Grilling – Summertime, Anytime

I enjoy grilling, and I do it year round. I use a gas grill, and have not used charcoal for a long time (mostly due to clean up and ease of use – call me lazy 🙂 ). I’m not the most sophisticated cook, but even with my simpleton ways I am fairly happy with how my meals come out. Tonight’s dinner was made entirely on the grill, and from prep time to table took less than 1/2 hour.

The main dish was thick cut center cut pork chops. I find the thicker chops don’t dry out as much, and once you sear them they stay juicy. I used a little bit of Worcestershire sauce, some pepper and onion powder, topped with  2 tablespoons of sweet & sour sauce from my local Chinese restaurant. I cut up one very large sweet potato into wedges, sprayed with some olive oil, and lightly seasoned them with pepper and onion powder before grilling for 5+ minutes (no prepping – just put raw wedges onto the grill). The veggies, which were squash & zucchini, were grilled for slightly less time than the potatoes (I bought them already cut up at a farm stand which also included fresh basil, but it would take a couple of minutes to cut up your own). I also sprayed them with a little olive oil.

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In addition to pork chops the grill is great for fish, chicken, and of course steak. You can grill corn on the cob and many other veggies too. I personally choose not to eat some of the “staple” foods that end up on a grill just because I’ve taken them out of my “foods that I eat” list – for instance hamburgers, hot dogs, and sausage. Yes, there are compromises when you choose to eat healthy, and although I used to love those foods I’ve learned to live without them.

Use your imagination. The grill produces some very flavorful dishes, as the grilling alone adds an extra flavor on top of what ever seasonings and other toppings you use, more so than the oven or stove. If you don’t have access to a grill, there are pans that simulate grilling. I’ve used those with success also. A healthy grilled meal is a very satisfying one.

It’s Not All About Fitness And Nutrition

The focus on living a healthy lifestyle is generally on fitness and nutrition. But probably the most important aspect is the mind. Waking up refreshed (sleep is important), and having an overall positive attitude (regardless of the crap life slings at you) is the best medicine to staying on the healthy lifestyle path.

Having an escape/outlet from your normal daily routine is a great way to recharge. I think exercise is a great outlet, but I’m excluding that in this discussion. For some people taking a vacation is that outlet, or maybe just taking a drive. Going to the movies or a drive-in, or spending a day at the beach. Stop by your local museum or art gallery, or for some even shopping does the trick (I love shopping).

My wife and I bought a camping trailer a few years ago. We both grew up camping, and now with our children out of the house we wanted camping to be our escape. It takes us to new locations where we can explore. We can relax around a campfire. We sit in the trailer at night and talk or watch TV or play a game. As much as we like to travel and stay in hotels, nothing beats our camper because it’s ours and it feels like home.

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If you don’t have an escape/outlet, and feel “trapped” in that thing they call a rut, go out and find something you will do and enjoy on a regular basis. It will refresh you, and then you’ll be better armed to faced that upcoming dreaded work week (unless you’re retired).

Snacks – Look For Healthier Alternatives

I am always on the lookout for new snack items. I randomly browse supermarket shelves and other stores for something different. Here are just a few examples of the kinds of snacks I’ve found. Fruits and vegetables are always good for snacking, but variation is the best to keep your daily nutrition “exciting”. Eating the same foods over and over again can get boring, and there’s always the risk that boredom may push you towards something “not so good”. These healthier sort of snacks are my daily choices, and IF the occasion arises I may have a “forbidden” snack, but in all honestly very rarely.

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It does take time and determination to change eating habits. Experiment with new foods/snacks and give them a couple of tries. Food is an acquired taste, and something you may not like on the first try might strike a chord on the second pass.

My Fitness and Nutrition Journey

My personal journey officially started when I was 27 years old. The journey included many pieces of fitness equipment over the years, constantly changing how and what I ate. Changes I made after I reached the age of 50 made me the fittest I’ve ever been. For me, it was the combination of at home workout programs from Beachbody, and truly learning what clean eating meant.

Here’s a 4-minute look into my journey:

Reach Out To Someone If You’re Struggling

The choice to lead a healthy lifestyle is yours and yours alone. The news/media consistently puts out information on the risks associated with being overweight or eating very unhealthy. It’s well publicized that incorporating some form of exercise into your daily routine has numerous health benefits (obviously needing to weigh the risk of injury depending on what you choose to do).

Now that I’ve stated what to me is the obvious, I write this to those individuals who are struggling to find their path. I will omit anyone suffering from illnesses or injury, for those people must reach out to the medical profession first for advice. But for people who struggle because of those infamous “voices” in their head, or have difficulty making changes in their lives, or find motivation difficult – you may be missing an ingredient that is preventing you from pushing forward.

Reach out to someone, family, friend , or otherwise. Find a person who may be ahead of the curve and is living healthy – ask them for advice. Or maybe team up with somebody else struggling like you, and make the journey together. Sometimes you may feel that you’re on an island all alone. Not everyone can dig down deep on their own and make changes. There’s nothing to be ashamed of when reaching out. It’s about YOUR health, YOUR well being. You should be striving every day to be healthy. And someday you’ll be motivating others without even knowing it at first. Really, just find a way, and if you can’t do it solo, find somebody that can help you.