Some Healthy Tips (That May Just Be My Saving Grace)!

1: Set Yourself Up For Success!! Instead of being concerned with the amount of calories or fat in your diet, think of what you eat in terms of color and variety.Focus on finding FRESH foods you love and SIMPLE recipes, because the easier it is, the more likely you are to repeat!



2: Start S...L...O...W: When you completely overhaul your diet within one day the chances of you're cheating and 'sneaking' in items goes up, instead, add 1 healthful item in replace of an unhealthful item every day or 2. Gradual is better



3: EVERY change you make to improve your health MATTERS. For example, using olive oil instead of butter, using turkey bacon instead of pork bacon.



4: Consider Water and Exercise as Food Groups. Water flushes out the toxins and waste from our systems. Also, a lot of society mistakes hunger for thirst. Try a full 8 oz glass of water before you eat anything and then give it 20 minutes, if you still feel hungry (genuinely hungry) then have that apple!



5: MODERATION is key: Don't consider foods 'off limits' because that makes the MORE tempting. Instead, reduce the portion size. Take out what you normally eat and then put half of it back to start with; think smaller portions.



6: Eat With Others: You tend to feel fuller when you eat with others because you are more conscious of what goes into your mouth, and you also give yourself the chance to realize that you are full. Watching TV or even reading a book can lead to mindless overeating because your mind is focused elsewhere for extended periods of time. Think of it this way, it take 20 minutes for your stomach to realize it's full, an average TV show is 30 minutes long, therefore you've overeaten 10+ minutes!



7: Eat Breakfast! Breakfast kick-starts your metabolism. Think of it as an engine in the cold, when an engine is cold and you try to make it go, it's kind of sluggish until it warms up, wait until it's warm and it runs smoothly and efficiently. Same goes for the body, your metabolism slows down overnight, therefore it needs to be warmed up sooner rather than later. The earlier you eat, the longer your metabolism keeps working!!



8: Eat a Rainbow of Fruits and Vegetables EVERY DAY!!



9: Eat More Healthy Carbs and Whole Grains!! Healthy carbs are digested slowly and help keep you feeling fuller longer and contain phytochemicals and antioxidants which help regulate the blood sugar. Unhealthy carbs turn to sugar right off and actually make you feel MORE hungry than you were before you ate them!! And to be more successful in KEEPING whole grains in your diet, mix them with whatever you normally eat at first, essentially weaning yourself.



10: Keep Protein in Perspective. Most Americans eat too much protein. Yes, protein keeps us going and helps to build muscle, but too mush is no good. A portion of protein is about the size of your palm. Focus on QUALITY over QUANTITY.



11: Get Your Calcium In!! This doesn't necessarily mean sitting down and drinking glass after glass of milk. Calcium can be gained through dairy, yes, but also through vegetables, greens, and beans.



12: Limit Sugar and Salt! This one should be a given, sugar throws your body systems off kilter, raises your blood pressure, your insulin levels, and likes to store itself in our abdominal areas (something we all cringe at hearing!) Salt makes us retain water, which makes us bloat, which essentially makes those skinny jeans, not so skinny. In all seriousness, it also raises your blood pressure, which puts more strain on your precious heart!



13: Plan Quick and Easy Meals Ahead of Time! Shop the PERIMETER of the grocery store and avoid the center area as much as possible!! That's when the sugary, salty, high fat items end up in our cart! Cook extra food and FREEZE the rest for a quick meal next week!! Before heading to the store or out to eat, CHALLENGE YOURSELF; see what you can make out of what you have in the house. 9 times out of 10 we can come up with something rather satisfying (both in our stomachs and in our self esteem because we're full, it was yummy, and we pulled it out of the sky all by ourselves!).