Small pieces to the health puzzle…

Need a few quick tips to keep you going through your workouts?  Here are a few things I continuously keep on my radar to ensure I can get through my workouts without feeling tired or bored.

1. Get yours zzz’s.  Sleeping is vital to ensure you feel refreshed.  It helps get you through the whole day, and that includes your workout!  Try to get 7-8 full hours of sleep each night.

2. Stretch.  Just do it.  Even if you are short on time, stretch before and after your workout.  If you don’t think it will help, read last week’s post and it’ll help convince you! 🙂

3. Eat more fiber.  Your body will thank you now and later.  I promise!

4. Drink water, and plenty of it.  What is plenty?  At least 64 ounces each day! That’s eight 8 oz. glasses.  It’s easy.  Spread it out throughout the day…before meals, with meals, and between meals.  Trust me, it’s worth it.  Drinking plenty of water also helps give you a full feeling in your stomach, typically causing you to eat less.

5. Make your meals rather than eating out or on the run.  You eat less healthy food when you eat on the fly.  You tell me you don’t have time to make food?  Pre-plan and pre-make food ahead of time.  Fruits and veggies can easily be sliced and put in a container with water and lemon juice to keep them fresh, sandwiches can be pre-made, whole wheat crackers are an easy throw in.  No excuses!!

6. Find a way to control your stress.  I cannot emphasize this one enough.  Stress is not good for your mind or body.  What’s my way to destress?  Working out and exercising, of course! 🙂

7. Drink…water, not lots of sugary drinks and alcoholic beverages.  Bummer, right?  Not necessarily.  I am not saying give them up, just don’t over do it.  Everything in moderation!

8. Try to limit how often you let your sweet tooth win AND find sweets that are “healthy” sweets.  I sound crazy, right?!  Not exactly.  For example, eat a slice of whole wheat bread with Nutella or cinnamon sugar, chocolate mousse pudding, strawberries dipped in dark chocolate, etc. rather than a huge bowl of cookie dough ice cream or chocolate cake.

9. Exercise regularly.  Not when you want to lose weight or because swimsuit season is coming.  Those are great motivators, but exercising and maintaining your health is a continuous process.  You can’t “diet” for a month, decide to go off the diet, and then back to your previous eating habits and expect to keep your results.  You have to watch what you eat all the time.  You don’t have to restrict your diet of all sugars or all carbs, but eat in moderation instead.  You also can’t decide that you want to lose 20 pounds and then decide it’s time to start walking everyday or going to the gym.  Exercise is a life long commitment.  Why?  Because exercise and eating properly keep your body happy and healthy.  I promise.

These are little things I try to remember.  Not things I just occasionally think about, but truly have engraved into my brain.  Things that are in my phone and on my bulletin board, so they can’t escape my mind.  When I am struggling during a workout, I think about what it’s doing for me.  When I am not drinking plenty of water, I remember, it is what helps get me through my workouts and keeps me focused.  When I want something sweet, I may go ahead and let myself eat something sweet, other times I don’t eat anything sweet at all.  Try limiting yourself to having sweets a certain number of times each week.  You don’t want your body and mind to become accustomed to getting something sweet after every meal or whenever you feel like it.

~jj