Healthy living is the priority
“It’s not realistic to only eat
raw food for healthy nutrition.
Our society is not built this way
anymore.”
I was having a conversation with two guys who are affiliated
with Visalus. Visalus is a company
that markets weight management products, with the main product being the
“Vi-shake”. First of all, these
two guys in particular are very passionate and love life. I was definitely in the presence of
positivity and life energy. I
enjoyed our conversation as we talked about personal growth, business
development, healthy living, basically the things I love to talk about. I think it was pretty cool that we both
have our unique visions to help people change their lives. So whether I advise Visalus or not, I
liked these two guys. I was asked
my opinion on supplements and what I advise my clients. I wanted to elaborate on my thoughts…
“I am a huge advocate
of creating a healthy lifestyle first.
No supplement or vitamin is the end all be all to nutrition and
health. Understand this
first. When supplements are shoved
in our face, we start to think the product is better than real food. This is false. It puts the wrong message out there for
the community. Nutrient packed
foods are a far better solution than any multivitamin or Vitamin C
supplement. The actual definition
of supplement states: Something that
completes or enhances something else when added to it. So a supplement can complete the human
diet when used appropriately. If
you eat fast food and drink soda during the week, a supplement will not give
you better health. I would rather
someone make changes in their overall nutrition program first before
supplementing their diet. If you
need more Vitamin C, eat Vitamin C rich foods. If you need more protein, eat more lean meats and eggs. If you do not know, the next step is to
food log. If you do not know what
is coming into your body, you will have no clue where your deficiencies
lie. To take a Vitamin C tablet or
other supplement without knowing your actual intake is negligent and can be
harmful if consumption is too high.
Thinking a “protein shake” will be the magical cure to your weight
problem is nonsense. Nothing is
better than a healthy nutrition plan, hard work in the gym and consistency to
the overall program. It’s a mindset.
It takes determination and effort. It’s committing to the
lifestyle. Now if a supplement can
assist you to become a healthier person and be a tool for you to make healthy
changes in your life, I am all for it.
There can be a place for supplementation in the human diet. Short on time? Grab a protein shake. Iron deficient? Utilize an iron supplement. Not eating enough fish and omega
3’s? Use a fish oil product. But the idea is to create a foundation
of natural health first. Pack your
diet full of nutrient dense foods.
Drink water. Workout. And be consistent. This is how I view the idea of
supplements.”
After
hearing me passionately speak my mind, one of the gentlemen responded by calmly
saying, “You are 100% correct. It’s
all about creating a healthy lifestyle and getting your nutrition from real
food should be the priority. But it’s not realistic for most people to only
eat raw food for healthy nutrition.
Our society is not built this way anymore.”
It’s a sound point he made but this quote really stuck with
me. I really had to wrap my
stubborn brain around this hypothesis.
Does our society really have a problem? Are we at a point where the majority of the population does
not get it? Do most people need
these supplements to create a healthier life?
Let’s take a look at some alarming statistics…
According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention,
·
69% of Adults age 20 years and over are
considered overweight or obese.
·
18.4% of adolescents age 12-19 are obese
·
18% of children age 6-11 are obese
·
12% of children age 2-5 are obese
·
26.6 million adults have been diagnosed with
heart disease
What?! These
statistics are disturbing to say the least. Our society does have a problem when it comes to lifestyle habits.
Now, let’s take a look at a few statistics regarding the
supplement industry…
·
The percentage of the U.S. population who used
at least one dietary supplement increased from 42% in 1988–1994 to 53% in
2003–2006
·
The supplement industry has produced about $32
billion in revenue for just nutritional supplements alone in 2012. It is projected to double that by
topping $60 billion in 2021 according to the Nutritional Business Journal.
·
More than one-half of U.S adults take dietary
supplements
Ok, so here is how I am looking at the overlap of these two
areas. Heart disease and obesity
is rising. Our children are
getting heavier by the year.
Activity comes in the form of facebook and video games, not playing
basketball and riding bikes. The
supplement industry is also on a steady incline. Americans are using supplements more than ever. If these supplements are meant to help
us live healthier lives why are these heart disease and obesity statistics continuing
to rise? Our health as a country
is declining. But supplements are
rising. So where is the problem?!
The problem with our society is the overall mindset. We need a shift in our
consciousness. We need to alter
our definition of health. We need
to get our priorities straight. We
need more people to encourage this way of living. NOT, prescribing “fast-acting” products. We can live healthy without artificial
products. We can live healthy with
the assistance of supplements. The
idea is build a solid foundation of health.
So can a supplement be of assistance to your healthy
plan? Absolutely.
Will it be the magic bullet to you achieving results? Absolutely not.
My answer…
Here we go...
Are you ready for the next great thing?
I am not promising fast results. This “product” will take a life-long commitment. Something in your head will have to
click on and say, “I can do this for the rest of my life.” I will not force a protein drink down
your throat. I will not tell you
to shove 10 vitamins down your mouth everyday. I do not have the magical berry juice. I will not advise any type of fasting
(We need food for crying out loud).
What I want you to consider is the habit of health. It’s having the dedication to yourself
to workout consistently, eat sensible foods (doesn’t have to be perfect) and
follow a healthy plan. It’s long
term. The first step is to create a foundation.
Start by drinking 72 ounces of water. If you are not doing this, don’t take
supplements. Start with the
basics.
Start by getting to the gym 3 or 4 times a week. When you are at the gym, don’t over do
it. Push yourself but do not hurt
yourself. You want to push your
limits every once in awhile in your workouts. If you do this every time, you will eventually get
hurt.
Start by buying some healthy groceries. Eat more vegetables and fruits. Get some good lean proteins. Limit the processed sugars and simple
carbohydrates (notice I did not say eliminate). Use a specific diet plan to assist your lifestyle but do not
let it take over your life.
Find balance.
Be smart and do not feed your children Lucky Charms everyday. Once or twice a week, I am ok with but
everyday is careless. Learn to
make healthy choices most of the time.
Create a healthy balance that you can sustain.
Use a supplement or aide when you are in a time constraint
or you notice you have a nutritional deficiency. Don’t haphazardly consume drinks, pills, juice or liquid
vitamins just because your friend told you it’s healthier. Research. Know what you are putting in your body. Ask yourself why you are putting “x” in
your body.
Recognize your lifestyle patterns. If you do not have a habit of health, no supplement, no
diet, no extreme workout plan, nothing will work and be sustainable until you
build a long-standing habit.
Do not kid yourself.
Do not buy an $80 vitamin pack because it promises weight loss. Do not believe a “60-day” workout plan
will completely transform your body.
If you want a lean physique, if you want to see your abs, if
you want muscles, if you want less fat…you must commit to a specific
lifestyle. If you are looking to
drop a few pounds before your class reunion, tighten up your nutrition for a
couple months. But do not revert
back to your old ways. Continue
your healthy journey. It will take
more than 60 days. It will take
more than just a drink or pill. It
will take dedication, perseverance, determination and constant effort.
Can we debunk this “Society is not built this way anymore”
statement? I believe we can. But it’s up to each individual to
choose healthier living. Each
person is responsible. Every
parent is responsible for his or her children. We can do this!
Set your mind!
Believe! Your life depends
on it!
**I do not
have anything against weight loss products or nutritional companies. What I do have a problem with is
claiming a product is the “magical” formula to a healthy life. Many people have done great without any
supplements. Vice versa, many
people have used supplements to aide their healthy life. As a community, let’s first encourage
healthy living before we prescribe artificial supplements.
Thank you for reading.
