Little Changes
October 2, 2016 -
For the past few years, I’ve been working towards a healthier, and more well rounded lifestyle. I’m not going to lie, it can be really difficult at times, and it’s easy to lose motivation. Personally, I’ve had my fair share of moments where I felt as if I had fallen off of the tracks, and have felt extremely guilty for skipping a day at the gym, or eating something that I wasn’t supposed to. In these moments, however, it’s so important to remember that is all about making gradual changes, and slowly incorporating healthier habits into your life.
I always find that it takes me about two weeks to make or break a habit, so keep in mind that when changing your lifestyle, the first few weeks are going to be the hardest. It is so important to come up with a diet that is going to fit your nutritional needs, and make you feel your best. Personally, I try not to limit myself to any set eating guidelines. I’ve been there before; I’ve basically tried all of the diets, and while some of them made me feel better than others, there was always a bit of underlying stress, and I felt as if I was missing out on some of the dishes that my friends and family got to indulge on. Rather than completely restricting certain food categories from your life, I recommend eating healthy for the majority of the time, but also listening to your body, and indulging in moderation. Personally, I try to stick to a plant based diet 90% of the time. I tend to look and feel my best when I’m eating this way, and exercising, so I try to stick to it. If I’m ever feeling that I’m lacking energy, I’ll go for a bit of protein, and if I ever have a sweet tooth, rather than trying to suppress that feeling, I’ll just have a smaller portion of that sweet, and save the rest for another day. I find that whenever I try to limit myself to only certain foods, I tend to crave the ones that I can’t have even more, and then when I finally have them, I eat more.
In addition to adjusting your diet, it’s also important to have a little bit of routine in the day. In general, I like to set a timeline throughout the day, and plan out when I’m going to eat. That way, I feel less inclined to snack, and better throughout the day. I usually try to have breakfast by 9 or 10, lunch at around 1 or 2, and dinner between 6 and 7. By setting specific eating times, our bodies are able to get used to a routine, and it is easier to stay away from snacking throughout the day.
Lastly, I find it so important to include some form of exercise into my daily routine. I try to do at least 40 minutes of cardio each day, as well as some other strengthening exercises. I find that when I do this, I feel better about myself, and stronger throughout the day. On days that I don’t make it to the gym, I try to walk a little more. I like to keep track of how much I’m walking each day on my phone, and on the days that I don’t make it to the gym, I try to walk an extra 1-2 miles.
By incorporating these healthy habits into your life, you can both look and feel your best. It is so important to remember that what may work for one person, might not work for another, so experiment with different foods and lifestyles a little bit, and find what works best for you.
-sb
