Renew yourself with healthy choices

By April Napralla

To set everyone straight, I am not a health freak. I have tried numerous diets and, not to my surprise, nothing worked. I would give anything to eat whatever I want, when I want and still be able to slip into a sexy, size two black dress. Unfortunately, reality sets in, mirrors don’t lie and the excuse of “my drier shrunk my jeans” only goes so far.

Therefore, I decided to start at the source of flab that conceals my beautiful body. How I eat and how I live were two questions I needed to seriously ask myself. These are two questions that I believe everyone should confront themselves with.

In recent years, I have turned to the more holistic approach – eating natural foods and fresh produce, drinking tea instead of coffee and water instead of soda, staying completely away from fast food, and, yes, also exercising. As trying as that may sound, the results don’t lie. I feel younger, my skin and hair are softer, I am actually maintaining a healthy weight, and I have much more energy.

Now, besides my occasional indulgence of alcoholic beverage (hey, I’m from Wisconsin), I find this lifestyle quite easy to uphold. The local grocery stores do carry a fair amount of organic products. However, here in Central Wisconsin, we are fortunate to have the Stevens Point Co-op and Stone Crop Organics, which both carry a great selection of natural foods.

For many people, staying away from fast food might be the hardest part, especially when a person is on the go or has the late night munchies. In this case, opt for something a bit healthier. Have a salad (easy on the fixings), soup or even a deli-style sandwich. Or carry around some natural granola bars. These are usually better choices for those who want to watch their waistlines shrink.

Drinking green tea is something I absolutely recommend to everyone. There is a compound rich in catechin polyphenols called, epigallocatechin gallate, also known as EGCG, which is found in green tea. EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant that inhibits the growth of cancer cells and lowers cholesterol. Studies have also suggested that EGCG helps to combat cancer by killing the cancer cells without harming healthy tissue.

The health benefits found in green tea seem to be endless. Are you prone to colds and flu during the winter? Well, green tea can also help to fight off bacteria and virus infections that coincide with the cold and flu season. For those of you who are looking to shed some extra pounds, green tea also naturally helps to increase a person’s metabolism. The suggested intake of green tea is about four to five cups a day.

For those who have never tried green tea…well it might be more of an acquired taste for some. A friend of mine once told me that green tea tasted like “the water from steamed green beans”. If green tea is not your “cup of joe”, then try it with a slice of lemon or even with a teaspoon of honey. A tea company called the, Republic of Tea actually blends green tea leaves with fruits such as, pomegranate, raspberries and goji fruit, blueberries, cherries and as well as many others to make the green tea experience much more enjoyable. However, refrain from putting sugar or cream in the tea because they pretty much cancel out all of the good effects of green tea. 

Everyone hates being told they have to exercise more often. I find just trying to stay more active is a lot easier than going to the gym and working out for four hours a day, everyday. I always have a hard time staying motivated at the gym, especially if there are good looking guys sweating right next to me. I am always so self-conscious that I am sweating in places I shouldn’t be sweating. This actually gives me more of a motivation to wake up early and work out with a bit of an older crowd. This way I don’t care if I have pit stains the size of Wyoming nor do I care if I smell like I haven’t taken a shower in a couple days. The only thing I care about is fitting comfortably into my expensive jeans that I refuse to take back for a larger size.

I try and work out about three to four times a week and on my days off from working out I try other ways to burn off those extra calories. Instead of trying to find the nearest parking spot to the grocery store, pick the farthest and walk. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator is much more beneficial to your leg and derriere muscles. For those of you who are attached, a 45 minute sweaty romp in the bedroom can burn up to 250 calories.