Old You Vs. Current You: Getting Yourself Healthy (While Still Getting Your Fun On)

Today when I was getting my grocery shopping done, I thought of how I like having some kind of fruit juice and a carbonated drink (like Sprite or seltzer) and that does it for me on a Saturday night. It's basically a non-alcoholic drink that I'll have, (with some crushed ice because why not), along with some popcorn and chips. That's my party thing. I compare that to myself 5 years ago, when I would have about two alcoholic drinks (and a lot more chips), and then feel like shit the next day. It got me thinking, gee, I really love not drinking anymore. But besides that, taking care of yourself is the most important decision you can make. And the best part is, you don't have to do much to make smart choices. I'm not here to get you ready to get the gym bag ready or whip out the weights, I'm just here to talk about small choices that make big differences.

Health fads come and go. Sometimes they stick around for awhile, then come right back into fashion, just like clothes and music styles. The fact is, a lot of people seemingly get it mixed up and do too much of one thing (not eating properly, still working out like a moron, or eating like a robot and probably living a very miserable existence and acting/feeling miserable and not working out), but it's about moderation. Live a little. Relax. Enjoy. That's what we're here for. Gluten free, low calorie, low sodium. It's all good stuff to try. Veggies, fruits, and low processed foods are your best friends. Seriously, you are never too old, fat, or dumb not to start something great now.

My nephew is a year old and he is one lucky kid. He is very lucky for several reasons, but one of those is that he gets the best healthy food, (which also happens to be completely affordable) and I'm really, really jazzed for him about that. My sister does the shopping so she gets him those little packets of organic, pureed stuff with the tube on the top, as well as making fresh soups from scratch that are incredibly nutritious. That also made me think on several occasions how very happy I am for him. He's getting such a perfect start. He's a baby, and he's already tasted kale, collard greens, beets, and quinoa. He won't have to turn up his nose at those in a few years, and prefer sweets instead. He hasn't even tried ice cream yet. I didn't have that when I was his age. I'm blessed that I take responsibility for my health and make positive choices with my diet. I'm just really stoked about this health revolution that has been happening. Healthy food makes people healthier and happier.

There's a misnomer when it comes to health food, that you can't devote your entire diet (surely not the rest of your life!) to eating right. That's ridiculous. Nowadays, it's absolutely reasonable to take a bit of time to reevaluate your diet and your workout regime. You may say you don't have time. So then make it. The other misconception is that food can't taste good or be fun - again, nowadays, you don't eat grass or snack on rice cakes and call that a balanced diet. That's absolutely far from healthy. It's really about taking relatively small adjustments (rather than huge changes which increase the likelihood you'll give it up) and working from there, simply.

Rather than sacrificing 100% of all old routines, try eliminating a little out (at first) and see how you feel. Then if you're feeling more comfortable/daring (go you!) with that, go further. The fact is, having fun with food is awesome. Try a new recipe. Think of some of your favorite recipes, your go-to party foods, your go-to dinners. One of my favorite recipes is mexican pizza, which is amazing don't get me wrong, but it would not be a wise choice to have it every week. Think of what you can do to still add flavor to what you already love. Size them up a bit. Try to add something green in there if you can. It doesn't have to be crazy. Add some carrots for a snack. Dry green tea. See, you got it! It's not as scary as it sounds.