would be thankful for the food that they are given. They, most likely, wouldn’t turn their nose up and request a Big Mac.
I watched a documentary on the people in rural Guatemala who live on a dollar a day. They discussed how they would chose their food purchases simply based on which food had the most nutrients per dollar. They discussed food in a way that it was described as fuel – fuel to work, fuel to play, fuel to live.
Simply remaining grateful for the food you are given will be extremely beneficial when you begin a program that causes you to monitor the foods you eat, or even be extremely strenuous with food choices.
Now does this mean you have to limit yourself so you don’t feel guilty? No, not at all. But I do think this is a great illustration to start from, to build perspective. Hopefully this help you as you begin practicing thankfulness, and not complaining about having to eat whole foods and drink water.
Stay healthy – stay thankful,
Braxton
Did you know . . .
1) Some 805 million people in the world do not have enough food to lead a healthy active life. That’s about one in nine people on earth.
2) Poor nutrition causes nearly half (45%) of deaths in children under five – 3.1 million children each year.
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