Every Body Is Different

"Eat more soy."

"Stop eating soy."

Oy, it's so confusing!

When I titled this blog post "Every Body Is Different," I was fully aware that the spelling of everybody is, well... everybody. My intention, however, was to point out that each person's body is different. Which means the diet and exercise habits I practice may be healthy for my body, but not for yours.

Since losing 35 pounds on the Medifast Take Shape for Life program, I have been on a fun and fascinating journey to discover which foods and activities my body reacts to the best. My litmus tests are 1) how my body feels after I eat the food or do the exercise, 2) whether I can maintain my weight loss and 3) my lab test results.

We're living in an age when the term "healthy eating" means something different to everyone. My doctor, for instance, recommends eating a low-fat diet; but I feel healther when I eat a higher fat diet, which includes rib eyes, almond butter and avocados. I sometimes have to spend ten minutes in the yogurt section to find one that is not 2% or non-fat.

Admit it -- you spend way too much time
looking at yogurt labels, too.

Instead of fat, I avoid sugar because it makes me feel bad, a factoid of which I have secretly suspected for years. When I eat a food that contains too much sugar, especially when it's not accompanied by protein and/or fiber, I start feeling edgy, sluggish and melancholy. That's a high price to pay for a Milky Way bar.

As for exercise, running has never been my thing. It feels awkward for me to run and I don't like the strain it puts on my knees and hips. Now that I'm in my 50s, I'm kind of glad I didn't succumb to the social pressure of running 10Ks and marathons since many of my cohorts are now spending time on the operating table getting artificial joints. It could be running did not feel right to them either, but they did it anyway because it was considered "healthy." I prefer walking, bicycling and dancing, along with weight resistant and balance exercises -- all of which help increase my metabolism and reduce my stress levels.

Per Betty's formula, I might need 10!

When it comes to feeling really healthy, my number one requirement is getting sufficient sleep. This is a non-negotiable for me. I felt sleepy the whole time I was in high school. When I got to college, I never signed up for a class that started before ten. Since then, I have arranged my life in such a way that I do not have to wake up to an alarm clock. My current job starts at 1 p.m.; so I can sleep in as late as I want. No amount of clean eating or exercising can me feel healthy when I don't get enough Zzzzzs.

The point is to experiment with others' suggestions, and then listen to your body for answers. By tuning in to how certain foods, exercise routines, and other habits like hot baths or massages make you feel, you can decide what is healthy for you.


You can purchase Medifast replacement meals directly from Medifast Centers, the Medifast website or -- for soon to be lower cost -- through the co-branded website of a Medifast TSFL health coach. Medifast does not recommend purchasing its products from third party vendors, but if you choose to do so, you can find them on both Amazon and eBay.

Medifast Custom Order - You Choose ANY 10 Boxes



More from Diet Skeptic:

Fruck You! Fructose

Can You Drink Alcohol on Medifast

Medifast Centers Vs. Take Shape for Life

Planned Exceptions: What Is Your Pie Policy?

Wabi Sabi Dieting & Renee Zelwegger's New Face
Follow Nancy's board Low Carb Recipes on Pinterest.