{"id":9483,"date":"2018-01-12T16:56:43","date_gmt":"2018-01-12T23:56:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/iheartthenewme.com\/?p=9483"},"modified":"2021-09-11T20:48:39","modified_gmt":"2021-09-12T02:48:39","slug":"healthiest-year-ever","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iheartthenewme.com\/healthiest-year-ever\/","title":{"rendered":"Have Your Healthiest Year Ever"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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My favorite part about this time of year? All the excitement around improving health and wellness. Whether you want to eat better, commit to a fitness program, stress less, it\u2019s a time for new beginnings. That means it\u2019s time for new year\u2019s resolutions, fresh starts, and healthy changes. Not only do most of us take a good look at what we\u2019re eating but we also need to evaluate our lives as a whole. There are so many elements that go into making your life healthy and happy. Fitness, stress management, and diet are just a few. Even if it\u2019s incorporating something new every month, I can promise you these small changes will make a difference. Taking it one step at a time is the key to lasting success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are a few ideas to incorporate into your efforts:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Go to bed earlier. <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Make sleep a priority<\/a> this new year. Try going to bed 20 minutes earlier or turning off the screens an hour before you go to bed. Keep your room tranquil. Are you too hot? Too cold? Do you like to snuggle under the covers? Do it! In the summer I like to leave my windows open with a fan. I cannot sleep without covers no matter what. Do what it takes for you to relax and not think about your stress. Take a hot bath, sip some tea and turn off your devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Never leave home without your water bottle.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On days where I stay hydrated throughout the day, I feel more focused and awake \u2014 and less likely to reach for that afternoon snack.\u00a0 Always have water available. Keep a water bottle at your desk, in your car, in the fridge, ready to grab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jennie\u00a0from\u00a0Colorado Springs Fit Body Boot Camp\u00a0says, \u201cEveryone is always asking me for a \u201cmagic pill\u201d for weight loss. It amazes me the amount of money people spend on supplements and pills without first doing the most important step of making sure they are drinking enough water. Water makes your body work better! It flushes toxins out of your system, hydrates your joints, makes your brain sharper, and makes your skin look better. These are just a few of the benefits. Water is the ultimate \u201cmagic pill\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be consistent and enjoy your exercise.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m not going to tell you that you should be getting some exercise, because\u2026 duh. You know that. Aim to do strength training at least twice a week, in addition to your cardio workouts. But why don\u2019t you try a new kind of work out this new year?  You might be super comfortable with what you\u2019re doing right now but you can find fun classes to try (even for free!) everywhere. Yoga, dance, boot camp<\/a>\u2026there are lots of choices! I actually found my boot camp class on Groupon. The first 3 classes were free, but I was hooked after 1. Go for a hike or a bike ride. Enjoy the outdoors. Make it a priority to do something you enjoy and doesn\u2019t feel like a chore.  There are even dance classes online that look super fun. Think of something you\u2019ve always wanted to try. Try a tennis lesson, go to the batting cages, swim! Find a buddy to join you. Just move your body and have fun doing it. Frequently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Add in strength training.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Strength or resistance exercises help to increase preserve muscle mass and increase fat loss.. And if you\u2019re thinking that you simply don\u2019t have the time to exercise then try breaking it up into multiple sessions a day. For example in just 10 minutes you can walk a thousand steps which is 10% of our daily target, or you could do some squats or lunges to add to that as well!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good nutrition is just one part of a healthy lifestyle. Another component of health and fitness is exercise. If you lead a sedentary lifestyle, you need to get out and get moving. If you want to lose weight, it is important to increase aerobic activities like walking or running. If you need to increase your strength, then you need to start resistance training such as lifting weights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow the 80\/20 rule.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is one of my personal goals for this year. Depriving yourself of treats 100% of the time just isn\u2019t sustainable. The main point is to eat healthy 80% of the time and be more relaxed with your diet the other 20%. It makes it easier to stick to your plan. You\u2019re less likely to fail if you plan for indulgences. But just because you\u2019re eating well 80% of the time, that doesn\u2019t mean you should use the other 20 to go on an all out binge. You should still watch your portion sizes and be somewhat conscious of the sugar and fat content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve pretty much had the \u201call or nothing\u201d attitude for most of my life. Big mistake if you\u2019re trying to get back in shape or lose weight. Try eating healthy Monday through Friday and be a little less strict on the weekends. If you do eat bad, don\u2019t let it ruin your whole day. A few unhealthy meals aren\u2019t going to ruin your body the same way a handful of healthy meals aren\u2019t going to give you a six pack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eat your greens every day.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m a huge believer in eating some form of greens (usually some sort of salad) at almost every single meal. It may sound extreme to some of you, but I promise that once you start, you\u2019ll be hooked! Eat a big salad for lunch, grill some asparagus with olive oil and garlic at dinner, and for breakfast make a spinach quiche. There are so many possibilities. You don\u2019t need to try a fancy diet; just eat as many vegetables as you can every day. Leafy greens are extremely low in calories, yet super high in nutrients. If you make them the base of your lunch and dinner you\u2019ll definitely feel a difference this new year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people notice an immediate and very noticeable energy boost when they start including more leafy greens in their diet.  That is because leafy greens contain magnesium and B Vitamins which most people are severely lacking in their diets. When I have had periods of not eating my greens \u2013 I have noticed that I have a lot less energy and start to crave foods like chocolate and sweets on a regular basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stop feeling guilty.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Feeling guilty about what you ate (or didn\u2019t eat) does more harm to your mind and body than the extra serving of french fries or slice of pecan pie. Time to kiss guilt goodbye for good, especially since it\u2019s completely counterproductive and serves no forward moving purpose. Let it go!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boost your mood. <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It happens to all of us at some point or another: we feel stuck, or can\u2019t seem to shake that blah feeling. Arm yourself with some easy and fun ways to get unstuck and reinvigorated, even when you want to hide under the covers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boost your immunity. <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s hard to feel your best unless you make your own health a full blown priority. By using colorful (and delicious!) food and other non-traditional methods to add to your immune-boosting routine, you can give yourself some extra TLC all year long. Boosting immunity is especially important right now with all that\u2019s going on in the world. Several small tips include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n