Tips for Healthy Body, Healthy You
After having a holistic nutritionist speak to our group this week, it got me thinking about every day changes we can all make in not only our diet but our lifestyles. I personally learned a lot from Caryn O’Sullivan and even though some things I already knew (like always drinks lots of water!), I still came away with a reminder to do so. So here are some tips to keep you going and keep you healthy during this season and throughout the year:
1. Eat Seasonally and Locally-When Caryn told us to look for seasonal and local foods, I thought about it at my grocery trip to the store this week. I was with both of my children and we played a game: ‘Find the abundance! Find the cheapest vegetables!’ We raced around the fruit and veggie area and found an aisle brimming with greens. Dark, leafy and hearty greens. They were practically spilling over the cases. My daughter pointed, ‘Woa Mom! Look—so much green!’ And so I began to load my cart up with kale and cabbage. Then right next to it were the loads of potatoes and sweet potatoes. We grab a bunch of those. Then we looked over at the plentiful and colorful squash and we grabbed a spaghetti squash and acorn squash. Caryn was right. The most seasonal and local veggies were stocked up fully and they were cheaper than I expected them to be. Now I’ve got to actually cook this stuff!
2. Dark Greens attach to fat and wash it away—What?! A way to make the fat disappear by EATING! I’m on it! When Caryn told this to our group, I decided to eat way more greens than usual. Apparently kale will literally strip that fat away! And the slight bitterness of the green will help cleanse the body inside and out. Sounds good to me! Tonight I’ll be sautéing my kale!
3. Breakfast Food Test Will Help with Energy-We really are individuals and everyone’s body reacts differently to different foods. Caryn had a suggestion to do a 7 day breakfast test. Each day have a different thing for breakfast. See how you feel an hour or two after eating. Are you still hungry? Still satisfied? Low energy? High energy? Some of us will do well on eggs and other protein. Others will sustain more energy by consuming a big bowl of oatmeal. Depends upon your body. So try it out. I have noticed that I feel so much better in the morning when I have high protein after working out.
4. Water, water, water-This should go without saying but water keeps everything moving through you. It also enriches your skin and helps wash toxins away. Drink as much water as you can during the day. Drink it slowly. Drink it at room temperature for better absorption. If you need your daily cup of caffeine, then make sure to follow it up with 2 cups of water.
5. Minimize intake of artificial sweeteners—Too much can trigger your craving for something really sweet like cake or ice cream. Also, a little bit of real sugar will not be as bad to your diet as you think. But the artificial sweeteners may possibly do long term damage.
6. Keep a food journal. Pay attention to what you are putting in your mouth. Many of you are already doing this if you are participating in the ‘Biggest Loser’ contest. It really shows you what you are eating and what makes you feel better or worse.
7. Get More Sleep!-I know, I know-this is the toughest for the moms in the group who have to be up with their 2 year old at 5am since they think that it’s time to start the day! But I thought about it and realized that I was seriously sleep-deprived. So I have been getting into bed around 9:30ish and I’ve been trying to be asleep by 10pm. I know, it sounds early. But to get at least 7 hours, this is key. If you don’t have a kid waking you up at all hours of the early morning, then even getting to bed before 11pm can help. Just try to force yourself in bed earlier than usual. It’s a good feeling to get much needed sleep.
Liz Samuel
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