It is no surprise that now more than ever, there is a lot of buzz around being healthy. We have had to upend our previous healthy routines and develop new ones in response to the new safety precautions. In addition, this year has been incredibly stressful, which makes it hard to keep up healthy eating. But, even with these challenges, now is the best time to take control of your health.
As you begin to look into how to build a healthy lifestyle, here are some important tips to help guide your approach.
Keep Moving
With the stay at home restrictions, increased responsibilities, and additional stress, it is all too easy to remain sedentary. Work to build in exercise into your new routine, whether it is a daily walk, run, or following an exercise routine video.
If exercise is difficult to add to your routine, think about how to make it fun. If it's possible to walk with a friend or to listen to a podcast or music while exercising, then do it! Consider even putting on your favorite show while you exercise at home. Also, look for different methods of exercise that spark your interest. For example, if you enjoy boxing, look into ways to train from home if your local gym is closed.
Remember if you are going outside or to gym to exercise, follow state, local, and CDC health recommendations.
Eat a Balanced Diet
Focus on getting foods with a healthy balance of nutrients. Some key nutrients to include are calcium, magnesium, protein, and fiber.
Fiber and protein take longer to digest compared to other foods, which leaves you feeling fuller for a longer period of time. This makes them prime nutrients for a weight-loss diet. Foods that are rich in fiber include oatmeal, whole grains, and beans. Protein-rich foods include meat and eggs but also look for different protein-rich foods like nuts, beans, and lentils.
Calcium is important for strong bones and you also need this nutrient for your blood as well. Without a calcium deposit, your bones can weaken, which is not beneficial for your overall health. For some calcium-rich foods, you can look for milk and cheese, but also consider leafy greens, soybeans, or low-fat yogurt.
Magnesium also helps with your bones, but it also helps keep your heart healthy too. With cardiovascular disease as the number one killer in the United States, it is so crucial to take care of your heart. Foods rich in magnesium include nuts, milk, yogurt, beans, leafy greens, and whole grains.
For more information about specific nutrients, what kinds of foods have them, and how to shape a balanced diet, go to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ website here.
Order Out Less
Right now, the pandemic has hit restaurants particularly hard. There is a large desire to support local businesses and to help keep them going during the pandemic. However, in order to help your weight loss goals, it is important is to reduce the number of times you use the take out or delivery options for your meals.
It is very hard to portion control with restaurant meals. Overall, restaurant plates are large, which encourages you to eat more. Oftentimes a full restaurant plate contains 2-3 portions. This creates an exorbitant calorie count for restaurant meals. One lunch or dinner meal, even the healthier options, can surpass your calorie count for the day, going far beyond what you originally intended.
It is also difficult to control which ingredients are used in restaurant meals. Generally, not all the ingredients in a dish are listed on the menu, so there could be a lot of add-ons to your meal, including butter, salt, and oil, which can pack on the pounds. If you make the same meal at home, you can control exactly what and how much of each ingredient goes into your meal.
If you are already eating out multiple times a week, that’s ok, start with a moderate response and reduce the number of times you eat out by one. Then in a couple of weeks, cut out another. Not only will this help your weight-loss goals, but your wallet will thank you for the amount of money you save.
Push Hydration
Nothing can beat water. Water helps flush out toxins in your body, regulate your system, and it can help you feel full. Plus, with this record heat levels during this summer, it is important to replace the liquid that you are losing through sweat.
The recommended amount of water is eight glasses of water a day. Each glass should hold eight ounces of water.
If you are having a hard time drinking water, consider mixing things up with a tea. While there is still a lot of research being conducted into all the health benefits of teas, it is proven that the antioxidants in tea, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, may help to lower the chance of you getting some chronic diseases.
If you are interested in a new tea to try to help support a healthy lifestyle, we recommend Total Life Changes’ Iaso Tea. It is all-natural and is loved by the community. Click here to purchase some for yourself.
Speaking of Total Life Changes, we at Covenant Way Wellness are excited to announce our partnership with Total Life Changes. Using the link below, you can get access to wonderful products that not only want to help you on your health journey but are products that we believe in.
Click on the link below to access all their products, including tea, coffee, nutritional supplement in liquid form for those who cannot take pills, and weight loss support.
Total Life Changes also has a recommended diet plan with specific nutrition and calorie portioning. Within the guide are lists of foods that fulfill different nutritional needs, and also has a helpful meal planner page to help you calculate the calories to help boost your weight loss plan. This planning guide and list of nutrient-rich food are extremely helpful to anyone looking for a way to start losing weight but feels overwhelmed by different options. Below is the PDF guide.
Before undertaking any diet, it is important to keep a few things in mind. Start by consulting with your doctor so that they can give you specific dietary and exercise requirements that fit your specific health needs. If you and a healthcare professional have determined it is beneficial to start a diet, it is important to keep a few key elements in mind:
Stay hydrated
Do not starve yourself. Extreme behavior surrounding food can be damaging to your physical and mental health. Consider a gradual plan where you make smaller changes over time rather than extreme changes.
Do not over-exercise either, this can put your health at risk.
The most important thing is to get a balanced diet and exercise routine. This means prioritizing moderation and getting all the needed nutrients you need.
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