Nutrition is everything when it comes to living a healthy and fit lifestyle. What we eat plays a major role in our performance mentally, physically and even emotionally.
When I was a meat-eater on the Standard American Diet, my stamina and energy levels were low. I had strong biceps and thought I was strong and lean. Boy, was I wrong, as going vegan made me realize how LOW my energy, strength, and stamina really were. I was eating 99.9% GMO foods.
What Are GMO Foods?
Genetically modified foods have been genetically altered by wiring in the DNA of pesticides and herbicides. These contaminated foods have been linked to leaky gut syndrome, an increase in allergies, rapid aging, potential tumor growth, disorders of the reproductive and endocrine systems and more.
By removing certain foods from your diet, reading product labels, shopping local, staying informed and making other lifestyle changes, you can keep away from harmful GMOs. Watch this video to learn more.
Eating Clean
Eating a raw pure living lifestyle has been such a significant and drastic change in my overall health and wellbeing, and has even impacted my fitness performance greatly! Being able to do 100 pushups and more, and 100 pullups like never before is a milestone for me.
Because the raw pure living lifestyle has been so impactful in my life, I only desire to share it with others so their lives can be transformed as it was for me.
We all want to be healthy and fit, but most let excuses get in the way of achieving that optimum health goal. Too often I hear people say that they aren’t fit because they “can’t go to the gym”… We’ve all heard that and maybe guilty of saying this.
Don’t let this excuse get in the way of shaping you into your most epic self. I have a saying, “the world is my gym.”
So if you want to get healthy and fit, here are my top 8 recommendations that I applied that has helped me transform my own life for the better.
1.) Get Your Mind Right.
Getting your mind right is number one, as the mind is connected to our body. Therefore, when your mind is right, then your body will be right, too. De-clutter your mind, eliminate all negative thoughts that no longer serve you and make space for good positive thoughts. I believe in the Law of Attraction and we attract what we think about as what we think we become.
2.) Get Your Body Right
Now that your mind is right, you can focus on getting your body right. To get your body right, you must focus on proper nutrition that’ll nourish your mind, body and soul. Food is fuel. We eat to live not the other way around. This raw pure living is not a diet; it’s a LIFESTYLE!
Here’s a bonus: when your mind and body are both right, then so will your money. Health IS wealth, not pieces of gold, silver or a bunch of money.
3.) Exercise Daily
Do exercises that you actually enjoy doing so you better commit to doing them. Move your body daily for at least 25-30 minutes each day and you will see improvements in your overall physical body and performance. Burning the calories will help you burn the fat away and keep it at bay. There’s a saying that exercise is one step forward, but a poor diet is 2 steps back! Abs are formed in the kitchen. 80% is nutrition, 20% is exercise.
4.) Stay Hydrated
Our bodies are 57-60% water so it’s crucial to stay hydrated on a daily basis. If your pee comes out yellow, it’s a sign your body is dehydrated. Your pee should come out clear, indicating your body is well hydrated.
5.) Get Enough Quality Sleep
When it comes to sleep, it’s not about the quantity of sleep you get each night; it’s about the QUALITY of sleep you get.
When I was on the Standard American Diet, I ould wake up more tired than when I fell asleep! This happens to so many people around the world. Sleep is an essential part to our body’s development and growth. When we sleep, our body’s rest and get to repair themselves naturally.
For a restful sleep, I recommend spraying a couple of EASE Magnesium Spray from Activation Products on our wrist, feet, and face. Magnesium is one of the most vital minerals known in the body, essential for proper joint and muscle functions. You could also apply a couple of drops of Lavender Essential Oil on the palm of your hands and apply on your face, neck, and wrists. This simple, yet effective trick puts me to sleep like a baby every night when I apply lavender oil on my skin, without fail! My sleep is more profound on this lifestyle.
6.) Fresh Air
I understand that we are living in a world where we are surrounded by toxins and pollutants from all angles on a daily basis. Our air is not ‘fresh’ like we would like to believe (and have been led to believe), however, the space and area where you spend the most time at (like your home) are where you should keep a clean environment. Air purifiers help to purify the air in your home and bedroom.
