Five Healthy Habits for the New Year, New you!

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 healthy habits

Happy New Year! As you know the beginning of a new year is the start of a new you. The most common New Years resolution is to lose weight and to eat better. I am sure we have all been there, researched the new crazy diets that are out, cut out any and everything that is unhealthy and hit the gym. Change doesn’t happen over night and it needs to be a lifestyle change. Here are 5 healthy habits you can live by to help jump start a better you.

Habit 1: Eat every 2 to 4 hours
Yes, you can eat and lose weight! Eating every 2 to 4 hours helps stimulate your metabolism and balance your blood sugar. Eating more often means you will be eating smaller meals each time. Remember, every time you eat is another opportunity to make your body better or worse.

Habit 2: Eat lean protein each feeding opportunity
Protein helps you feel full, longer. The amount of protein should be about the size of your palm. Eating a complete protein at EACH feeding will help improve muscle mass, make an easier recovery from a workout, and reduce body fat! Greek yogurt, hard boiled eggs, and string cheese are all great examples.

Habit 3: Eat Vegetables with each feeding
Yes, the dreaded vegetables. You can get creative with these because they are very important as they are loaded with vitamins and minerals. Try to consume at least 2 servings each time you eat. Fruits are ok, but remember many fruits contain a high amount of sugar, so try not to consume at each meal.

Habit 4: Eat carbs after a workout
What a great motivation for a workout! If you eat carbs 1 to 2 hours after a workout your body will break them down a lot quicker. This habit could get tricky depending on your goals and amount of activity you do during the day. Watch your portion sizes and think of this as more of a controlled carb; eating carbs when your body can better handle them.

Habit 5: Eat healthy fats
No this doesn’t mean deep fried bananas. These fats will come from animal fats like eggs, dairy, butter or cheese. Olive oil, nuts and nut butters, or avocado are great resources for fat. Also taking a supplement like fish oil, or flax seeds will also count towards your fat count. 30% of your diet should come from fat.

Here is to a healthy 2018!

1 COMMENT

  1. Thank you for these wonderful suggestions! Big fan of the “grazing” style, keeps meals and portions generally smaller, and “hanger” is always kept away. Great to know about carbs after workout.

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