The Body is the Temple of the Mind.
Our bodies are the vehicle that drives us through our lives. Our physical vessel needs to be healthy and energetic enough to transport us to our goals. The body is a wonderful tool designed to self-regulate and heal. We will occupy our body for life, and it will pay us back in dividends, if we look after it well.

How we treat our body dictates not just our physical abilities to perform, but also our brain’s ability to function with clarity, creative thinking, and swift savvy. Your health choices can ultimately dismantle or drive your business and life success. If you feel that your body management or weight curtails your enjoyment of life, is damaging your health, or affects you negatively in business, then you can “choose” another plan of operations.

You can be your body’s “project manager” and lead yourself to healthy operations.

Weight
The majority of U.S. population is struggling with excess weight. Overweight and Obesity rates have been on an alarming rise:

• Over 1/3 of U.S. Adults are Obese (Body Mass Index >=30)
• Over 2/3 of U.S. Adults are Overweight (BMI > 25)
• Nearly 1/5 of U.S. Children are Obese!
• Over 1/3 of Adults Worldwide are Overweight or Obese

Sadly, this unhealthy weight of our population results in high rates of diabetes type 2, heart disease, high blood pressure, joint issues, and depression, just to name a few while taxing our health care system. Carrying more than a few extra pounds strain the body’s functions and diminish our thought power.

Several contributors to achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight are:
DNA
Sleep
Exercise
Nutrition
Hydration
Metabolism
Emotional Triggers

For those of you looking to curb your appetite, break some weighty habits, or thrive in healthier body management, let’s look at these seven weight factors:

DNA – Some of us are prone to have a larger body frame or carry more fat cells due to our body shape, race, and ancestry. However, keep in mind this is only a propensity and not a predetermination. “Genetics load the gun, and the environment pulls the trigger.”

You CAN manage the other 6 factors above and affect your physical destiny!

Sleep – Have you ever noticed that when you are short on sleep, you crave more carbohydrates? Often, we eat while at work to stay awake. Also, you are less likely to exercise when already unrested. Additionally, sleep shortages cause hormonal imbalances. This decreased ability to process insulin then signals your body to store fat. Research shows that those who get less than 7 hours of sleep per night don't perform as well on complex mental tasks as do people who get the optimum 7 to 9 hours per night.

Get Your SLEEP-ON to lower your propensity to store fat while also decreasing your cravings!

Activity – Most of us are aware of the importance of exercise. It reduces body fat and increases strength and well-being. Exercise is absolutely empowering. Willpower is a fleeting asset. Willpower is strongest in the morning before people, activities, and details of the day start rewiring your exercise commitment.

Choose your exercise activities. Schedule them on your calendar. Raise that heartbeat first thing in the morning and be done!

Nutrition – Are you eating enough fruits? Raw veggies? Grains? Do you say “no” to most processed foods? Do you read package labels? Do you moderate your intake? Do you make the time to put the best fuel into your body temple?

You CAN make small daily shifts to a) reduce serving sizes and b) invest in high quality fuel in lieu of processed snacks and fat inducing meals.

Hydration – Hunger is often confused with dehydration. Drink water when you get a crave as a distraction and to temporarily fill you up! Also, weight loss increases just by increasing water intake, without even changing food habits, because a well hydrated liver and blood system will mobilize the fat cells.

Water-Up with self-filtered tap or true mineralized spring water!
(Curtail the craze of plastic bottled waters that damage your body and environment!)

Metabolism – We each process food into energy and burn calories at different rates. A faster metabolism helps in weight management. Metabolisms can be slower for various reasons: aging, sedentary lifestyle, medications, larger body composition, female sex. You can hasten your metabolism by kicking up your daily activity and exercise.

You CAN take charge of your body to ramp up its activity and amp up your calorie processing.

Emotional Triggers – In the face of major life events or the hassles of daily life, we seek something to comfort or soothe us. Emotional eating, drinking, or drugging are common temporary “feel goods” when encountering negative emotions such as failure, stress, boredom, fear, anger, loneliness, or sadness. Emotional consumption disrupts your game plan for your body temple. Stress also causes hormonal mayhem that results in more fat storage. When we are conscious of our emotional triggers and emotional consumption habits, we can begin to alter the behavior with a replacement.

You CAN learn to make less damaging emotional choices in the face of adversity.

Your Takeaways until the next publication:
Take 5 minutes to assess your care for your Body Temple. Be real with yourself. Of the 6 elements you can “project-manage”, what do you feel is your current success level? Score yourself on a scale of 1 to 5 for each:

1. Sleep 7 to 9 hours per night
2. Activity Exercise 3 times per week w/ heartrate up for a minimum of 30 minutes
3. Nutrition Majority of food is nutrient-rich quality: fruits, veggies, grains and
appropriate caloric intake

4. Hydration Drink minimum of ½ to ¾ of body weight in ounces every day + more for
heat, exercise, altitude. So 150lbs = 75 to 112 ounces, or ¾ gallon
5. Metabolism Body regulates and adjusts according to food intake and exercise levels
6. Emotions Sustain a healthy regime when facing negatives, stress, or life traumas
without emotional eating or drinking.

Observe your current habits over the next couple weeks and take note. In subsequent articles, I will offer simple practices that you can work into your busy life and honor your “Body Temple”.

Breathe Deeply, Appreciate Daily
Janet Lawson, CPA and Health Coach
http://janetlawson.net
janetlawson008@gmail.com