Healthy Lifestyles for Successful Living

by | Jan 7, 2016

We live in a microwave, drive-through society.  We want quick fixes for everything with little effort and no sacrifice expended.  We want to take a magic pill to lose 15 pounds yesterday.  Quick fixes may work for a time but are rarely permanent, always come with side effects, and don’t produce lasting change.

Creating healthy lifestyle habits doesn’t have to be complicated or painful.  You just have to take one step then another then another.   You can make three changes to your life to incorporate a healthier lifestyle: clean eating, exercise, and restful sleep.

To Eat Clean, here are a few tips to get you started:

  • Eat five to six small meals a day: make two of them protein drinks.
  • Try to combine your proteins, carbohydrates and a small amount of fat with each meal.
  • Say good-bye to high fructose corn syrup and excessive sugar; they will sabotage your goals.  These all break down to sugar in your body and too much sugar turns to fat.
  • Drink lots of water.  A well hydrated body is more metabolically functional.
  • Watch your portions.  Use a scale or measure your meals to avoid overeating.

If weight loss is your goal, consume foods that have a thermogenic effect on your body so include plenty of fibrous vegetables and lean protein: chicken breast, turkey, fish and egg whites are great choices.

To Exercise – Just Move:

Physical exercise enhances more than just your appearance.  It improves your mood, increases energy, helps with weight loss, and combats diseases.  Adherence is the key so chose something that is viable for you, make it fun and stay consistent.  Options:

  • Walk, run or bike 3-4 times a week
  • Check out the local swimming pool at your local parks or recreation
  • Join a gym – nothing changes the body like weight training
  • Find a class you enjoy and take it: Pilates, Bootcamp, Yoga, Spin

The last component to this healthy lifestyle trifecta is sleep.  Sad to say that as a nation most Americans are sleep-deprived and the consequences are alarming: decreased performance,  diminished alertness, impaired memory, and increase in stress levels which contribute to a poor quality of life.

To Enhance Sleep:

  • Reduce caffeine intake
  • Turn off all electronic devices an hour prior to bedtime
  • Minimize all lights in your bedroom
  • Create healthy bedtime routines: reading, praying, deep breathing exercises

The most successful people in life have certain habits built in to their daily routines.  If you can develop these three habits, you will see dramatic changes in your life.

Rita Hudgens
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