Sometimes people take the term lifestyle change and use it in a way that makes it sound easy. It’s not! It is more than doable with the right frame of mind but think about making that statement for a second. Change is not easy anytime and undoing something you’ve been doing for years is no easy feat.

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Cornwall - January 3, 2012 - Sometimes people take the term lifestyle change and use it in a way that makes it sound easy. It’s not! It is more than doable with the right frame of mind but think about making that statement for a second. Lifestyle Change. Change is not easy anytime and undoing something you’ve been doing for years is no easy feat.

Don't dwell on what you ate and drank over the holidays, that is done with. Look forward at what you can control and start making the first steps to that lifestyle change.

Some people can just wake up one day and decide to change their eating habits and the amount of exercise they do in a day or week, others need to take it step by step. Whichever you fall under, it starts with a recognition you need to make a change and then figuring out how to make it happen.

When we talk lifestyle change most of us are referring to our eating habits. People who choose to go primal cut out sugar (especially refined) dairy and grains. Some go the extra step and limit their fruit intake or at least are more picky about which ones they eat and when. The plus side is there is no limit to the lean meat, fish, vegetable intake and you can throw in nuts and seeds. You begin to learn and understand that fat doesn’t make you fat, grains and sugar are the culprits. I’m not going into an insulin rant here but I encourage you to research insulin release in the body and what foods trigger how much and the impact it has on you overall health. I will revisit insulin in a future post.

As I mentioned cold turkey type folks can dive right in and see all the benefits right away. The others choose to maybe eliminate one of the three no-nos (dairy, grains, sugar) and reduce the intake of the other two and eventually get to eliminate them over time. Still a solid approach.

My wife is a self described bread addict and she decided for her it was step by step and she eliminated all dairy. Result: since then she has not once used her asthma puffer which used to come out at least twice a day! Hard to argue with that. Great first step as she moves towards cutting out the other two.

Cheats or “treats” are allowed BUT the “cheat” or “treat” needs to be calculated and planned. It is much easier to get right back on track when they are scheduled ahead. Make those days of falling off the wagon a thing of the past and stick with it in 2012.

I am encouraging you to take a solid look at your current lifestyle and see what changes (big or small) can be made. You don't have to start big to get to your goals but you need to start period. Get going!

Be Great!