Tips for a healthier life
The key to success is by making small changes continually. Do not try to completely overhaul your food plan or you will become overwhelmed, not making any changes at all.
Here are some easy tips to get you started on the right track to a healthy lifestyle:
- Increase your water intake. Your goal should be to have 64 ounces of water daily. That is eight – 8 ounce glasses of water. An easy way to break that down is have a glass when you first get up in the morning. Have another glass before and after each meal as well as one before you go to bed and you have your eight glasses done! Water helps flush toxins out of our system giving you a boost of energy.
- Moderation is key. The goal of healthy eating is to develop a plan that you can maintain as a lifestyle – not a diet. Try not to think of certain foods as “off-limits” but simply reduce your portion size and your frequency of eating from that food group.
- Fill up on colorful fruits and veggies. They contain the most amounts of nutrients and vitamins. They also contain large amounts of fiber that will help fill you up and keep you full.
- Try switching from process to whole grains. Good carbs are foods like whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. They digest slower, help you feel fuller longer and will keep your blood sugar stable.
- Limit sugar. A 12 ounce can of regular soda contains about 10 teaspoons of sugar, which is more then the daily limit! Add naturally sweet fruits in place of candy and cookies.
- When you are feeling like you need to munch on something but you are not hungry go for a walk. Many times we eat out of boredom instead of true hunger. Replace that boredom with a hobby.
- Look for ways to incorporate friends or family in your exercise. Ride bike with your kids or walk in the evenings with a friend to chat about your day. Any activity is better then sitting on the couch watching TV.
- Focus on short term goals like improving your mood and energy level. This will help reduce stress and you will see results faster then watching the scale – keeping you more motivated.
- Don’t forget to reward yourself when you reach a goal!
- Remember, this is a lifestyle change – not a race. Slow and steady will keep the changes!