Go for a brisk walk out in nature. Let the endorphins flow in your mind. Have fun. Be wild, Live freely. Be happy. Be healthy.
7.) Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting has gained quite a popularity, especially by bodybuilders and health conscious individuals. Fasting has been around for centuries, used to reverse from many health ailments and take a break from consuming foods to dig deeper spiritually in oneself. Fasting is one of the best and most optimum ways one can take control of their health. And intermittent fasting offers many great benefits for one’s optimum health and well-being.
Intermittent fasting means eating your calories during a specific window of the of time during the day, while choosing when not to eat food during the rest of the day. An example of this would be, eating your breakfast (the word ‘breakfast’ literally means to break your fast) at 12pm and you stop eating at 6pm. You don’t eat the next day till 12 noon and stop eating at 6pm. That’s 18 hours of not eating! That’s pretty good and great for weight loss. It’s also recommended to not eat 3 hours before bed for an excellent night’s sleep.
8.) Drink 32 Ounces of Water Upon Waking
This goes back to the staying hydrated tip. After sleeping all those hours, your body naturally wakes up dehydrated. What better way than to drink something refreshing like a water tonic or elixir, and avoid any beverages that will dehydrate your body like coffee.
I like to start my mornings off by drinking 32 ounces of room temperature water with freshly squeezed lemon or lime with apple cider vinegar, Diatomaceous Earth, and my super greens. I drink this before eating anything. This is a great tonic to help boost your metabolism, curb your appetite and help you lose weight.
9.) Transition To a Plant-Based, Raw Pure Living Lifestyle
Transitioning to a vegan, let alone raw foods lifestyle can be hard for most people. But trust me, I used to be the biggest meat-eater. I thought I couldn’t do without meat either until I educated myself and saw all the abuse and suffering animals go through.
Although I will forever and always recommend a raw foods lifestyle, I know that some people are not ready to go cold-turkey and fully commit. That’s fine. Transition and go at your own pace. If you’re not ready to ditch meat, then start by at least making some changes that lead to big results. An example of that would be, swapping coffee (if you drink it) in the morning for a smoothie or a cold-pressed juice. Or choosing to eat steamed veggies over fried. Start incorporating smoothies or juices daily in your lifestyle. This will help boost your energy levels and optimize your health.
Now for the serious ones looking for an optimum way of living, try the Raw Pure Living Lifestyle.
1.) Eliminate all processed, refined and junk foods from your diet. This includes meat, dairy, fish, and even whole grains like wheat that cause bloating and inflamed gut, along with anything that was derived from an animal. Avoid products tested on animals and that have added fillers and harsh chemicals in them.
2.) Stock Up your home with abundance! Buy as much fresh, organic produce as you can to help get you started on the right healthy path. When you stock up your home with the good stuff and get rid of any foods that are unhealthy, you will opt for the healthier food options.
Top staples I recommend are bananas, apples, dates, oranges, tomatoes, avocados, zucchini, berries, bell peppers, and superfoods like buckwheat flour, chia seeds, flax seed meal, and hemp seeds. I obviously recommend more, but these are just the basics and are good to get you started. And if you decide to eat cooked vegan foods, healthy and good starches like sweet potatoes, organic red (or brown) potatoes, organic quinoa, organic beans (not canned), and organic vegetables.
3.) Incorporate fresh, raw living foods in your diet! Start your day off with a smoothie or a cold-pressed vegetable juice. This will energize your body and nourish your entire body from the inside out! For lunch, eat a nice big salad filled with vegetables, fruits like zucchini, tomatoes, avocado, bell peppers, alfalfa sprouts.. whatever you like, all organic, of course. And for dinner, eat a big bowl of banana ice cream or a bowl of fruits. Follow my blog and RawVeganLivingBlog.com for recipe inspirations.
If you enjoyed these tips, stay tuned for more coming soon on my blog. If you have any questions, please post them in the comments below.
Peace and love,
Jeremiah Bonet, The Raw Vegan Preneur