Optimize your health : small changes that make a big difference
Life is short. Living fully every day requires a healthy body to allow you to devote time to the things and people that are most important to you. If you find yourself going from one diet from another, one gym to the next or changing your lifestyle regularly - stop. Small sustainable changes that you integrate into your daily life are the key to getting and staying healthy. Stop dieting and start improving your life and your health today. Lose weight, gain energy and improve your health by following these easy strategies for a healthy lifestyle. Schedule your free consultation today to get started.
RULES FOR A HEALTHY LIFE
MOVE EVERYDAY
If you are like me and you have a very sedentary job, you find yourself checking your health app toward the end of the day and seeing that you have taken a total of 842 steps and it's 5pm. That's your cue to get out and move! Take your dogs for walk. Take your kids to the park. Go for a bike ride with some friends. If the weather will not allow for an outdoor activity, drive to a mall and do a little window shopping. If you have a gym membership - use it!
According to the US Health and Human Services statistics, less than 5% of adults participate in 30 minutes of physical activity everyday. The next time you open your Instagram, start walking and don't stop until you stop scrolling and I think you'll get at least 30 minutes in.
EAT FOOD THAT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD
Choose fresh food! Eat real food that fuels your body. Before you eat, think about what your body needs to feel good. Each day that may be different so listen to what your body is telling you. Portions and the type of food your body needs to be at its best will fluctuate as your hormones go through their typical cycles, especially for women but this effects men too.
Here's a tip : When you go grocery shopping, stay on the outside of the aisles. This is where the bakery, meat, dairy, fruit and vegetable areas are. If you have a bulk section of your grocery store, stop there too! Load up on lentils, beans and rice. It's cheap, quick and easy to prepare in your InstaPot or rice cooker and keeps well as left overs.
GET SOME VITAMIN D
Go outside and soak up the sunshine! According to the Harvard School of Public Health, Vitamin D is linked to stronger muscles and stronger bones, lowered risk of heart disease, lowered risk of cancer (specifically colorectal cancer) and increased life expectancy. One of these reasons alone should be more than enough to get more Vitamin D in your life. Supplements are recommended if you live in Northern states (anywhere above the line between San Fransisco and Philadelphia) but also if your lifestyle prevents at least 15 minutes per day in the sun.
You can find more details regarding the sources and studies here.
YOUR SOCIAL NETWORK
You adopt the habits, lifestyle and language of the people you spend the most time with. Choose wisely! The best intentions can be thwarted by outright negativity and criticism but also by being a lone wolf. If you are the only person you know that eats healthy and exercises regularly you will either find yourself alone often or you will find yourself sliding into the lifestyle (eating habits are the main offender) of those who choose to spend your time with. Don't ditch your existing friends but reach out to new friends who are living the same lifestyle and have similar goals to you.
STOP DIETING
This goes hand in hand with eating food that makes you feel good. Diets typically cut out food groups or types of food. If you feel deprived your mind will fixate on what you are not allowing yourself to have. This will cause your diet to fail every time. Don't have a diet that you can cheat on. Choose to eat food that fits into your lifestyle. And if you love something, don't give it up! Just be smart about when and how much you eat of it. I love ice cream and pizza. I will never give them up. But I am intentional about not keeping ice cream in the house. If I want to eat it, I have to make the decision to drive to the store and buy it. Some times it worth the trip and other times it's not. But I know that if I only had to make the trip to the freezer it would be a daily occurrence. Don't restrict what you eat, just choose when and how much makes your body feel good.
HAVE A GOAL
Motivate yourself but creating goals, setting targets or training for an event. Having something that you are working toward helps provide structure and naturally encourage renewed focus on your nutrition and exercise habits. It also provides a reward for your hard work. The feeling of accomplishment will motivate you sign up for another race or set a new weight loss goal.
A pro tip: Write down your goal. You are 76% more likely to achieve your goal if you write it down. It's even better if you include specific details and steps to achieve the goal to help keep you on track. Goals should be realistic and they should have a defined timeline with steps for accomplishment to help push you to the finish line. Need help defining and acheiveing your goals? Contact me.
EAT AT HOME
Skip the fast food! Dine out for special occasions and relish someone else making your dinner for you but don't rely on a daily basis. Meal prep to prevent you from going out for convenience when you are short on time. This will also help keep your wallet full as well as your waist line trim. If you don't have time to meal prep, hire a local culinary student to come and do your meal prep for you. You can get some great meals for a reasonable rate and you won't lose your whole weekend to prepping food for your week.
DRINK WATER
The Mayo Clinic recommends that men drink 15.5 cups of water per day and that women drink 11.5 cups of water per day. Water intake requirements can vary depending on your exercise frequency and intensity, your environment (high humidity), overall health (when you are sick you lose more fluid and need more water) and if you are pregnancy or breast feeding. You can find out more details about your recommended water intake here. Carry a water bottle with you so you can track how much you are drinking throughout the day. If you get home from a long day at work and your bottle is full, drink it. It's a great reminder to have a visual representation with you of how much water is going into your body (or not). Coffee doesn't count as water! Neither does juice, soda or anything else that is not just plain water.
MEDITATE AND SLEEP
Slow down. Life moves fast. Take time each day to sit quietly. This could be though a quick yoga session, a walk on the beach, with your meditation app (I use Insight Timer - it's free and it's wonderful) or just finding a moment to yourself to reflect. Meditation can be a great way to improve you sleep quality and quantity. Calming and focusing your mind before going to sleep can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Reaching a deeper more restful state a sleep will help you wake rested and refreshed and allow you more energy for meal prepping and exercise.
FIND BALANCE
You may struggle with food or exercise or both (or neither). Living a healthy life is about balance in all things. Don't do an exercise that you hate. Don't cut out food that you love. Find a balance that keeps your body feeling good and that keeps a smile on your face. Your mental health is equally as important and fundamentally tied to your physical health. Take care of your body and your body will take care of you.
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