Simplify Your Life and Start Living: Through Healthy Eating

So here we are in last week of January already; how are you doing with your New Year’s Resolution?  Are you still hitting the gym as much as you said you would?  How about cutting back on those carbs and sweets?

It’s not easy to stick with these kinds of promises that we make to ourselves, believe me, I’ve been there!  And I promise to you, that I’m not here to make you feel bad if you haven’t succeeded in keeping up with them.  Today I actually want to focus on making a the transition to a healthier you a little easier.

Are you aware that research has shown that it takes at least 30 days for a new behavior to become a habit.  So really you don’t have anything to worry about, it’s only the 28th! :)But in all honesty, it takes time to make a transition to a new lifestyle, especially when building a new exercise regimen for yourself or transitioning to a healthier way of eating.

[Tweet “These FIVE tips will help you to ease into your goal of healthy eating. @breemarie83”]

No. 1 – Eat the Rainbow
And no, I don’t mean that a handful of Skittles are now a balanced meal!  I mean that by selecting a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables to incorporate into your meals, you will be receiving the vitamins and nutrients your body needs to blast away those love handles!Blueberries are great in smoothies – check out my Blueberry Kale recipe (don’t knock it til you try it!)

No. 2 – Follow the Pyramid
Remember that pyramid the health teacher told you about back in elementary school?  It wasn’t just used just because she likes ancient Egypt, it’s because it’s a workable resource to remind you what types and how much of each kind of food group you should be including in your diet.

Need a reminder of what and how much should be packed in tomorrow’s lunch?  See this image.

No. 3 – Portioned by Hand
Did you know that there is a great rule of thumb (pun absolutely intended!) that the portions that you eat can all be measured within your hand?  Unless you’re Shaquille O’Neil, your fist size is roughly the equivalent of 1 cup.  The size of your palm is approximately 3 oz. (the portion size of protein you should be limiting yourself to during meals) and the tip of your thumb (from knuckle to tip) is the typically the amount of oils, mayonnaise, butter or sugar you should use within a recipe.

Want a “handy” chart that will help you keep from overdoing it?  See this image.

No. 4 – Drink Water
Most of us have heard the rule that we should be consuming eight glasses of water a day.  For those who aren’t a fan of water or are afraid of the number of trips to restroom they’ll be taking, this is a hard rule to follow.  Drinking water is really important, no matter how much you like or dislike the taste. It helps to regulate your body temperature, keeps you from becoming dehydrated (which can cause headaches, muscle cramps and even death).  Water consumption also helps to rid your body of the non-essential things that we put into our bodies (because they taste good).  

Download this great chart to help you keep track of your daily water intake.  See this image.

No. 5 – Not all Fads are Worth Trying
There are so many fad diets out there now, that you could probably try a new one each week for the rest of your life and still not lose the weight you’ve been hoping to shed or increase your health.  Do your research before trying any new diet and consider speaking to your family physician or a health coach, to ensure you are selecting a safe method of eating for your lifestyle.  

Read more about alternative options for healthy eating below…

Journey to Paleo  |  Transitioning to a Healthier Diet  |  Healthy Snack Alternatives

[Tweet “5 Tips for transitioning to Eating Healthy + great resources for getting started! @breemarie83”]

In my own journey of eating healthy and changing my lifestyle, I have come across a few different resources that have helped me to keep motivated and on the right track.My Fitness Pal – if you have been counting calories and using a calculator – STOP! Go to myfitnesspal.com or download the mobile app to begin recording your daily intake of calories, as well as the amount of water consumed and any exercise.

If you cannot find what you’re eating (though the site has a great treasury of items) it can be added manually.

A fitness plan can be established to determine how many pounds you wish to lose in a period of time and it sets a healthy number of calories that your diet should be limited to in order for you to achieve your goal weight.  There is also a great forum for questions and to network with others!

fitbit – Have you ever worn a pedometer?  Did you often get out on the road and mid-jog to only realize that it was still sitting on the counter at home?

With fitbit (especially the Flex and Force) you won’t have to worry about that happening ever again.  With the pedometer that you wear on your wrist, you are able to easily track your number of steps and even upgrade your plan to remind you to get moving if you’ve been sedentary too long!

There’s also a dashboard, very similar to My Fitness Pal that also allows you to record your intake and out-take of calories, or you can simply connect the two sites to sync with one another.

I’ve had my fitbit Flex since August and I love it!  I wear mine day/night and even in the shower!

And to get yourself started on the right foot…