Healthy Living Tips

If you missed the post I wrote on Components of a healthy diet…here it is!  It was a pretty simple post…explaining the basics of various nutrients and such but it is important information people!  I was reading the latest issue of Womens Health Magazine the other day and stumbled upon some tips on healthy eating.  I thought the article was pretty interesting so I decided to share the basic points of the article (plus some of my own ideas) with all of you!

Also…. Sarah posted something on Life Lessons in Health- so check that out too!

Never Go on a Diet.

There are so many crazy diets out there…Atkins, the grapfruit diet, the cabbage soup diet, the Zone Diet, South Beach Diet, the list goes on and on.  Of course you will lose some weight on them but in the longrun- these diets are not healthy for you.  Most of these diets restrict your body of essential nutrients.  For example the Atkins diet is essentially no carbs.  Carbohydrates are vitally important to your diet.  These diets only offer short term weight loss… instead of aiming to lose weight- it is more important to simply lead a healthy life. Once you do this, the weight loss will most likely follow.  Why stick to a complicated diet, why restrict yourself of certain foods when all you have to do is focus on eating great tasting, wholesome, filling foods that will keep you satisfied so you wont be as likely to overeat?

Eat Simply.

Next time you go food shopping, pick up the boxed foods and read the label.  There may be a few ingredients on the list that you recognize but the majority of the ingredients you wont.  These ingredients are chemical additives that help the foods not to spoil and also mess with your body’s natural taste and appetite regulators  Focus on eating simple foods and shop in the produce, meat, and dairy sections of the store. Instead of having a bar loaded with non-wholesome ingredients that most of which you cannot even pronounce…try having oatmeal, yogurt, whole grain breads/muffins, peanut butter, fruit, etc. Keep it simple and fresh. Skip out on the packages processed stuff and eat fresh foods that will keep you satisfied!

Eat More Often.

Manage your body’s energy needs over the course of the day and never let yourself get so hungry that you cannot even think straight! If you slack off, even for a few hours, you will be more likely to pig out the next time you see food.  Try eating every three hours and DO NOT SKIP BREAKFAST!  People who skip breakfast are 4.5 times more likely to be obese than those who make time for it.  Your snacks in between meals should have a good mix of protein, fat, fiber, and carbohydrates.

Do not Restrict Yourself…Everything in Moderation.

I guess this sort of goes with the “Never Go on a Diet” point I made above but it is important not to restrict yourself of foods that you love.  Food is your friend, people…not your enemy!  If you love ice cream or candy, go for it.  Everything in moderation.  I am not saying to eat 5 candy bars and a tub of icecream in one sitting but if you allow yourself small servings each day of something that you love, you wont over indulge. If you resrict yourself of things that you love, on the other hand, the next time you allow yourself to eat it you will go crazy! There is literally not a day that goes by that I don’t have some sort of chocolate, ice cream, dessert etc.  Actually, I am eating dark chocolate covered caramels as I type this right now!

Take Time for YOU.

Stress can impact a person over a lifetime. Over time, stress drains the body reserves making the person more susceptible to illness and disease. It is vitally important to take time for yourself each day…unwind, de-stress and just relax!  Everyone has their own way to do this– journaling, yoga, running, swimming, meditation…whatever works for you, DO IT!

Exercise.

Physical Activity is very helpful maintaining a healthy body weight and body composition….not to meantion the fact that it helps in stress- reduction. Being physically active helps in lowering one’s risk for cardiovascular diseases, improves risks of diabetes, improves mood and lowers one’s risk for depression.

Drink.

Beverages with added sugar can tack on nearly 450 extra calories a day.  You can improve you fluid intake by adding water to your diet.  Water has so many health benefits…it  hydrates the skin helping you to look younger, reduces hunger, combats aliments such as fatigue back pain, etc….the list goes on and on!  Have a glass when you first wake up, a glass mid morning, one before you eat lunch, one midafternoon, one before dinner, and one before bed.  Sticking with this plan will help you crave drinks like soda less.  If you rely on your coke or diet coke for caffeine try drinking coffee with milk instead.  If you want something other than water that is still healthy try drinking low-cal homemade juice, unsweetened iced tea, flavored seltzer water.

Cook.

We all lead busy lives and after a hectic day it seems so much more convenient to eat out but by eating out all the time we lose control (and money!).  Restaurant portion sizes are usually HUGE.  Also- when you cook a home cooked meal people tend to linger longer around the table and this has been linked to consuming fewer calories.  When you cook for yourself, you control the portion sizes and the ingredients you add to the meal.  It is also pretty rewarding when you are finished cooking and have a delicious meal in front of you, isn’t it?

Sleep.

While it may be obvious that sleep is beneficial, most people don’t realize how much sleep they need and why it is so important.  Your body manages and requires sleep in much the same way that it regulates the need for eating, drinking, and breathing.

Sleep helps to repair your body: Your body makes protein molecules (while you sleep) that help strengthen your ability to fight infection and stay healthy.

Sleep helps keep your heart healthy: Sleep helps to reduce the levels of stress and inflammation in your body. High levels of “inflammatory markers” are linked to heart disease and strokes. Sleep can also help keep blood pressure and cholesterol levels in check.

Sleep reduces stress: A good night’s sleep can help lower blood pressure and elevate levels of stress hormones

Sleep improves your memory: That ‘foggy’ feeling that you struggle with when deprived of sleep makes it difficult to concentrate. This often leads to memory problems with facts, faces, lessons, or even conversations. Sleeping well eliminates these difficulties because, as you sleep, your brain is busy organizing and correlating memories.

Sleep helps control body weight issues: Sleep helps regulate the hormones that affect and control your appetite.

Sleep reduces your chances of diabetes

Sleep reduces the occurrence of mood disorders: With insufficient sleep during the night, many people become agitated or moody the following day. Yet, when limited sleep becomes a chronic issue, studies have shown it can lead to long-term mood disorders such as depression or anxiety.

Source: Women’s Health Magazine

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Question: What are some things that you do to keep your diet healthy? What are some things that you could work on?

For me, I could work on taking more time out of the day for me.  Sure I run almost everyday but I would like to take some time to journal more, do yoga, take a walk outside, etc.  I also have trouble sleeping.   I usually go to bed at a decent time but struggle sometimes (not all) to get get a good night’s rest and I dont always feel refreshed in the morning.  Don’t make fun of me, but I bought an eye mask (it doesnt say “DIVA” on it or anything don’t worry haha) and that has helped a lot.  Maybe having more of a nightly ritual to help myself wind down and get in the “sleep” mindset could help? hmmm… I’ll ponder that one.

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Tagged as: do not diet, drink water, eat in moderation, eat more often, eat simply, womens healthy magazine