madi's blog.

When you think about the Superbowl, which foods leap to mind? Wings? Hot dogs? Burgers? Pizza? Nachos?

Avocados?

In the past, it might have seemed pretty strange that an entire Superbowl commercial was devoted to the fleshy green fruit. Here in 2015, healthy living is the newest trend and its popularity couldn’t be more well timed. Recent studies have shown that more than two-thirds of U.S. adults are considered overweight or obese; young and old, Americans are having to rethink their lifestyle choices. Not to worry, due to the limitless number of diet plans, exercise regimes, and technological innovations to aid you in your quest for healthy living. Right?

Wrong. At least I think so.

Over the past few years, I’ve bounced from one diet to another (to no diet at all, eating exclusively Chinese takeout and Chic-fil-A French fries) and dabbled in a variety of exercises, but none of them ever stuck. I spent almost all four years of college trying to find something that worked for me, getting increasingly frustrated because nothing I was doing was sticking. I found the vast expanse of healthy choices overwhelming, not helpful. It was nice to know that if what I was doing wasn’t working there were other paths I could take, but that led me to constantly wonder: what if there’s something out there that will work better than this?

Early in 2015 my husband and I decided to make the switch to a plant-based diet, despite having already chosen a barbecue feast for our wedding food…lifestyle changes aren’t always well-timed, I guess. But it stuck. Almost 6 months later we’re still consistently making healthy choices and I’m feeling healthier than I have in my adult life. Not to say plant-based diets are healthy no matter what, but it certainly limits your opportunities to make unhealthy choices.

While there are a thousand things I could write about veganism, that’s not what I’m here to blog about. This is a space to share delicious recipes and useful fitness tips and a place to discuss how to fit these things into your fast-paced lives. I’m not a doctor or a dietitian or anything like that, but I have found something that works for me. Even if your pathway to a healthy lifestyle is a different one than mine, I hope my tales of trial and error will inform and entertain.

So to kick off our healthy lifestyle journey, I’d like to share 4 tips for finding a way to make consistently healthy choices.

Try something new. When I was a kid, my diet consisted primarily of chicken fingers and french fries. I didn’t even eat a hamburger until I was a sophomore in high school. And up until maybe my second year of college I absolutely loathed salads. Some might say that now since I’m vegan I’m back to my old picky-eatin’ ways, but being vegan forces me to try new things almost anywhere I go to eat! Whether it’s food, a different fitness regime, a new book, TV show – anything! – you’ll start to develop new tastes and some of those new tastes may propel you toward a healthy alternative you otherwise never would have found. Step out of your comfort zone – even if it’s just for the little things. The little changes you make can add up quickly and show you major results.

Stop worrying about your body. Obsessing over my weight was totally counterproductive to my attempts at healthy living. When I was trying to eat healthier foods and exercise to see a number on a scale, I didn’t see any major results. Unhappy about my body and frustrated with my lack of weight loss, I would get discouraged and find comfort in old, unhealthy eating habits. Nobody’s body is going to look exactly the way yours does, at any point in your journey to a healthier lifestyle. We know for sure we aren’t going to look like models on the covers of magazines, because thanks to photo editing software even they don’t even look like those pictures! Focus on how you feel, not how you look. Eating healthier foods consistently will make you feel good, but that doesn’t mean you can’t indulge every once in a while. Emotional health matters too–sometimes, you just need a hulking slice of cheesecake. Treating yourself periodically doesn’t mean that you’ve failed. This is a lifestyle change we’re going for. There’s room for a few snacks when you’ve got your whole life ahead of you.

Find a reliable partner. Having my husband commit to a plant-based diet with me was integral to my success in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Without a lot of choices when we eat out, we cook together many evenings of the week–discovering new recipes and always trying to make our favorite foods even tastier. If you want to incorporate some cardiovascular exercise into your life, find a friend to start the Couch to 5k program with you. Commit to cooking a healthy meal together at least once a week. On days when it’s a lot harder to make healthy choices, having somebody to go through it with you can make it easier–maybe treat yourself to a healthy snack together! You can certainly incorporate healthy lifestyle changes without anybody else involved, but commitment to my healthy lifestyle is a lot easier with the help of someone I care about.

Go outside. Seriously. Sunscreen up, take the dog on a walk, throw the frisbee with some friends, or even just enjoy the fresh air while eating a meal or reading a book. We spend so much of our lives inside and it can be a huge relief from the monotony of white walls and electronic screens to get out into the sunshine. Just don’t look directly at the sun! For me, getting outside can clear my head and help me let go of daily stresses–giving me the relief I need to choose a healthy homecooked meal over fast food or a fruit smoothie over a pint of almond ice cream. Obviously there will be some days that going outside is unrealistic, but when there are minor inconveniences just get creative! You may not want to take a jog in the rain, but if that doesn’t sound terrible to you it can be a blast. If it’s hot outside, wake up early and go kayaking with a friend or go for an evening swim. Most of the things I do outdoors involve moving around and in a world so driven by sitting and staring at screens, a little movement outside is well-needed.

I hope you find these tips useful, and let me know in the comments what other things you do to keep healthy during your busy, busy lives! Next time, I’ll be sharing a recipe and some tips for those of you following a plant based diet.