We all have trouble eating healthy while trying to keep up in our classes, extracurricular activities and jobs. However, it’s important to find time to instill healthy values now.
Even though your metabolism is fast now it’s not going to stay like that forever. One minute you’re eating Hungry Howie’s and downing shots left and right, the next you’re 10 years older and 100 pounds heavier. Believe it or not, those pounds add up and even though you may have a great figure now. It’s important to eat healthy so when the time comes that you don’t have a choice, you will know what to do and what to eat.
Forget diets. Making a few simple changes in your life to improve your overall health, not just the number on the scale matter, is more important. Try adding one or two of these into your daily routine for a few weeks and notice differences in the way you feel.
- Don’t drink pop. In fact, don’t drink any of your calories! If you can’t give up pop, try adding as much water to your diet as possible. Drink as much water as you can daily to refuel your body and give it the fluids that it needs.
- Read your labels. A non-fat chocolate bar has more sodium than it does sugar? Say what? If a food you expect to be sweeter than it is salty has more sodium than sugar (and vice versa), a red flag should immediately go up in your mind. Also, the fewer ingredients you read on labels, the better.
- Go to bed hungry. Stuffing your face with a foot long sub isn’t going to do your digestive system any good. Giving the body time to process your food at night will make for better choices in the morning.
- Always eat breakfast. This jump starts your metabolism right away and wakes up your body and digestion.
- Move. Detour on Bogue? Oh well, just makes for more opportunity to exercise. Park further away and take the stairs. Little changes really do make a difference.
- Get more sleep. Don’t feel bad about taking a nap during the day, your brain needs rest in order to fully function at maximum efficiency.
- Cut back on spending. A money and health tip is to not each out as much. It’s tempting to grab something on the go, but meals prepared ahead of time are almost always cheaper and healthier.
- Drink smoothies. You might have heard about juicing in the past. This is a great way to get your recommended dose of fruits and veggies. Sneak a few celery sticks and spinach into your morning smoothie. You won’t taste it and you will get the benefits from these super vegetables.
- Be good to yourself. Look in the mirror and tell yourself how awesome you are. Replace negative comments about yourself with things you’d want to hear other people say. The actions will follow. You wouldn’t want anyone else to beat you up, so why do it to yourself?
- Visualization. This concept applies to any area in your life that needs adjusting. Imagine yourself already with those goals achieved. How would you act? What would you do? Now do those things. If you feel like giving up, remind yourself why you started doing whatever it is you’re doing in the first place. Surround yourself with visual imagery and constantly remind yourself visually of what it is you want to achieve.