Time for changes, new aspirations, hopes, goals, and things to work towards. It's time to make a difference for ourselves - you can do it with a healthier lifestyle.
What are your goals for 2012? How does your health and well-being play into those?
Think about how good you will feel in accomplishing those goals... As a healthier, more vibrant you. Make this year the year to become the best you, a happy, healthy you.
I'm here to help you. Starting with some healthy happy tips:
Detox. You add enough junk to your body, not to mention the air we breathe and the water we drink. Help your body rid itself of the waste.
- Drink warm water with a squeeze of lemon and pinch of salt first thing in the morning.
- Drink half a glass of juice - with or before the water (preferably organic, fresh squeezed; I make smoothies and store them in the fridge for quick use). Wait 15 min and continue with your usual food/drink routine.
Drink. Fluids are your friend, just not the processed, sugary kind. Drink tea and water throughout the day.
- Pop a tea bag into your daily water bottle - I use Ginseng Honey Green Tea.
- Drinking some tea with caffeine helps you power through the afternoon slump
- Drinking water helps make you feel fuller while you eat - do it all day long.
Sleep. Enough said.
Exercise. Do little things. Go for walks. Build up slowly. Set goals. Find your groove. Reach those goals.
- Stand more, sit less. - Dance or work on abs while your driving.
- Check and correct your posture throughout the day, clench your muscles, tighten your abs.
- I sign up for races as motivation.
- Find exercise that you like, I dance to kinnect for hours - it's exercise disguised as fun.
- Make dates with friends to workout - mixing it with social time will lighten it up.
- Find fun exercise-filled things to do - go hiking, urban-hiking, stretch.
Eat. Keeping your metabolism going sustains your energy better, and keeps from putting on the excess weight.
- Salts. Better than the sweets.
- Stay away from processed goods, sweets/desserts, and gluten.
- Snack, keep from overeating or eating big meals.
- I keep a healthy protein shake in the fridge, for just a little something when I need it, easy to digest after a work out, I also use it as my "sweet fix."
- Don't eat late.
- Do eat slowly, do eat when you're hungry, don't eat big meals.
- Breakfast, do it, eat it. Eggs or chicken are the best - help stimulate the brain, lean protein.
- Eat what you want, when you want it, or else you'll binge (just keep it in small amounts).
- Take 24 hours off for yourself. To eat whatever, whenever and however much you want. Only once a week.
- Keep your tastebuds happy: eat lots of different flavors, textures, mouth sensations.
- I make lots of little bites with lots of different tastes. Keeps me happy while eating less.
- Treat yourself like a prince(ss) - eat yummy, flavorful foods/bites/snacks to tantalize your taste buds.
- Satiate yourself. Make different taste combos, fire things up, hit every part of the palate.
*Saffron makes me feel like a princess - I add a pinch to spoil myself when I'm feeling like I want to smile. My cousin brought a big bag back from Morocco, where it's not nearly as expensive - it's an exotic treat! Find your saffron - put a smile on your face.
I urge you to go find your happiness in health. I will continue to post weekly healthy recipes and tips to keep you on track.
Please keep me posted on your goals, and how you're doing with them :)