It's A Harsh Food World...

This past weekend was the third annual Brewer game tailgate with all of my cousins. I am so lucky to have them all in my life not just as family but as great friends.  We always have so much fun together.  I went into the day knowing that it was going to be one of those days where I would just enjoy myself and not worry so much about what I'm eating or drinking.  These are the days I can reward myself for working out hard and eating healthy for the most part on a regular basis. 

So anyways, enough babble about me and my eating habits and let's get down to the main reason I decided to write about this event.  There were about 41,000 people that were in attendance at the game. So let's do a little math...if over 2/3 of Americans are either overweight or obese, that means that about 27,000 of those fans are struggling with some kind of weight problem.  I looked around and I felt sad because of the way people treat their bodies and the struggles they must face everyday.  27,000 sounds like a lot of people which it is but that number unfortunately was not far off.  It's scary how unhealthy our world has become.

 Our country has become a fast food, processed, synthetic nation and I think it's only going to get worse.  There are so many options at the grocery store with partially hydrogenated oils (side note: did you know that regular Heinz Ketchup has high fructose corn syrup in it? probably not), aspartame and many other additives.  At this point, people don't even know what they are actually consuming. Not many people read the ingredient dextrose and immediately know it's another form of sugar. 

This event made me grateful for the job that I have and the active lifestyle I lead and also help so many others lead.  It makes me happy on a daily basis that I can have an impact on my clients whether it be a butt kicking workout or that extra motivation they needed that day. I'm helping people live longer, healthier and happier lives.
 
So what can you do to make some healthy changes in your life? Here are a few tips that may or may not help you whether you're looking to lose weight or just change it up a bit from the somewhat healthy routine you're  already in.

1. Shop on the outside loop of the grocery store.  Fruits, veggies, lean meats and dairy all have a tidy little place around the edges of the store. Pop tarts, Cheetos and cookies have landed a spot in the extended shelf life section along with all the other processed foods.

2. Shop organic when you can.  Brewers Organics has opened my eyes to the wonderful world of  delicious organic produce. 

3. Farmers markets are in full swing right now so take advantage of the fresh produce and farm fresh products.

3. Avoid fast food restaurants.  It's easier said than done when you're in a hurry but there is nothing good that's going to come out of ordering a Big Mac meal.  If you do need to eat on the fly, ask for a nutrition information packet before you order or make a healthy choice like going to Subway.

4. Focus on body fat percentage as opposed to BMI.  Here's why, when looking at myself,  there are a lot of 5'6", 160 pound, 28 year olds that don't have nearly as much muscle mass as me though according to my BMI, my healthy weight is around 140 which I've never weighed in my adult life nor will I ever for that matter.  My BMI doesn't take into account my lean to fat rate ratio which ultimately tells you what's going on inside your body.  For women, 23-25% is a good goal to shoot for as far as BF% and for men around 18% is decent.

5. Get active.  Get outside. Join a gym. Sign up for a 5k run. Park your car in the back of the parking lot and walk the distance in. Lift weights. Drink a lot of water.  Use a juicer to get your fruits and veggies quota met for the day. 

So go out there and make a change. Even if it's just one at a time. Don't become another statistic, take care of your body, it's the only one you get.