In a world before the craziness and uncertainty, putting your health first may not have been the biggest priority. Now that society is changing, it is important to be more conscious of the choices we make for our bodies and overall well-being. Using the time at home to slowly create a healthier lifestyle for yourself is a great way to feel productive, in control of your life, and maintain a more positive attitude in general! Luckily, there are 5 healthy changes you can make today that are not only simple, but very effective!
1. DAILY STRETCH
Stretching in the morning is an amazing way to wake up the muscles of the body and prepare yourself for the day. This is not only an amazing way to ease yourself into your daily activities, but prevent injuries in the future. Aches and pains that we feel for seemingly no reason at all could be avoided by loosening up the muscles from the night before with morning stretches. If you experience joint pain or stiffness during the day, a daily stretch can make a drastic change!
Increasing flexibility and mobility of the muscles in the body can prevent future sciatica problems later in life. Sciatica is an example of one of the many complications that can come from sitting in one position for too long without proper stretching and realigning. If a nerve gets pinched or receives unwanted pressure, excruciating pains may evolve into possible immobility. Take 5 minutes every day to stretch out your body and really lengthen your spine. Relieving tension every day is an easy way to be healthier and make a positive change for your overall health.
2. CUT OUT THE BREAD
I know cutting out bread may seem absolutely impossible! It is actually easier than you think to cut down on the amount of bread and white grains you are putting into your body. These grains found in crackers and pastas can make you feel lethargic as well as prevent you from losing the extra pounds that you have been wanting to drop. These grains may be the culprit for your extra chub, so if all the crazy diets fail, give this easy trick a try.
Next time you want to make hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, or even veggie burgers, see if you can try and eat it without the bun! Avoid making dinners that would require an excess amount of grains like French bread pizzas or meatball heroes. Switching the pasta once in a while for a healthy spaghetti squash may be the trick to dropping the extra weight. Trying a grilled veggie dish instead may not be exactly the same, but its an easy switch that tastes great! You don't have to go cold turkey and cut out all the carbs in your life, but simply eating your sandwiches without the bread may be the simple trick you were looking for to increase your energy and drop the stubborn pounds.
3. DRINK LEMON WATER
I dare you to take the challenge and see how your skin, hair, and nails change over time. Water is what helps the body function properly, so depriving it could be detrimental. I recommend getting a water bottle that fits 64oz or 32oz of water so that you can easily track how much you have been drinking. Lemon water is an amazing way to still get your desired water intake for the day, but amp it up to the next level.
Lemon is a great source of vitamin C and acts as an antioxidant in your system. The juice from about 4 lemons would cover the recommended amount of vitamin per day, so you shouldn’t rely only on lemon water for your nutrients. Lemon is said to promote weight loss and healthy digestion while increasing the appearance of the skin. Dropping a lemon wedge or two into your water every day is a quick change that can truly make a noticeable difference in the way that you look and feel!
4. AVOID DRINKING SODA
I know that a nice cold Dr. Pepper may sound irresistible, but the negative effects of soda are worse than you believe. Sugary drinks in general such as sugar loaded coffees and sodas are an instant way to put on pounds and keep them there. The liver undergoes great stress when trying to metabolize the sugar and may convert it directly to fat! There is zero nutritional value found in sugary soda, so it only offers negative effects. The cellulite you have been self-conscious about for years will only get worse if sugary drinks are a normal occurrence.
Soda can be dangerous in excess because it is a leading cause of type 2 diabetes. Opting for a glass of water instead may be the cure to your uphill battle for weight loss and a flat tummy.
5. TV SHOW FITNESS TRICK
This tip is one of my favorites because it is a way to force myself to get off of the couch. If you hate working out for extended periods of time try and do the TV Show Workout. If you are watching a show with commercials, use the commercial break to do a medium to high intensity workout like jumping jacks, leg lifts, jump squats etc. for the entirety of the break. It normally lasts for about 3 minutes and is enough to make you sweat just enough.
During your next binge watch session in between every episode, take a 20-minute break to do some squats, crunches, or other no-weight exercises. I know it may be hard to get up off of the couch, but it is an easy way to get an hour workout in without feeling like you are putting in much work.
Simply changing small aspects of your life and unhealthy habits are a great place to start your fitness journey. There is no better time to work on your health than now! If you are feeling lost on How to Increase Your Motivation, Click Here!
Making small changes to your lifestyle is a great way to see long term results and maintain them over time instead of quickly depriving your body to achieve your short-term goals. Crash diets and excessive workouts may be putting more stress on your body than it can handle, so taking the time to start slow and make simple changes may be the best decision for you. Starting a fitness journey is scary and you’ll be afraid to fail, but allowing yourself to see your small successes might be exactly what you need to push you further down the path to your goals!
With Love,
April Ann