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Lie on the grass and eat a chocolate ice cream mixed with cream. It is the first thing a two-year-old child — the son of whom this text is writing — wants to do when the quarantine is over. One comments it with the president of the patronage of the Spanish Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Giuseppe Russolillo, not without a certain blush. "You will see the snort ..." mumbles guilt. But the expert's response is totally unexpected: "Of course, what a good idea. And not only when we get over the coronavirus. It is something that must be done from time to time. Obviously, a chocolate ice cream should not be a food usual in our diet, but we must not forget that food is not only a set of nutrients, fats and sugars, but has an emotional value. We cry, sing and laugh with it. There are dishes that are part of our well-being, say what the Taliban says about nutrition. "
The little things, that cliché so hackneyed that now, however, it is claimed more than ever in the form of a video phone call or collective song by the balcony, also arouse the admiration of the experts who devise the pillars of well-being. Tired of being tired, we have realized that the objectives set must be achievable, and that it is of little use to consider being the strongest, the healthiest, the most productive and the most vital, if exhaustion weighs down each of our decisions. The latest turn of events has rescued an old, but effective, strategy: betting on slight modifications in our lifestyle that bring considerable benefit. It is microwellness , one of the wellness trends of the year according to various market studies, such as that of the Huawei company. "The society in which we live seems to have been giving priority to great things and great objectives to achieve well-being. We have turned day by day into a race against time to obtain happiness at all costs. And in an attempt not to suffer, we suffer. Because that desire, that ambition, leads us to forget the day to day. We stop focusing on the present to always be aware of the future, so that we lose sight of what is important, "reflects the psychologist Manuel Oliva, from Center Psicología Clinica, in Madrid. In the new issue of BuenaVida, free downloadable in pdf, we have a few adjustments of body, mind and environment for the here and now. We start with what you see ...
Body: keep eating almost the same and get off a stop earlier
Can a small change strategy help curb the obesity epidemic? It is the title of a 2008 article, published in The American Journal of Nutrition , which started from the following premise: since we are unable to reverse the global figures for overweight, perhaps "we should focus on small changes in diet and exercise , and not so much in the loss of kilos in itself ". And these are the reasons why the researchers valued their thesis: 1. Small changes are easier to maintain over time than large ones. 2. Since most people gain weight over the years from slight upward misalignments (eating more and spending less), doing it the other way around should reflect on a reconciliation with the scale. 3. Achieving small goals encourages people to consider bigger ones. 4. The obesogenic environment did not arise overnight nor can it be removed with the stroke of a pen, so the individual's micro-actions are a way to hammer him. 5. This approach establishes a base on which all social actors could operate: it is not that food companies suddenly become healthy, but rather that they are implementing positive changes in some of their products.
Change the bread from the toast and add a tangerine to your diet. Once the theoretical framework has been defined, we ask Russolillo, who is in office as president of the World Conference of Dietitians-Nutritionists, to break down some of those small dietary adjustments that bring more benefits, in addition to the occasional craving: "Substitute the white bread that is eat throughout the day for one whole and elevate what you can our daily consumption of fruits and vegetables [the recommendation is three of the first and two of the second: but start adding one of each to your usual intake] ". Only with that, he explains, "the consumption of plant phytochemicals is greatly increased, with wonderful effects on health, such as preventing cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and, above all, cancer." His third and fourth micro-proposals are: drink a lot of water (the one the body asks for, without scratching) and eliminate the salt from the table (look for your allies in spices such as turmeric, cumin or coriander). Simple, right? "It depends on your commitment, you will be raising your goals, but always with the help of an expert," ditch. And he warns that admitting that the minuscule counts, should not be an excuse to believe the fantasy shortcuts that promise a new body. If it sounds ridiculous, it usually is: eating garlic at all hours, eating lemon juice for breakfast, licking a grapefruit four times a week ... "They are nonsense," he says.
Come on, but each time a little faster. It is known that it is more effective to tell someone who is sedentary to get off a stop before the bus than to walk the entire route. "When someone starts exercising it is very common to do it in a disproportionate way, because they are looking for quick results. But changing lifestyle, certainly, must be a process for it to end up having an effect," says Juan del Coso, professor. and researcher at the Rey Juan Carlos University (Madrid), in the area of Physical and Sports Education. That is: if you have never stepped in a gym and start going five times a week, "it is likely that you will stop exercising soon after due to fatigue or an injury that prevents you from continuing." Once or twice a week would suffice, the expert appreciates. At the moment ...
Walking more is a good way to challenge yourself. And debut with running , nonsense. "A sedentary person should schedule walks, which they would later combine with very short runs, lasting less than a minute, in order to consider a jogging session in a few months. Because any goal that is not achieved ends up demotivating", says Del Coso, very in favor of the turtle step in this of the fit, as long as you do not fall in the accommodation. To get improvements, you have to get out of the comfort zone, remember.
Riding at a considerable speed, we assure you that you will get it out. According to the British Journal of Sports Medicine , theirs is to walk between 5 and 7 km / hour, for at least 20 minutes. And watching the technique: it is advisable, for example, to swing the arms so that there are more muscle groups involved in the movement. As for the number of steps, there are discordant voices: recent studies warn of the absence of scientific support in the popular recommendation of 10,000. Juan del Coso advises: "The key is to move, and whoever entertains you, count them ...".
And download an app . The researcher reviews the motivating nature of most of them, although, for newbies, he would rule out wearables (if their level is intermediate, eye to the exploded page 47), "for starting with something that does not require a large financial investment." There are very good softwares , "like TrainingPeaks", he advises, "that works on a wide variety of gadgets ". And one last small adjustment: whatever you do, do it in company. It has been shown that the social component of sport is one of the factors that encourages its adherence. Hello, group classes.
Continue reading this report in the April issue of BuenaVida, downloadable for free at this link. You will discover other adjustments that we can make in our mind and environment, and more stories about good living.
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