...Or your body will!

Have you ever met anyone who has been to Europe and complained about their lifestyle? I haven't had the luxury myself of going, but have heard from tons of people how laid back and happy they are. Europeans continue to trump us in the area of health and it's baffling really.

Supposedly we have the best of everything here, yet our health continues to suffer. The spending on weight loss products is going up, up, up; and still our country gains year after year. There are so many ways that this frustrates me, but I won't even go there right now.

As the title says: Slow down, or our bodies will...Our country is all about instant gratification. I want shoes, I buy them. I want a house, I buy it(before the market crash), I want a burger, I eat it. Well, in my opinion(which you already know it's my opinion because it's my blog), we need to slow down and think do I really need another pair of shoes, can I afford my mortgage or what is this overly processed burger, with too much saturated fat to count on my fingers going to do to my body? Fast food has such a negative connotation, if you ask me. If I had my way I would wipe it out totally. Eating shouldn't be fast, neither should food!! Ask the farmers if they can prepare the harvest quickly? NOPE!!

The faster we go through life, the less we enjoy it. It truly takes a toll on our bodies, guys. If you get 6-9 hours of sleep, going to bed consistently at the same time, eat good foods, take some vitamins and exercise, I'm willing to bet you will be the healthiest you've ever been. But you're too busy, right? You don't have time to prepare good foods and you have to much to do to go to bed on time, right? Well, change! Change is all about our attitudes. Besides, we don't even know if we'll be given tomorrow.

There's only so much our bodies can and should handle, so for your own sake and the longevity and quality of your life, try to follow these tips:

*Sleep- Go to bed at a consistent time and get at least 6 hours. Pay attention to your personal time clock.

*Water- Drink water every chance you get. Somewhere between 70 to 120 oz depending on your activity level.

*Food- Keep your cupboards and cars stocked with good stuff. I live off of trail mix when I'm in the car, so I can avoid stopping somewhere. Have whole fruits on hand. Always combine a carb with fat and/or protein. Fast food doesn't have to be from a drive in. Other quick foods are: Chobani 6 oz greek yogurt with fruit, walnuts and granola, string cheese and whole fruit, peanut butter on whole wheat bread, Cottage cheese and pretzels. Just to name a few, more appealing quickies! If you're in a huge hurry, just drink a big glass of milk!

Exercise- Make time..at least 30 minutes. At least 4 times a week. Stop making excuses..do it first thing in the morning (just to get it out of the way).

Vitamins- I urge you to take a multi, b-complex(or coreplex if you're using AdvoCare ;)) and fish oil. What do you have to lose, honestly? Vitamins are catalysts and they help us use the food we eat for energy. That way we don't have that 2:30 feeling..blah!!

Quiet time- During my time in Oklahoma, I adapted to this phrase. Pray, think, journal, read. Do whatever you need to do to balance and feel calm.

I know I'm not an expert in all these areas, but I do strongly believe in slowing down. It's easy to get addicted to being busy..we're all striving to be the best. Busy isn't always the best, plus it takes a toll on our bods..that we don't want!

Blessings to you all!!