Healthy
choices really can make all the difference. Around the end of October I got off
of my normal sleeping, working out, eating, and all around being healthy
schedule. Let me just say it is so much easier to break a habit than it is to
create one – it seems like for me it takes about two weeks for a new habit to
become natural to me and probably 5 days to break it. In October I had a lot of
family obligations, then the holidays rolled around, then I used the worst
excuse of all – “it’s cold I start being healthy when it warms back up” and so
the snowball started rolling down the hill. Let me just say I so regretted
using all of those excuses when March rolled around – healthy habits really do
make all the difference in the world.
In April
I made a point to workout at least three times a week, I cut coke out of my
diet with the exceptions of the weekend {love the sugar rush of Coca-Cola…}, stopped
drinking as much wine, and started making healthier eating decisions. This week
I have made a point to go to bed earlier than I normally would, and the
combination together makes an unbelievable amount of difference, and as an
added bonus my clothes fit better and my eyes aren’t puffy.
Water//
Kind of a no-brainer here, but once you stop drinking the recommend amount of
water a day you start to crave soda and other such drinks and you lose your
acquired taste for water. Drinking a good amount of water is probably one of
the easiest healthy habits to develop mainly because your body starts to crave
it and you can immediately tell a difference within a day or two.
Sleep//
This is most definitely one of the hardest ‘healthy habits’ for me to adhere
by. I’ll take a shower around 9:30 or 10:00 and then my mind will start going
through a mental list and before you know it I have done 20 little things and looked
up random thought that pop into my mind on the internet and all of a sudden it
12:30 or 1:00 and I am wide awake. This week I have put my computer in my
closet so it is out of reach {yes, I am that weak when it comes to using my
computer that I have to remove the temptation from sight}, and after I take a
shower I get straight into bed red a book for 30 minutes or an hour and then
turn the lights off and drift off to sleep. Just let me say, getting a good
nights reason and going to bed at a reasonable time sets such a better tone for
the entire day.
Eating//
Sometimes eating can be the hardest one to address because it is a vehicle to
be social with friends and restaurants serve such large portions; I mean
seriously, an entrée at some restaurants could feed a family of 4, which is ridiculous.
The two tactics I have found that work best for me when eating out is to either
order an appetizer, because at most restaurants an appetizer can easily be substituted
for an entrée and it is a reasonable size for one person, or I order a fish
dish because I feel like it’s healthy and it does not sit heavy. But of course
if it is a special occasion go ahead and splurge – in my book calories don’t exist
on holidays, birthdays, vacations, and special occasions.
Working
Out// The trick to working out is finding 1) the correct workout time for you
{some prefer morning, some prefer night}, 2) finding a workout the you look
forward to whether it be a class or a workout machine 3) concentrating on all
of the positive benefits you reap: i.e. mentally more alert, happier, more in
tune to what’s going on, etc. I usually do the elliptical, go for a walk
outside, or do a yoga class. I prefer to workout in the morning because it’s
easier for me to get it out of the way during that time of day and I can
concentrate on different things through out the day much better than if I
didn’t workout.
Yoga or
Mediation// I usually go to yoga once or twice a week and I am ashamed to say,
but I haven’t had the chance to go in a couple weeks… definitely need to start
going again this coming week. When you have a chance to go to yoga or do a
mediation and just be in a relaxed/calming state it makes your mind feel such
much more centers, organized, and like things are such a big deal; in short it
gives you to opportunity to center yourself for the day and put things in
perspective.
great!
ReplyDeletewww.bstylevoyage.blogspot.com
Thank you :)
Delete