If I had to sum up the average person's lifestyle in today's society in one word it would be: convenience. Everything we do from the moment we wake up till we go to bed revolves around finding the best solution in the shortest amount of time. Microwave breakfasts, drive throughs, to name a few. I will admit I fall victim to some of these myself, but for the most part it's not hard to look past all the bullpoop and realize that convenience really does come with a price. Living in a society of instant gratification, it's not surprising to see this effect. We want things done now and we'll pay the price later. Feeling good for just a moment is the reason we throw logic and rational thinking out the window, unfortunately a little too often.
Choosing the option that requires the least amount of effort seems to be the norm nowadays. Food can now be bought ready cooked and only requiring heating, but if you're even too lazy to do that then with a simple phone call you can have food delivered to your doorstep. All that's left is for the food to be fed to you. Gym 'routines' are now designed to be completed in a certain amount of time with the minimal amount of effort required, hard work is a thing of the past.
I'm more concerned with the diet aspect of this since it interests me more, although I'm a firm believer that when you go to the gym you should know exactly what you're doing and why you're doing it.
When did people start to think that putting their breakfast in the microwave and heating it for a few minutes does anything even remotely good for their health? All it takes is waking up say half an hour earlier to have the time to prepare something half-decent. Even instant oats which take less than 2 minutes to make are a million times healthier than say any generic brand of cereal. I make mine on the stove but I cook my eggs while they're cooking so it really isn't taking me any extra time. It's easy to wake up and pick up something on the way to work but it's not easy to take back the years of damage that millions of chemicals and toxins are doing to your body every day. Waking up early also gives you more time to prepare lunch for the day but sometimes if you're really pressed for time then it helps when making dinner the night before to make extra, and just take it with you the next day.
I believe people need to make more long-term changes to their everyday habits and behaviours. I have no doubt in my mind that there are no shortcuts. Convenience really does have a pricetag, and as humans, being the creatures of habit that we are, it's hard to change once we find something we're used to. It takes a lot to change something once it becomes ingrained in who you are; I myself still revert to my old habits sometimes and neglect certain aspects of my health. The important point though is that I've managed to change some core behaviours.
Start small, cut out some things from your diet that don't need to be there. Instead choose the option that requires more work on your behalf. That's really what it takes, because unfortunately the better option is usually the one that needs more effort. Try waking up a little earlier and making your breakfast for a few days. Cook extra the night before, put it in a tupperware and take it with you the next day. It will save you money on food and will be better for you.
