5 Tips To Help You Create A Healthier Lifestyle You Simply LOVE!
When we created our healthier lifestyle, we realized there were 5 key elements we had to implement in order to make not only our healthier lifestyle a success but to also make our weight loss sustainable.
1. Truth: Honesty is key. We spent so many years lying to ourselves about our bad eating habits, our lack of activity, and our growing waist size and larger clothes. We had to stop accepting our excuses and be honest about what we were doing, what we were NOT doing, & what we would have to do to change our lives.
2. Tracking: This is also a key component & ties directly into being honest with our selves. It was key for us to track or keep a food/activity journal daily. Maintaining our food log helped us to see our daily food consumption and activity. It gave us a written record of our daily efforts. If we did not see results at the end of the week, we were able to review our logs and make the necessary adjustments. Our log kept us honest & focused on our goal of not only losing the weight but also our goal of creating a sustainable & healthier lifestyle.
3. Activity: Simply, No Excuses! We don’t say exercise because exercise sounds like a chore. We all know how we feel about chores! They get done when we feel like doing them. Activity, on the other hand, was a shift in perspective. Activity was anything from traditional exercises to housework, yard work, & even playing sports with our kids. Truth is, you cannot lead a healthier lifestyle without it. It is important to elevate your heart rate at least 30 minutes a day. Not only will your heart & lungs appreciate it, your mind, body, & spirit will to.
4. Fiber & Protein (INSERT QUEST!): The USDA recommends women get in about 25g per day & men get in 30g per day. Making sure you get in the proper amount of fiber has numerous benefits, including helping you stay regular, keeping you feeling full throughout the day, helping you to control blood sugar & blood cholesterol levels, as well as, aiding in your weight loss. Most Americans get in about 2g-10g per day. We must do a better job to ensure we live & lead healthier lives. This is the MAIN reason why we LOVE our quest bars! They are perfect when it comes down to providing our bodies with the right nutrition. Each bar provides you double digits in protein & fiber! The only food that matches that is beans! THANK YOU QUEST!
5. Proper Hydration: Boy, did we struggle with this one! It can be difficult making a shift from drinking sodas & sugary beverages to drinking more water to ensure you are getting in the proper hydration. The key for us was to understand the vital role water was to our healthier lifestyle and weight loss. We ditched the soft drinks & sugary drinks and increased our daily water intake. While we still enjoy our morning cup of coffee and unsweetened tea, however, we DRINK WATER! Water does a body good!
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