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HEALTH Good-Bye French Fries! Healthy Diet = Healthy Voice And Healthy Attitude  By Terry DanielVoice Actor and Coach Around the coming of the New Year, millions of people around the world make the decision to get in shape and get healthier. When that day came for me, I was still fairly active throughout the week playing basketball. However, my big weakness was breaded foods - especially the greatest invention that I could not say good-bye to – FRENCH FRIES! FEELING TIRED? Here's the problem: consuming foods that are high in carbohydrates - such as white bread, white potatoes, noodles, etc. - will cause you to feel tired throughout the day. Why is this? These foods have very high levels of sugar, which cause your blood sugar to rapidly rise and require more and more of your energy to become absorbed. Therefore, before you know it, you’re crashing soon after you ate because of all of the work that your body had to do just to process all of that sugar. MY ENERGY WAS DRAINED You may be experiencing this day after day and not have any idea why it is happening. Until I changed my diet, I was just like that. My body was being negatively affected in two different ways.
I decided I needed to make some changes. And I can now hear and feel the changes in my voice throughout the day. My voice is now much stronger and lasts much longer because my energy levels are higher than they have been in years! Let me break down my basic day for you and explain the changes I have made. HOW I DID IT I have always preached to my voice over students that they should stay away from cream in their coffee, but I was still at times putting it in mine. So now, in the morning, I normally stick to a cup of black coffee mixed with a lot of bottled water at room temperature. Studies have proven that drinking lots of water works wonders for your voice. In the afternoon, I get an extra boost by adding a little bit of honey to a cup of green tea, which makes a great afternoon beverage. CUT THE BREAD I used to eat a sandwich every day for lunch. But now I cut out bread, potatoes and pasta from my meal choices. Instead, I eat a lot of soups, vegetables, fruit and meat/cheese. And to get a little exercise in throughout the week, Tracy and I started running together. It’s been great in so many different ways - great for our bodies, attitudes, energy levels, and has even benefited our relationship in general. LOSING WEIGHT, TOO Until I jumped on the scale, I had no idea how much weight I had lost just by making these small changes in my exercise routine and diet. Within one month, I lost 15 pounds! Now, that was a nice surprise. I didn’t have to join any weight loss program or follow a hardcore diet to see a drastic change in the way I feel and look. So keep that in mind when you are thinking about resolutions. It doesn’t take much to see a change; you just need to be consistent! If I can do it, so can you! Please excuse me now as I go to Taco Bell to celebrate my accomplishment. Juuuust kidding! ABOUT TERRY ...
Terry Daniel has been in voice overs for more than 20 years,
today specializing in technical and medical narration. He volunteers his
services for ASPCA - the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and is managing partner and creative director for the Voice Over Club, a voice over training organization.
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Congratulations on the weight loss! 15 pounds in one month! That's no small potatoes! ;-)
Cheers to you, Terry!
—Mara
I have lost almost 70 lbs in the last several years...mainly by cutting down/out on the "whites" (bread, rice, potato, etc.) and avoiding heavily processed stuff, too (have not been in a fast food restaurant since 2005).
As the saying goes (and Food in this case means REAL food, not the highly processed garbage that so many people eat).......
Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.
ROCK ON!!!
I'm so glad to see an article written on proper eating and how important it is. I ate a lot of junk food all my life and it finally caught up to me 8 months ago with high cholesterol and a heart attack at 60. Fortunately I survived and three titanium stints later I'm doing great. It did take a conscious effort on my part, however, to take charge of the way I eat. I gave up all fast food for starters, along with soda, chips, goodies, etc. I now eat lots of fruit, vegetables, chicken and turkey. I also work out at the gym four days a week. I've lost 15 pounds and am in better shape than I've ever been. My voice over career and life lives on !
Word to the wise :)
Bob Jordan
www.voices.com/people/bobjordan
Processed food of any kinds is really hard for our bodies to digest and the harder you make your liver work, the harder it is for your body to heal you of other ailments since everything's so focused on getting what your body can from the small amount of nutrients you actually put in.
I've seen a number of documentaries on this, but one of the better ones is this one: http://www.hungryforchange.tv . I highly recommend it.
I've also started juicing - which is getting me a lot more nutrients from vegetables than I've ever been able to get in the past. It's really energizing! And I hear you on your voice being stronger and having more stamina. I'm also noticing that I wake up much more alert in the morning. A whole host of things that make me very happy I made this change (though I realize it's not for everyone). Good luck on your journey! :)