Healthy Girl Talk

I love to get the perspective of other Lady Bosses in health and wellness – especially those who’ve had similar journeys to mine. That said, I recently sat down with Helen Sanders, editor of Health Ambition, to get some sage advice about health, food, nutrition, and wellness.

Here’s what she shared…

What is the single most important thing people can do to get healthy?

I think the most important thing is to keep your goals grounded. It’s easy to look at fad diets and celebrity endorsements and think “Yes. That’s the one for me!”. Now I’m not saying these diets don’t work, however, there are multiple factors that influence your success with these that a lot of people don’t talk about. Celebs, for example, have highly paid personal trainers and nutritionists working behind the scenes to cherry pick every aspect of their clients’ life. It’s safe to say that most people in the real world just can’t afford these luxuries. We should set ourselves small, realistic, and achievable goals. These may not give you overnight results, however, easing yourself into things will make things far easier in the long run. Even if it’s just saying “Okay I’ll cut down from 3 cups of coffee to 1 a day,” these small victories yield big results over the course of a year.

Why do you think it is so hard for people to get and stay healthy?

There is a lot of misinformation out there right now. Low-fat options are often far from healthy and sugar-free drinks can be full of fattening chemicals. The internet has made a huge amount of information about diet and nutrition available to everyone, however, much of it is so conflicting or confusing that most people don’t know the good from the bad. It was always my aim when starting Health Ambition to make this information easily digestible. It’s easy to write a piece on the best vitamins to take, for example, but it’s also important to outline why, when, and who should take them.

What are the top three must eat foods?

Kale – This one gets a lot of bad press lately for being too “hipster,” but the fact is it’s an absolute powerhouse. Scientifically, the facts are there and you can’t deny that. It’s a real shame that this green gets a lot of flack in popular culture. Many people argue that it doesn’t taste good. This usually means you aren’t preparing it right! Any food tastes bad if not prepared properly!

Beets – A personal favorite of mine. They’re an incredibly versatile vegetable – a personal favorite of mine is the beet cake. Many people are quick to turn their nose up to this delicious dessert, however, it is no different, if not better than, the family favorite carrot cake. And that’s not even mentioning its many nutritional benefits. It’s a very powerful antioxidant, and for me, a shopping list essential.

Coconut oil – I could go on and on about this magic oil. It has so many uses and makes a fantastic alternative to many of the unhealthier oils and butter options available. In this line of work, I’m often reaching out to other experts and professionals and they are always suggesting new ways use it. Not to mention there are studies that show it may even aid in weight loss.

Why did you get into health and wellness?

It all started when I was on my own journey to get into shape and feel better about myself. I did lots of research on how to take action and found myself going round and round in circles.  It eventually struck me that in the vastness of the world wide web there was still very few people out there offering simple to follow, impartial, honest advice. This is when I knew I could make a difference. The site started out as a hobby, talking about all the different things I discovered on my journey, but over time as my kids started to get older and I could devote more time to it, I slowly turned my hobby into a business.

What is your favorite cheat meal?

I’m a real sucker for cheese so it would have to be something cheesy! Mac and Cheese would have to be the obvious choice here. I was never a huge fan, having grown up eating ready made packets of the stuff. It was only when my husband introduced me to the fresh home cooked version that I fell in love.

For more great content from Helen visit her at www.healthambition.com.