If you think about it, your body and your car are analogous in many ways. The way you treat it over time will ultimately be the difference between it holding up for 10 years vs. lasting 20-30. Now obviously the human body is built to live much longer, but you get the point. The most relevant aspect of this analogy is the fuel you give your car and the fuel you're giving your body.
Lots, if not most people assess their health by how they look in the mirror or maybe even what the scale says. Let me tell you, this should not be your form of assessment. I know plenty of people who eat garbage ever single day and still look relatively healthy and lean. The truth is, they are doing themselves a serious disservice. Even though these people can eat "whatever they want" now without any side effects like adding bodyfat, it's bound to catch up to them and it will create side effects down the line. Your diet in your youth sets you up for the rest of your life. Why do you think there is an obesity epidemic in America that's only getting worse? Fast food, pop, processed & boxed goods that your body doesn't recognize. They are packed with preservatives and chemicals so they can sit on the shelf or in the freezer for months at a time. Now think about our ancestors, they didn't eat things by package, they hunted and picked them from the wild. Our bodies evolved eating natural & whole foods. Foods that our bodies recognize and can break down for nutritional benefit. Now how does this relate to your car? Well, I don't know much about engines or cars in general, but I assume if you fill your little Honda Civic with diesel for years, something down the line is bound to go wrong.
The sad thing is, most people whose diets revolve around fake/processed foods don't really understand what it's like to feel good. They just think they do. That's because the body adapts to what it gets. If you consistently give your body these artificial foods, it will think, hey, this is normal, and tell your brain it's satisfied. In reality, these foods have virtually zero vitamins, minerals or health benefits.
One more thing I want to touch on is something I feel is very important, mainly because it was a big part of my life and I see a lot of people struggle with it, which is the answer to the question, "How much should I be eating?". The truth is, I can't answer that for you. You have to listen to your body and watch how it reacts to certain things. It takes time. Like I said earlier, looking in the mirror at your image is bad. Why? Because you're biased. We often perceive ourselves much differently than others do. Everyone is concerned with short term results; and that just doesn't happen when it comes to leading a healthy lifestyle. The scale is also a poor indicator of your results. Depending on what you ate yesterday, your weight could have gone up 3lbs. That's because if you eat sugar or carbs the day before, your body can hold 3-4g of water for each gram of carbohydrate in that food. Do the math. This can be discouraging. Body fat takes days to accumulate, it doesn't just appear instantly. Don't be fooled by the water that is being retained under your skin.
On the contrary, others may think they lost weight because they lost 2 lbs overnight. Yeah, you did lose two pounds but, reality is, that all depends on your water and sodium intake. Lots of people say, "Its because I have a slow metabolism". For some people, yes this is the case, but then they just end up eating less because they think it's going to make them gain weight. Instead, it's just going to slow your metabolic rate down even more. There are ways to speed up your metabolism. See my previous article for tips. It's important to figure out how much your body can handle. For men & women, remember that your body is an adapting machine. If your calories are too low for too long, your metabolism inevitably slows down and your daily maintenance level will be far lower than it was before. AKA, you're eating less to maintain your weight. You don't want that. If your calories are too high it obviously results in body fat. This is explained by the law of thermo-dynamics. I'm not trying to scare anybody or say you can't indulge every once in a while, but it's important to assess or at least be mindful if you care about longevity in health. If you're curious, just download an app and track your intake for a week. You'll be surprised.
Looking good in the mirror is just a side effect of a balanced diet and exercise. People often say it's 90% what you do in the kitchen and 10% what you do in the gym. I say that's true. Giving your body optimal fuel for daily function makes a huge difference. Following a healthy diet shouldn't be to impress others, or to prove that you can do it for a week, then fall off. Its about the long run and how you feel every day as well as how you want to be functioning in 50 years.
-Adam Eskierka
Shoot me a message if you have any questions-- I am happy to help.
