BLOG: Mindful choices are the key to thriving

BLOG: Mindful choices are the key to thriving

I’ll be honest – health was not always a priority in my life.

During my 20s, I was pretty sure I was invincible, and I lived that way. In my 30s, reality really started to creep into my consciousness, and now that I am in my 40s, I’ve realized just how important nutrition and fitness are. Quite honestly, it started with getting my first “real” physical, and my doctor asking about my diet and weight. That will just about open your eyes to the need for a shift.

That being said, I still want to enjoy life. For instance, I love pizza and chocolate chip cookies. So, now it’s about being aware of what I’m eating and mindful for most of my meals. When I’m going to have pizza  (it’s good pizza), and I’m gonna enjoy it. But, I balance it with responsible meals during the week, especially at lunch time.

One of the toughest challenges with eating better is having it be satisfying, taste good and be a place you can go to everyday if you have to, even when you are busy. There’s no way I will eat responsibly if eating becomes a chore or if it’s too hard to find a decent option, and that’s the dilemma I’ve always faced. I’ve always wanted to eat better, and often did, but when I was eating out, it was tough to find a fast place to get a good-tasting meal.

Protein Bar was one of the few places I ate a “healthy” meal and actually enjoyed it. Ultimately, that is what drew me to the brand and its positioning.

For many years, it seemed as if eating out meant bigger portions, more fat, more sodium and more sugar. Protein Bar’s mission is the opposite. We want you to enjoy your meal, but have it fit with your lifestyle goals. The other facet of Protein Bar that I love is that we aren’t going to tell you what you should eat. Vegan? Calorie-conscious? Whatever your choice is, we will work with you.

We offer a series of fantastic options, but what’s even better is that they are easily customizable. We don’t make the food until you order it – so it can be built exactly the way you prefer. Want extra beef? Prefer tofu instead of chicken? Don’t like carrots? No problem. Build it the way that fits your lifestyle.

Here’s a healthy and filling recipe from my kitchen:

FieryFallChili

To learn more about men’s health, visit ManUpAtAdvocate.com. On the site, men can make same-day appointments, find helpful tips and screening information and also find a doctor.

Samir Wagle is a guest blogger for health enews as part of Advocate’s Man Up! for Men’s Health campaign. 

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Comments

4 Comments

  1. Ingrid Masterton November 20, 2015 at 3:36 pm · Reply

    This Advocate email newsletter is often informative, it comes from a healthcare system that should have many professionals available to critique whatever is published in it. So I was highly disappointed in an article that is clearly an advertisement rather than useful, evidence based information or even an authentic personal story given its clear conflict of interest. While high protein diets have some value for some people – which the name ‘Protein Bar’ suggests – it may not be useful or even healthy for many people. There are no qualifying statements, nor links to more refereed information in the article that would assist a consumer in better determining the validity of the information.
    This all suggests to me that there is a conflict of interest on Advocate’s part as well. I will surely be reading any of this with a much larger grain of salt than I had been, if I continue to associate myself with Advocate at all in the future.

    • Samir Wagle
      health enews editor November 24, 2015 at 10:17 am · Reply

      Hi Ingrid,
      Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback. As part of our Man Up! for Men’s Health campaign, we are featuring local Chicagoland men to talk about their health as guest bloggers (unpaid). We understand this is a bit different style than normal and we will take this into account as we look at future bloggers and we will keep your comments in mind. We want to ensure we are holding up our promise to deliver useful health news to our readers. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts!
      health enews editor

  2. Was Advocate compensated for this commercial masquerading as “Healthe News”? Nowhere is it indicated that this is advertising as opposed to editorial but when you read the author’s bio blurb it becomes pretty clear which it is…

    • Samir Wagle
      health enews editor November 24, 2015 at 10:18 am · Reply

      Hi Mike,
      Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback. As part of our Man Up! for Men’s Health campaign, we are featuring local Chicagoland men to talk about their health as guest bloggers (unpaid). We understand this is a bit different style than normal and we will take this into account as we look at future bloggers and we will keep your comments in mind. We want to ensure we are holding up our promise to deliver useful health news to our readers. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts!
      health enews editor

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About the Author

Samir Wagle
Samir Wagle

California native Samir Wagle jumped around the world, working as far away as India before landing at Chicago-based Protein Bar, at which he now utilizes skills from general manager training to chief operating officer experience as president and CEO. Samir is a guest blogger for health enews, sharing his experiences with working at the Protein Bar. Opinions are his own.