Now that spring is here, it’s the perfect time to start some new healthy habits. The weather is warmer, our clothes are lighter, and there’s lots of outside activities and social events. It’s time to get motivated! We all want to look better, but even more than that, we want to feel healthier and have more energy to enjoy all the fun plans for this spring and summer.
Today, I’m sharing with you my plans for trying to live a healthier lifestyle. Keep in mind that I am not a dietician or nutritionist. These are just some improvements I’m trying to make for me and my hubby. Feel free to try these for yourself and your family, but make adjustments for your own individual health needs.
SET GOALS FOR HEALTHY LIVING
As an example, here are my goals for healthier living this season:
Have a positive attitude. As I mentioned in my previous post, How To Get More Done With Less Stress, I’m trying to have a more positive outlook and, therefore, have less stress. This also means I will try not to think about stressful things at bedtime, so I can sleep better.
Exercise more. I’m going to make exercising a priority and exercise at least five days a week for 30 minutes each time. Also, me and my hubby are taking walks every evening after dinner. This is in addition to my morning workouts.
Healthier meals and snacks. This will include foods from all the food groups.
Healthier breakfasts – Some of my favorites are oatmeal, cereal with fruit, yogurt with berries and granola, scrambled eggs with toast and fruit on the side.
Healthier lunches – Some of my favorites are salads with greens, meat, cheese, fresh fruit, and lite dressing. I also like sandwiches with turkey or ham, sliced tomato, lettuce, and fruit on the side.
Healthier dinners – Some of my favorites are fish, chicken, pork, or lean red meat. Include sides like baked potatoes or rice, and a vegetable or salad. Add fresh fruit for dessert.
Healthier snacks – My favorites are fresh fruit, yogurt, graham crackers or animal crackers, or healthy 100 calorie/bag popcorn. I’m going to try to eat more fruits and veggies, especially for snacks.
Eat small meals and snacks throughout the day. I’m what you’d call a “grazer”. I love to eat several times throughout the day or I get really hungry. To do that and not gain weight, I’m going to try to watch my portion sizes.
Drink lots of water. This helps me feel fuller so I’ll eat less. Besides, water is also great for skin. I’m aiming for 8 glasses a day, throughout the day.
Conquer cravings. Oh, this is a tough one. I absolutely love all things with sugar. If I try to cut out all sweets, I will just crave it even more. So, once a day, but not in the evening close to bedtime, I will let myself have a sweet treat of about 100-200 calories and no more. So, if I get a craving for something, I just tell myself to wait till the next treat time, and it’s much easier to resist.
No late night eating. Whenever I eat at night, it shows up on the scale the next day. It also makes me feel sluggish the next day. So, I will avoid late night eating. I will, however, eat a small healthy snack around 7:30 like grapes, an apple, yogurt, or healthy popcorn. I will just keep it light. I also love hot decaf tea in the evening.
Eat less sugar and salt. Besides a small treat, I will try to cut out sugar as much as possible. I will also try to cut back on salty snacks and added salt in our dinners.
Those are my healthy living goals for this spring and summer. How about you? How do you change your health habits in the spring? Please let me know in the comments below!
Till next time, have a wonderful day!