Simple Habits For A Healthier You
People in Irvine, CA, understand it takes more than sticking with a diet for a week or exercising regularly for a month to live healthier. You have to turn things into a habit that you do automatically, much like driving to work. How often have you headed out Saturday morning to go shopping and found yourself on the way to the office? You do it so many times that it becomes automatic. Find something that can improve your health, no matter how small, and do it consistently for two months.
Cut out soft drinks.
Whether drinking diet sodas or the ones containing sugar, you’ll be better off switching drinks to unsweetened green or herbal tea or water. The soft drinks containing sugar add 100 calories. Just drinking three 12-ounce soft drinks each day adds 300 calories to your intake. That’s 109,500 extra calories each year. If you divide that by 3500 calories, the amount to cut to lose a pound, you’d lose 31 pounds without effort. Studies show that people who drink diet soft drinks have a larger abdominal circumference, so quit those, too.
Eat slower and chew your food more before swallowing.
If you can eat an entire dinner in under five minutes, you probably have a problem with your weight or digestive issues. Taking your time when you eat and chewing more helps you stay healthier in two ways. Part of digestion takes place in the mouth. The saliva and extra chewing break food down more to help avoid digestive issues. The longer you take to eat, the more time you have for your stomach to signal to the brain that it’s full. You won’t feel bloated and will lose weight when you slow down at meals.
Get active!
Start moving more. You don’t have to start a formal exercise program if you’re not ready. Get up and move around or do simple exercises if you’re watching TV. Don’t drive around the parking lot looking for the golden parking space closer to the door. You’ll save time, use less gas, and get more exercise by parking immediately and walking further to the store. Increase your pace when you walk to get more benefits. Increase your pace when you walk to get more benefits.
- Improve your diet. You can start by making simple changes. Instead of a pizza crust, use a large burrito shell. Top it with sliced tomatoes, herbs, and spinach. Bake for five minutes in a small oven. Remove and sprinkle on Balsamic vinaigrette and top with mozzarella. Put it back in the oven until the cheese melts.
- Drink more water. Carry a bottle of water with you and sip on it frequently. You’ll probably have more energy as you increase your water intake. Mild dehydration can make you feel exhausted.
- Create a sleep schedule and stick with it. Get used to going to bed at the same time and arising at the same time, even on the weekend. It improves your circadian rhythm and keeps your hunger/satiety hormones balanced.
- Make healthy snacks ahead. You can cut up veggies or fruit and prepare dip so when hunger hits, you won’t be tempted to eat high-calorie snacks.
For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness