Top 5 Tips For Staying and Eating Healthy Without Dieting

"That looks so good!!!" "My weakness." "Always need it!"

I know, not the best picture to show, but sometimes you have to treat yourself, both ways- mentally and physically. Taking care of your body is very important, self-explanatory. There are so many ways to take care of your body without going on some crazy diets, and still being able to enjoy that pizza to yourself, milkshake, and those mixed drinks.

Personally, once a week I decided to have a Detox week. Whether it is no bread, no dairy, no meat, no sweets, etc. or all of the above, I refuse to eat anything with that for a whole week each month to give my body a break and replenish. It is not as hard as what it seems to be, give it a try! I also workout, hula-hoop dance, and do yoga on the weekly. If you work out on a daily or weekly basis, you usually need a healthy meal plan to balance out your body. Or at least get the correct nutrients needed - but everyone is different!!!! Life gets busy, and sometimes you don’t even have time to talk to an old friend at the store, but taking care of yourself should be priority.

1. THINK POSITIVE AND FOCUS ON GRATITUDE

In the last year, I have made amazing connections with people and lost some friends. I have the most supportive, helpful and caring friends, family and boyfriend that surround me. Seeing the difference between now and this year with the impact of the positivity in my life has boosted my confidence dramatically.  In the Huffington Post, they talked about a study on people dealing with heart problems. "A recent research paper published online in September 2013 in a journal of the American Heart Association shows that even for people dealing with heart disease — the number one killer of adults in this country — a positive outlook means living longer and stronger, or as we say, living younger. The study, which looked at 607 patients in a hospital in Denmark, found that patients whose moods were overall more positive were 58 percent more likely to live at least another five years. These people exercised more, too. The scientists can’t say for sure if positivity led to exercise or if exercise improved mood, but we say that the important message is the same either way: Positive thinking and regular physical activity are really important for life (and beauty, too)" (Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen for YouBeauty, Huffington Post). Research shows a healthy positive attitude helps build a healthier immune system and boosts overall health. Your body believes what you think, so focus on the positive. “I spend countless hours doing cardio and never seem to lose that last ten pounds!” is a common complaint I hear from clients. Give yourself permission to shorten your workout as well.

2. PORTIONS

This was one of the hardest steps for me to do. But when it comes down to it, portioning yourself is not as hard as what it seems. You may want that extra scoop of chips but I promise you, staying to the “serving size” and not eating the food as fast, gives your body more time to digest, so you’re not hungry still right after you eat. Think of, wanting more and needing more. Do you need another cup of coffee at work, or do you just want more body because you “need it to get through the day”? Can you still get by and survive with water or tea instead?  One thing I like to do if I ever do go out to eat, I get the full sized and take half of it home for dinner, or lunch the next day. I usually only treat myself to breakfast, lunch and dinner once a week. I bring all of my own food to work and school, sometimes I don't even buy a meal during the week/weekend.


BTW - Speaking of coffee, it is one of the hardest things for me to not have...almost daily. A lot of people are the same way, but there are ways to make your coffee not as bad. If you get flavoring in your coffee, don't add sugar. If you do add sugar, use the low-calorie one (the pink or blue packet). Instead of using half and half, or milk as a creamer, try almond milk. It might cost you a bit extra, but it is better for you and will give your coffee a bit more flavor. Decaf isn't as bad as what you think. Don't buy the large iced coffee because its $1.50 happy hour at Dunkin', if you know you'll only drink the medium, get the medium.

3. SLEEP

We all love sleep, but is your body really getting enough sleep? If you need to get up at 6 A.M. for work, but have a lot of homework to finish, (why did you wait so long to do the assignment? Procrastination, duh.) and it is 11 P.M. go to bed. If you know something will take you a while, go to bed earlier and wake up early to finish it, or tell your boss you have a school assignment to finish, hoping your boss is understanding with schoolwork and work assignments. But, if you have trouble sleeping, try relaxation techniques such as meditation and yoga. A good friend once told me when I am laying down to fully breath in, out through my mouth and lower my heart rate, relax and then I will be focused on going to bed. Or eat a small bedtime snack such as: whole grain cereal with milk, oatmeal, cherries, popcorn or chamomile tea. Darken your room more and turn your clock away from you. Write down worries or stressful thoughts to get them out of your head and onto the page. This will help you put them into perspective so you can quit worrying about them.

Side note – There is a possibility you might be over stressing yourself with working out too much (crazy, I know!) Believe it or not, over-training could be the problem. Your body can plateau if not given adequate rest to restore itself, ultimately leading to a decline in performance. Fatigue, moodiness, lack of enthusiasm, depression, and increased cortisol (the “stress” hormone) are some hallmarks of over-training syndrome. Creating a periodization program — breaking up your routine into various training modes — can help prevent over-training by building rest phases into your regimen. For example, you might weight train on Monday and Wednesday, cycle on Tuesday and Thursday, run on Friday and rest on Saturday and Sunday. You can also help balance your program by simply incorporating more variety. – Check out this link - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/body/much-exercise-bad-gut-dangers-training/

4. CHOCOLATE & WINE (I’m serious)

Are you a chocoholic? Turns out your little addiction may save your life. A recent study found that those consuming the highest levels of chocolate had a 37% reduction in cardiovascular disease and a 29% reduction in stroke compared to those with lower chocolate intakes. Though experts are quick to clarify that we should stick to moderate consumption of high-calorie chocolates, it's hard to deny the cold, hard facts that chocolate can be a healthy addition to our diets. Another study finds that chocolate may also boost brainpower. Some compounds in chocolate with antioxidant-like properties, are thought to improve circulation, including blood flow to the brain. Study participants were asked to count backward in groups of three from a number between 800 and 999. After drinking hot cocoa filled with flavonols, the participants were able to do calculations more quickly and accurately and were less likely to feel tired or mentally drained. Get your chocolate fix with these Flat Belly Chocolate Desserts. Now to the wine. I am sure that most of us have hear that red wine is good for you. While working at a bar I learned a lot about the different alcohols and what is in them and how it affects you. The resveratrol and polyphenols in red wine work the same way that beneficial bacteria in yogurt do: When cold and flu viruses enter you system, they start to multiply, and these compounds prevent that from happening. Don’t drink or can’t drink? Eat some grape leaves or peanuts, the red inner husks of which are also high in resveratrol. So yes, if you want a couple pieces of chocolate, and a glass of red wine a day, do it! Treat yourself!! (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070221101326.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070221101326.htm )

5. MEAL PLANS

Plan your meals every week. Sit down for an hour or so each week and plan out your meals. This helps you stay on track and avoid having to come up with quick, possibly unhealthy meal options. Instead of sitting on Instagram and making an excuse as to why you cannot cook your own meals, or relying on your parents to make dinner every night to use that as meals for the next day, search for your own meals! I am highly addicted to Pinterest, as most people are. So here are some meal plans that are easy, healthy and semi-cheap! http://pin.it/m15WvQ7 ; http://pin.it/IQd0Idn ; http://pin.it/TipYm_F ; http://pin.it/_HO6Z8P ; http://pin.it/VzfwOPU ; http://pin.it/4scdLBq - Vegan option as well, be creative with your pasta dishes! If you don’t have Pinterest, get one!!!

Just some basic tips, points, reminders:

• ·       Drink water! 6-8 cups per day, add lemon, lime, strawberries, cucumbers, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and mint leaves to your drinks – helps cleanse and gives water a little more taste.
• ·       Take the stairs if possible!!
• ·       Sleep, more! Take a nap!
• ·       Breakfast – so important, it hit me hard after I started working downtown and going to Columbia how important breakfast was.
• ·       Make your meals colorful, fun, and appetizing.
• ·       Set goals.
• ·       Treat yourself to lunch and/or dinner here and there and not daily – saves you money too. Don’t forget to reward yourself with treats too!
• ·       Give up one food category for a week! – meats, dairy, bread, sugar, etc.