Despite the fact that diet books continue to reign as best sellers in the publishing industry, they really have nothing to do with staying slim. They are quick fix remedies that work if you strictly adhere to them, but doing so means you wll be following someone else’s regimen, not your own.
Who knows your body better then you? To stay slim, it’s all a matter of tuning in and following some very basic principles. I surveyed many women and came up with these common traits:
- they eat meals
- they hang out with people like them
- they value their health
- they eat vegetables
- they cook their food
- they do not diet
Slim women eat meals
To have steady energy and stable blood sugar, it’s important to eat at regular intervals. Slim women know this. One petite woman told me she eats a bowl of oatmeal with nuts, 2 eggs and sauteed vegetables for breakfast most mornings. She’s a therapist and cultivates a large organic garden and keeps goats for milk. That requires real fuel, not a muffin and coffe in the morning.
Slim women attract slim friends
It’s natural that you spend time with people who have habits like yours. It’s true for hobbies, interests and eating. Look around at your circle of friends. What are their habits? If you want to improve yours, it’s easiest when you spend time with people who have similar goals.
Slim women value their health
Health doesn’t happen by accident. It’s an ongoing process that is either supported or sabotaged. Slim women live and eat like their habits matter, and they do. They don’t stick to rigid diets, but they do put quality foods with occasional treats on their plates.
Slim women eat vegetables
It’s a well established fact that vegetables provide essential nutrients that support health. You will always see these on a slim women’s plate. If you’ve fallen out of the habit of eating vegetables, make it a priority to have 2 or 3 servings every day, with a goal of getting up to 5. Head on over to my blog for more information on getting vegetables back onto your plate.
Slim women cook their food (or someone at home does the cooking)
Cooking your own food is the best way to ensure that the food is fresh and not bolsteredwith additives and preservatives. Slim women tend to avoid takeout and make their own food. Cooking at home is the only place where you are sure of whatyou are eating, where it came from and how it is prepared. It’s a habit that was an intrinsic part of past generations, but in today’s hectic life and the presence of restaurants on nearly every corner, eating at home is a habit that needs to be resurrected if you want to support long term health.
Slim women do not diet
Dieting creates an artificial environment that is temporary and restrctive in nature. As humans it’s natural to want what we think we cannot have. Dieting leads you down the path of sneaking food and feeling guilty. Women who are slim know their body, their appretite and how much to eat.
If you follow most of these habits but still would like to lose weight, it might be time to get some help. Head on over to my programs and see what might be right for you. In all cases, we can schedule a complimentary consultation to talk about what's holding you back and how to get some traction with your health goals.
For more tips, check out my 5 health hacks for women over 50 http://www.wellnessandyou.com/blog/2016/11/6/5-everyday-health-hacks-for-50-women?rq=breakfast
If you have maintained a healthy weight up into your 60s and beyond, please share some of your habits with us. What do you do to stay slim?