Tosca Reno says the most first and most important step in taking back control of your life is to eat right.
And she should know. At 204 pounds 13 years ago with heart problems and pre-diabetes, Reno said she made a decision to take her life back. Now a best-selling author at 53, the fitness expert was in Thunder Bay to help others take a step in the right direction.
“I wanted to stop that in its path and live a different way,” she said Saturday as more than 500 people packed into the Victoria Inn. “Eating clean saved me, working out saved me.”
Good or bad, Reno believes it only takes 10 times for something to become a habit. Many people think working out is the best way to get into shape, but that and genetics only account for 20 per cent of it. The biggest 80 per cent is eating clean.
“That’s natural, whole, unprocessed properly prepared foods that are minimally processed. That’s the biggest piece of it right there even if you weren’t working out,” she said.
As for the working out part, Reno said moving a little doesn’t hurt.
“Movement isn’t punishment. Movement is fun and it feels great.”
Someone saying they don’t have the time to eat right or that it costs too much is a copout plain and simple Reno said. People can create a better version of themselves and it starts with them . She said people need to consider the cost to their health and the healthcare system if they continue to not eat right.
“It’s really our responsibility to be our first line of defense for health and wellness,” she said. “It’s not up to others to take care of us it’s up to ourselves.”
Others think they may be too old to start new habits. But Reno said she’s proof that it’s never too late. It’s all a matter of finding the right motivation. Maybe a person is sick and tired of being sick and tired. Maybe they want to stop going through the drive-through on the way home from work. No matter what it is, motivation is the key.
“When you find that reason that motivates you then it’s just a matter of starting the good habits,” she said.
Preparing the meals shouldn’t be a chore either. Reno said the recipes she’s created are meant to be fast and easy.
“I don’t want to spend hours in my kitchen,” the self-proclaimed non-chef said. ““I can hardly use a knife but I do it.”
