Something Different : How I stay in shape despite being a food blogger

 

"How are you able to stay in shape?"

I get then this question a lot. Like seriously, to some extent at least once a month. So to add more variety to the blog and also to answer this question, I thought I can use this opportunity to write about this. And I actually do find it fun to show what goes behind the scenes once in a while. So how exactly I do stay in shape? Well there is no one simple answer but rather a combination of a few things. Let start with the first one. 

One of my favourite indulgences

1. I actually don't eat the stuff I write on a consistent basis. 

You heard that right. More often than not, the food that I eat for write ups are weekly treats or special occasions. And the time I go food hunting are quite intentional. Of course, there will be certain times when I stumble upon a hole in a wall, I am out on vacation, or I was invited for lunch with some friends. Those moments are exception to the general rule though. As for my daily meals, I usually eat the same stuff from the usual 3 to 5 diners around my office or I cook. And when it is for my daily eats, I usually refrain having something deep fried if I can help it. If I am cooking for myself, I will usually have boiled or grilled chicken and veggies. That is it. It may be ultra boring, but it does cover all my macros and I feel pretty good after that. And having such a template help save me time in terms of planning and cleaning. Can I cook something tastier, of course I can! But when it comes to daily meals it's more on survival and fuel instead of enjoyment. Which leads to the next part. 

My weekly dose of pizza! Well, not weekly but it happens pretty often. 

2. I plan my enjoyment meals. 

This is an extension from the above. Some people may call them cheat meals. But I do think of it a bit differently as I don't think eating something full of oil or sugar is cheating. Rather it's more like a modulation for your personal well being. And when that happens, it's more like a treat, or as mentioned, a form of enjoyment. Having a healthy relationship with food is essential in well.... being healthy. A good food routine (I try to avoid the word diet for many reasons) will help. Think about what you like to eat that is healthy and try to do it often. And for the ones that you think are a bit more calorific like fried chicken or ice cream, create a "calorie quota" and having some form of internal modulation. Speaking of modulation, let's go on with the next one. 

My usual. So usual in fact I have this almost everyday

3. I know my optimum nutrition requirements and weigh my food.

This is not possible when you are out and about. However, I do this pretty religiously for my meals that I cook. For example, I weigh 250 gm of chicken which is 68 gm protein for every chicken meal that I make. For breakfasts, I have 3 eggs with 150 gm yogurt and 30 gm granola with 100 gm of mixed berries. This will lead to approx 28-31 gm protein depending of on the quality of the yogurt and granola. After a while you would be more or less able to guesstimate (man I hate that word) the nutrition value of the food you eat outside. I do place an emphasis on protein as I am pretty active, and working out a lot is actually one of my main tools in eating whatever I want, which leads me to my next point. 

My morning therapy

4. Have a workout routine. 

 I go to the gym almost 6 times a week and I walk at least 10k steps a day. For some people this sounds insane and for others it may not be enough. Do what is best for you. As for me, I live 5 minutes away from the gym and as such its ultra convenient. Also, I have been working out since I was 24 so having this routine is optimum for my fitness goals and I can be consistent without much fuss. Plus the more I burn the more I can eat right! But having a workout routine and eating routine, are not the only things to consider in terms of lifestyle. Rather your mindset in terms of lifestyle in general has to be viewed with a mindful point of view. Which leads to my final point. 

The view outside my house during my usual evening stroll

5. Find other things that you enjoy instead of eating. 

More often that not, many people eat to distract themselves, or they are bored, or some form of coping mechanism. This is a fair approach and I do like having a proper milkshake once in a while. We all need to reward ourselves sometimes. However, when we have an unhealthy mechanism in terms of coping with our mental state, this can be quite destructive in the long run. So finding certain outlets to make life more enjoyable in general is quite important. Like going to watch a movie (maybe without popcorn?), picking up painting, reading, or anything else honestly. I actually like walking to let my brain relax and contemplate. Not only does it stimulate my thinking, I usually walk pretty far from my house which means more steps! Having something that helps you get centered and make life more colourful without food can be quite the hack. Personally, I like to watch TV dramas or read. I actually enjoy working out too so that is a double bonus. Find what is best for you and see if it works. You would be surprised with the results. 

I do think I have more habits that I do that help me stay in shape, but these 5 are the main ones that come to mind. I hope the above provide you with some insights and ideas on how you can take charge of your health. Well, I did not intend to make this to a fitness blog, but since keeping in shape is so deeply linked to the subject, it would be inevitable that I would have to write something like this. Don't worry, we will definitely be going all out with delectable indulgences on the next post. Till then happy eating!