How I WON the Health Battle!

Before weight loss.

How I WON the Health Battle!
 
My name is Kris Wear and I am the co-owner of World of Nutrition (WON), the Treasure Valley's largest independent health food store. I spent most of my life obese even while, ironically, working in a health food store. I have been addicted to cigarettes, alcohol, sugar, cheese, chips, and ice cream. I knew if I kept at this pace, I would surely die young.
 
In 2011, I decided that I wanted to become the picture of health and started to replace all of those bad habits or addictions with healthy habits. I made sure that I used the vast resources available to me and made a commitment to make my health my number 1 priority every day of my life because that's what you have to do if you want to be healthy. Health cannot be down on your priority list; it has to be at the top.
 
Here is a list of ways that I’ve changed my health and my life:

1. Don't listen to anyone else's advice about weight loss...listen to your body.

Your body knows when it is being deprived of the nutrition it needs in order to function. It requires nutritious foods that will sustain your energy levels, and ultimately lead to an increase in fat burning because you are feeding it what it needs. We all know crash diets don’t work. With a crash diet, you may experience the short-term benefits, but it is never sustainable over the long run. So how does one begin making a healthy weight loss plan? I enjoy the rather intrinsic Reflect, Replace, Reinforce motto presented by the CDC. It goes a little like this:

• REFLECT on all of your specific eating habits, both bad and good; and, your common triggers for unhealthy eating.
• REPLACE your unhealthy eating habits with healthier ones.
• REINFORCE your new, healthier eating habits.

1. Stop making excuses - every reason you have not to eat healthy or exercise is an excuse. 

You’ve heard the excuses (or maybe you’ve used them). They may have sounded a little like this: “Well I would eat healthy foods, but I don’t have time,” or “I’ve tried to exercise, but I’m always too tired after work.” While these may be entirely true statements in your body’s present state, that doesn’t mean the future you can’t do these things. Exercising and eating has a snowball effect, in that the more you make healthy choices, the easier the next choice will be. Bottom line: it starts with one right, healthy choice to get the ball moving. Don’t let your next choice be an excuse, or you may never realize your body’s full potential.

1. Quit drinking alcohol - alcohol causes depression and when you're depressed you overeat. 

Another classic case of the snowball effect (see #2 above), but well, in reverse (for our purposes). The more you make unhealthy choices, the easier and easier it becomes to make being unhealthy a lifestyle. This includes drinking alcohol. The scary thing about the snowball effect in these terms is it’s much easier to remain unhealthy than it is to become healthy. So the more you drink, the farther you push yourself away from a more healthier you! Now I’m not implying that deprive yourself from the occasional wine, beer or cider (make sure it’s organic), but what I am saying is a majority of your health choices should be to eat good, healthy, delicious food.

1. Quit eating as much processed food as you possibly can.

Do you know what a Carageenan (kar-ə-gē-nən) is? In short, it is made from seaweed, and when we ingest it, our stomach turns it into an inflammatory toxin. Can someone say gross! Check your labels, and stay as clean as possible when it comes to what you intake. Your life may depend on it!
 
Need some help with your health journey? WON has a complete store stocked full of nutritious food and a knowledgeable staff that is happy to help! Check us out on the web, or visit us at our convenient downtown Nampa location.

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After!