The holidays have passed, and the New Year has rung. Many people have now decided to try to be healthier by eating better and going to the gym more, all trying to achieve that spring break and summer ready body. Instead of becoming involved in temporary low calorie diets, liquid diets, or any form of extreme dieting, practice and build good life long habits with these tips.
Drink Plenty of Water
One reason why you may feel hungrier than normal, or during weird times of the day, is because you are dehydrated. The majority of the foods we eat contain water, so even though you may not feel thirsty, your body will attempt to obtain as much water through the foods you eat. On average, try drinking about 1-3 cups of water a day.
TIP: Carrying your water in cute water containers instead of plain water bottles will help make drinking water a bit more exciting. Also, try adding ice, or refrigerating your water the night before to help make it more refreshing.
Eat Healthy Snacks Every 2-3 Hours
Instead of having three big meals in a day, try having 6 small meals throughout the day. By eating healthy snacks 2-3 hours between your main courses, you’ll be able to maintain your metabolism, and feel fuller and more energized throughout the day. This will also help reduce your eating portions to healthier amounts that will allow your boy to digest food easily and prevent indigestion.
TIP: Try not to eat a lot after 7:30PM. Because we are mainly sleeping or performing at low activity rates during this time, our metabolism slows down. This causes our bodies to store the foods as fat instead of burning them for energy.
Eat Fiber, It Helps!
A good way to help burn calories naturally is by eating a lot of fiber. Our bodies are not able to digest fiber, but we can still reap its benefits! By eating fiber, you will feel fuller and more energized throughout the day because your metabolism will be working extra hard to break it down.
TIP: Try eating more fruits and vegetables which contain natural fibers. Also, try out snack bars which contain high amounts of fiber, such as: Fiber One bars, Special K Protein bars, Nature Valley bars, etc.
Take Advantage of the Recreation Center
The recreation center is already included in your tuition, so instead of wasting the money you’ve already spent, visit the Rec more! The Rec has a thorough collection of equipment for all types of athletes and non-athletes. Start small, and hit the gym for at least 30 minutes a couple days a week. To make things more fun, and less intimidating, try working out with a small group of close friends that you feel comfortable with!
TIP: Establish your overall goal, and then set mini goals and reward yourself for reaching those mini goals! This helps to make the journey to a healthier lifestyle more bearable!
Extreme dieting may seem to be a surefire way to lose weight, but it is unhealthy and only temporary. Many studies have shown that those who go on these extreme diets have been able to lose the weight, but haven’t been able to maintain it, either gaining back the weight they lost, or gaining more than what they had before the diet. The healthiest bet is to try and create healthy long term habits. By doing so, you’ll be able to fulfill your New Year’s resolution and maintain the healthy body that you worked hard for!