Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be a challenging journey, and if you are like me, you may wonder if your methods are similar to anyone else’s. I am usually curious as to how the average, every day woman achieves her success. Everyone’s bodies are different and various methods work for some and possibly not for others. So, I interviewed a myriad of women on their methods of success to see what has been working for them and how they achieve their goals of a healthy lifestyle.
When I asked the women what their tried and true methods were for controlling their weight, the results were varied. This was to be expected because each body is different in its own unique way. Generally, the women found it helpful to maintain a schedule for meals and exercise. If you have a set schedule of how many meals you can eat per day and how many times you exercise it is easier to keep yourself accountable for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
When it comes to meal schedules, the majority of the women do not skip meals on a regular basis and usually eat until they are full, but not stuffed. One of the women reported that eating until she almost feels full works for her, because if she eats until she is full, she does not feel well afterwards. We all know the ease of frequenting fast food and traditional restaurants compared to the time consuming process of cooking meals every day and night. I asked these women how often they eat at restaurants or use pre- packaged products when preparing their meals. The results varied from less than once to everyday. Whether it’s a full blown meal, or just a quick salad, having the knowledge of the nutritional content of foods is important if you do choose to buy prepared foods. Some of the women had set strict rules specifying what they allow in their daily diet, and most mentioned elimination of deep fried, processed and fast foods. The frequency of consuming sweets like candy, soda, cookies and ice cream is an important factor in maintaining weight, but it is also where many women struggle because treats bring people so much pleasure! It was satisfying to uncover that nearly all of the women interviewed allowed some sort of treat in their diet at least once a week. Many consider sweets a reward for making healthy decisions and they find that it is important to ensure that the portion size stays relatively small to ensure that all hard work doesn’t go to waste.
When I asked the women what one skill they possessed that they felt kept their weight balanced the answer was almost unanimous—having the will power and self restraint to moderate the portion size of their meals. Practicing self control and moderation is a huge obstacle to tackle, but the end result is very rewarding. Also, every woman reported that she did not keep food records to log her intake. These women do not feel it is necessary to write down all of the details of their diet. They let their bodies be the journal because in the end, it will show the true results.
It was interesting to uncover how dietary habits shift as we age and what special thoughts keep these women on track. It was a general consensus that every woman has felt the need to shift their diet regimen as they got a little older. It was agreed upon that it is increasingly difficult to lose weight, yet easier to gain, which can seem quite intimidating, but compensating with more exercise and watching portion sizes seems to keep a healthy balance with these women.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be made easier by always having a form of encouragement on your mind everyday such as knowing that you can allow yourself to eat whatever you want, as long as it is in moderation. Also, it was found helpful to just listen to your body, because it will usually let you know if something is or is not working for you. It is hard work to maintain a healthy, balanced weight, but combining the correct dietary practices suitable for your body with proper exercise will set you on the path to lifelong health.
Every woman’s body is different and there isn’t a set standard for a healthy lifestyle that works for everyone. “Listening in” on other women’s tried and true methods can be very helpful and encouraging for your own journey. Remember, it is never too late to eat right!
