A year
from now… you will have wished you started today!
I have made this easy by providing you with five manageable changes that you can make each day. I promise that you won't feel overwhelmed or deprived! These changes will help get you in the healthy mind-set and on the healthy track, which will only encourage more good-for-you changes.
1. Swap
beverages for water: Here’s the thing, you don't have to
give up your morning cup of coffee or green tea (I don’t!). But for the rest of
the day, a bottle of water (or a reusable one) is going to be your best friend.
Each time you choose water over juice, soda, sweetened iced tea, and specialty
coffee drinks, you'll save at least about 100 calories. Aside from that,
sipping water also helps fill your belly, prevent bloat from constipation, and
keeps you hydrated. Staying hydrated will prevent that sluggish feeling that
causes people to reach for candy bars or cookies. Also, many times we are
actually just plain ol thirsty rather than hungry.
2. Make
a big raw salad for lunch: This is good for so many
reasons. The raw veggies are low in calories, so you can eat an enormous bowl
without breaking the calorie bank. They're also full of fiber, which fills you
up fast and keeps you feeling satiated longer. I like to prep for the week by keeping
cut up veggies and beans in separate tupperware containers. This allows me to
make an easy salad and snack on healthy pre-cut veggies any time. Just be sure
to be mindful of the ingredients you use; adding too much dressing, cheese, or
other unhealthy items can turn a perfect salad into an unhealthy salad.
3. Workout:
Even if you are not a gym rat, a super spiner or a yogi, get in the habit of
doing something physical! Go for a brisk walk, take a dance class, or join a
fencing club! If you have no idea how to get started, look in at your neighborhood
gym. Most gym’s offer trial memberships and I would suggest explore either one
to one training or try the classes that are offered. The important thing is
just to burn some calories. After some pain (from muscles that have been
sleeping for a while, and don’t worry, a hot shower will ease the pain) and looking
better, you'll be itching to do more.
4. Keep cut-up fruits and veggies in the
fridge: When hunger or boredom strikes and you get that feeling that you
need to munch on something, instead of reaching for a bag of chips, head to the
fridge and grab one of the containers you've premade that contains washed
grapes, blueberries, cut-up watermelon, pineapple, strawberries, and kiwi or
carrots and celery sticks, strips of bell pepper, or sliced cukes. Put the
containers right at eye level so they're the first thing you see. When healthy
foods are already prepared, you're more likely to choose them over other easily
accessible, not-so-healthy snacks.
5. Use
smaller plates and bowls: When we prepare a plate of
food, we feel the need to fill it up completely. If you start out with a
smaller-sized salad plate or a kid-sized bowl, there's only so much you can
pile on, so you'll end up consuming fewer calories.
