Having trouble taking the first step towards a healthy lifestyle? Take a look at some of these tips to get you going!
1 – This is NOT a diet. This is a lifestyle change.
Changing habits that have been established over the years is challenging! Make positive and healthy changes day by day, which will lead to long-term, sustainable results.
2 – Eat “clean” a majority of the time.
Choose foods that are minimally processed and are close to their natural form as possible. Can you treat yourself sometimes? Of course! Practicing mindfulness will help you to be balanced.
3 – “Grow” your meals.
This doesn’t mean to grow your own foods in a garden (although you can if you want!), but rather to expand the volume of food on your plate by adding more vegetables. Vegetables are high in fiber, high in water content, filling, and low in calories.
4 – Stay hydrated!
A general goal is to drink at least 64 ounces of water per day. Staying hydrated is beneficial for your metabolism. Not drinking adequate water each day can cause you to eat more since your body can confuse dehydration for hunger.
5 – Crowd out the unhealthy foods with healthy choices!
Changing your mindset to think of all of the foods you CAN have instead of all those you should limit will help you tremendously as you begin to make changes. Do not think of foods as good or bad: this can lead to a negative relationship with certain foods.
6 – Control your portions.
Put smaller portions on your plate to start. Eat slowly and stop eating when you are full. You do not have to “clean your plate”. Save any extra for leftovers.
7 – Avoid grazing.
Eat every 3 to 4 hours throughout the day. This structure will help you to stay satisfied and prevent picking at extra snacks.
8 – Exercise!
Make exercise part of your daily/weekly routine. Do not make exercise optional: make it a mandatory part of your day, similar to a scheduled appointment. You will build your endurance, strength, and muscle mass. Muscle is lean and active tissue.
9 – Get adequate sleep!
Everyone should aim for at least 7 hours of sleep each night.
A good suggestion to prevent feeling overwhelmed is to choose 1 to 2 of these goals to start and then keep adding on as you go. You can do this!