5 Small Changes to a Healthier You
If you read my last blog post, you know I am all about starting your healthy journey with a healthy mindset. What you think, you create and all that good stuff. With that being said, I fully recognize that we cannot just sit back, relax and wait for the healthy life you desire to come knocking on your door. You have to get out there, take action and move towards what you want in life.
Matthew McConaughey says there are three simple rules to life:
If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never get it.
Closed mouths don’t get fed (if you don’t ask, the answer will always be no).
If you don’t step forward, you will always be in the same place (progress or get left).
I think it goes without saying he has created some pretty amazing things in his life and who knows maybe he even manifested that hot bod he has.
I firmly believe that in order for change to be permanent in your life you have to start with small steps that you can add to your lifestyle without feeling overwhelmed. If you bite off more that you can chew, the changes will not last. Deprivation never works, you will get frustrated and give up. Small changes integrated into your life over time will yield lasting results! I love exploring easy ways to live a healthier life, you should see my Pinterest page, I spend hours looking for ways to make my clients, my family and myself healthier without the set backs and pitfalls of crash dieting and deprivation.
So here it is, folks - my Top 5 Tips:
1. Drink More Water - I am sure you have heard this before but it is number one on my list for a reason. It works! When I get my clients to drink the right amount of water at the right time they are amazed that they lose weight, their skin feels clearer, their digestion is better and they have more energy. Water cleanses your body of toxins, prevents premature aging, and its free.
Drink half your body weight in ounces of water a day.
Start your day with 16oz of water right when your feet hit the floor.
Drink a big glass of water when you feel those cravings coming on.
Buy a water bottle that tracks how much you water drink or better yet a blue tooth water bottle. They are pretty cool.
2. Brighten it up - Add colorful fruits and vegetables to all of your meals and snacks. Lets face it, it is hard to get your 3-5 servings of vegetables and 2-4 servings of fruits in one day but if you are not, you are missing out on so many fantastic health benefits. These complex carbohydrates are low in calorie, high in fiber and are loaded with nutrients. Because they are high in fiber they fill you up fast and help crowd out some of the higher calorie, higher fat foods that may be currently on your plate.
Double up on the vegetables in your stir-fry, make the meat the understudy.
Add low-sugar fruits like berries and greens such as spinach or kale to make a smoothie.
Start dinner off with a salad made of lots of dark green and vegetables.
Sneak green into your pasta dish by adding spinach to your lasagna or zucchini to your red sauce
Have an apple as an afternoon snack instead of chips or cookies.
You guys, I could go on and on with this one but you get the picture. Make it colorful, bright and full of life!
3. Clean up your carbs - Poor carbohydrates, they have really gotten a bad rap. Eating carbs does not make you fat, it is eating too much of the wrong carbs that is the problem. Healthy carbs like apples, grapes, brown rice and oatmeal are great for you. They are high in fiber and packed with loads of nutrient and fuel that improve your health and even aid in weight loss, hormone balance and provide you with energy. It is the white stuff that is to blame for the anti-carb mania that is going on right now. Those annoyingly tempting bread baskets and the sugary snacks that have little to no nutritional value and convert right to sugar in your body spiking your blood sugar and eventually getting stored in the body as fat.
My approach to carbs:
Keep it simple - Stick to ingredients you can read and understand.
Read labels - Be suspicious of ingredients you do not understand or added sugars.
Go for high in fiber, 100% whole grain and stick to the serving size - Substitute your current pasta with brown rice pasta, quinoa pasta or my favorite chickpea pasta.
4. Get Moving - Add some movement into your life everyday. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of moderate intensity of aerobic activity a week. Add resistance training at least 2 times a week and you will be in good shape. My advice with this is do what you enjoy for your cardio or aerobic activity, walk briskly with a friend, swim, ride a bike, or go for a jog. Resistance can be anything, barre or yoga class have a lot of great body weight resistance which is great for toning and loosing inches. Add muscle with CrossFit or lifting.
If you have a desk job, set an alarm on your phone to get up and do a few laps around your building between meetings.
Sneak in a walk after dinner before you sit down for the night.
Try something new, there are so many fun and exciting ways to exercise, such as goat yoga and hula fit classes.
Get up early. The beauty of a lot of us working from home right now is that we are cutting out the commute time and possibly the time getting ready so lets use that time for a quick workout.
5. Meditate - I hope I did not lose you yet, because this is an important one. Beyond the amazing relaxation you experience from clearing your mind for just a few minutes a day meditation:
Reduces stress.
Slows down the aging process.
Rewires your brain from stress and worry to a more calm and peaceful state.
Boasts your immune system.
When you are less stressed your cortisol levels decrease and your body can let go of weight easier.
Those are just a few of the many benefits meditation can offer you. I love meditating in the morning after yoga practice to set my energy for the day. When we let go of any unwanted thoughts and feelings and fill ourselves up with light and positivity we can radiate out amazing energy that others will feel and be drawn to. You will be a magnet for attracting abundance into your life and be equipped to handle anything that comes your way during the day.
People often ask me what format I like teaching or doing the most - personal training, yoga, health coaching or something else? I think I finally have an answer. I love it ALL, and I believe they all tie together perfectly. When we can integrate mindfulness, physical fitness, healthy eating and selfcare we can find balance, health and happiness in our lives!
