5 Healthy Habits to Start Today
"You gotta nourish to flourish."
Guest blog by: Caroline Collins
Now that January is over, how are those New Year’s Resolutions coming along?! Did you set yourself up with nutritional goals for 2018? Check out these 5 easy habits you can start today to keep you on track for a strong and healthy year!
1. Ditch the Screen
Are you someone who likes to switch on Netflix and continue last night’s binge watch sesh while you eat lunch? Or do you like to scroll through Instagram in the morning while you eat your eggs? Developing the habit of mindful eating without any tablet, phone, or TV distractions has major benefits. Turning off the screen will help you focus on your meal and have a more fulfilling eating experience. This means eating slower, realizing when you’re full, being aware of your surroundings, and enjoying the taste of your food more.
2. Add Some Color
Veggies, veggies, and more veggies! Pile on as many veggies as you want onto your plate. The more colorful, the better. Vegetables give us such a wide variety of our vital micronutrients. Try signing up for a local CSA (community supported agriculture) share! Weekly boxes of vegetables right from a farm = less grocery shopping = #goals.
Plus, with a weekly delivery, you will always have something on hand to throw into that soup or stir-fry you’re meal prepping this weekend :)
3. Change Up Dessert
If you’re like me and have a serious sweet tooth, it can be very difficult to resist the office candy jar or eating a pint of Ben & Jerry’s after dinner. Depriving yourself will only lead to binges later, so instead of totally cutting out your treats, try substituting with something a little healthier and less processed.
For example, make some casein protein pudding with nut butter or have a little greek yogurt with fruit for an after-dinner delight. Small decreases in sugary, processed foods can have a huge impact on your nutrition goals.
4. Drink More H20
Staying hydrated will help keep your energy levels up and can lead to more healthy eating choices.
Just drinking a cup more of water per day led to individuals in this study eating up to 205 less calories each day. So before scarfing down that third (or fourth) slice of ‘za, drink a glass of water first and see if you’re still hungry for that extra serving.
Studies say you should drink your weight in water. So if you weigh 150 lbs, it might be beneficial to also drink that many ounces of water a day. Not only will you feel good, but it also will help restore your skin cells, reverse bags beneath your eyes and curb those cravings for processed carbs during the day.
5. Up Your Protein
How much protein do you eat each day? Chances are high that you aren’t getting enough, and you should really be aiming to include more protein and healthy fats in your diet.
Protein helps you stay full for longer, helps you recover from your workouts, and aids numerous cell functions in your body and can be used as a fuel alternative throughout the day instead of carbohydrates (although, remember carbs are not always the enemy!)
If you’re doing any sort of high-intensity training, shoot for 64% to 90% of your body weight in grams of protein each day. For example, a 140 lb CrossFitter would want to consume 90 - 126 grams of protein per day.
Now go and crush your goals!! And if you have any questions, shoot them to me at: chcollins126@gmail.com // CFL1 // Pn1 // http://m2nutrition.com/