Part one of my summer series. Fitness. We all love to hate it, yet can’t ever seem to run away from this subject’s tight grasp (pun intended), especially in the midst of bikini prime time season. Although becoming healthy and transforming your body is sometimes done to achieve a slimmer figure, fitness and exercise are even more important for overall confidence, self-empowerment, accomplishment, and holistic growth. Setting your mind to achieve goals, creating standards, and pushing your limits, while simultaneously observing results, and feeling good…no, great, about yourself, is an aspect having a healthy lifestyle easily provides (and, a quality that lasts longer than that “hot summer bod”). Getting in shape may seem difficult to any individual, but the steps to achieve health are simpler than one may think. The first action to experiencing any transformation begins with some standard and preliminary lifestyle changes. So, whether you are looking to develop into a bikini babe, need some motivation or inspiration, or are looking to gain confidence and achieve your own sense of fitness success, here are 23 general tips to begin your individual progressive journey in the world of health and fitness. And remember, healthy is the new skinny; it’s all about being comfortable with the skin you are in.
1. Try not to eat within three hours of going to bed. Eating before bed forces your body to stay awake and process food, even when your body is ready to hit the hay and call it a night. To curb late-night hunger, try eating nuts, veggies, or a scoop (or two) of all-natural peanut butter.
2. Coffee drinkers: substitute dairy free coconut creamer and coconut sugar, coconut oil and grass-fed butter, or vanilla almond milk and agave for cream and sugar. Simple and delicious substitutions go a long way. These alternate coffee-sweetening options provide healthy fats and beneficial ingredients to your body.
3. Drink a glass of water prior to, and during, every meal. Not only does water fill you up, causing you to eat less food, but it is also extremely vital and necessary for your body’s well-being. Drinking water before and during a meal ensures complete portion control and satisfies all of your hunger and thirst needs.
4. When you are “hungry,” drink water first. Trust me, you are most likely just thirsty. If after drinking a glass of water and waiting 20 minutes you are still hungry, then you know your senses and food needs are legit.
5. Substitute green tea for coffee. Green tea not only helps increase your metabolism, but it also does not stain your teeth nearly as much as a your favorite dark, caffeinated beverage does.
6. Eat fruits before noon and veggies after noon. Fruit is composed of healthy carbs and sugar that provide a vast amount of energy, causing your body to use these sugars throughout the day and break them down when needed. Because fruit is so sugary, it is best to only eat them at the start of the day, ensuring that you are not jam-packing your body with loads of sugar late in the afternoon, which then causes your body to use a limited amount of time to break down a large amount of sugar. Veggies are great for afternoon snacks and meal-additions.
7. Eat chicken more than beef. Overall, chicken is a leaner and less calorie-dense protein.
8. Eat five small meals a day instead of three large. By eating three smaller meals per day, you are allowing your metabolism to remain in action and running throughout the duration of your time awake. Also, this provides your body with less immense amounts of calories to burn, foods to break down, and nutrients to use all at once, allowing your body to more easily and efficiently make use of the food you are eating.
9. In addition to the tip above, eat small and healthy snacks between meals throughout the day to keep your metabolism running.
10. Refrain from inhaling too many simple carbs (breads, cereals, granola, etc.). If carbs are an absolute must, try using wheat or gluten-free products, or eating complex carbs (oatmeal) before noon. Eating your carbs before noon goes hand-in-hand with eating fruit before noon. Carbs are needed to fuel your body at the beginning of the day and provide you with lasting energy, and they should not be used as a “pick me up” at night. Your body will be working to break your carbs down and put their nutrients to use in your body all night long (when your metabolism is slowest).
11. Every meal should contain protein. It is simple as that. Protein is the building block of muscle in your body.
12. Substitute almond or coconut milk for dairy milk. We are not cows, so why should we drink cows’ milk? The hormones in a cow’s milk is not necessarily ideal for a human being. Try going dairy-free and refrain from eating cheese or drinking milk. Almond milk, especially the vanilla and chocolate flavors, are amazing.
13. Drink water throughout the day. Bored? Drink water. Watching TV? Drink water. Cleaning? Drink water. This will also help keep you full throughout the day and crave food or larger meals less. Water is literally a necessity and thirst is often disguised as hunger.
14. Chew gum. Chewing gum is not only a small under-chin workout, but also helps subside any cravings or false hungers.
15. Substitute agave for honey. Agave provides and includes more all-natural sweetness and is not filled with as many sugary ingredients. Or, you could always go the raw way and buy legit raw honey.
16. Substitute natural peanut butter for the common on-shelf brand. Or, completely scratch the PB and eat almond butter instead. Natural peanut butter and almond butter are made with real nut ingredients and do not include all the add-ins and sugars that your household PB does.
17. Substitute Vitamin Water for Gatorade or Powerade. If you need energy, quick carbs, or electrolytes during workouts or sporting events, Vitamin Water is a great go-to. Not only does Vitamin Water provide just as many carbs as the leading sports drink, but it also includes a plethora of beneficial vitamins and minerals, while only containing a fraction of the sodium and sugar.
18. Do not buy food that temps you. In general, it is hard to refrain from your favorite unhealthy foods when you have easy access to them, especially when you are beginning your fitness transformation. To reduce any temptations, throw out, or do not buy, that chocolate cake or brownie ice cream.
19. Sneak veggies into smoothies (kale and spinach especially). Not only are veggies extremely healthy, low-carb, and low-calorie ways to fuel your body, but they also have absolutely no taste or texture when you add them to your favorite post-workout or breakfast shake.
20. Always replenish your body after workouts with protein. Protein. Protein. Protein. You need it.
21. Substitute PB2 instead of peanut butter. Not digging the all-natural PB or almond butter? Try PB2. PB2 is a peanut butter powder that when mixed with water, is a delicious nutty spread for literally a fraction of the calories and fat. PB2 is also great for smoothies or oatmeal flavoring.
22. Section foods into pre-measured baggies (especially trail mix, chips, and crackers). By measuring your favorite “take by the handful” foods into pre-measured and sectioned baggies, this will allow you to practice portion control, as well as enable a balanced caloric intake of snacks that may otherwise be detrimental to your fitness goals.
23. Use measuring cups for cereal and granola. It is so easy to eye-ball, especially when pouring your favorite simple carbs into a bowl. To make sure you are not over-dosing on your simple carb or caloric intake, use a measuring cup and actually follow the serving size given to you on the container of your food.
*Remember, healthy is the new skinny and it is so very important to be comfortable with the skin you are in. I am only providing some slight lifestyle changes to help you achieve whatever length of confidence and fitness transformation you have set your mind to. Happy journey to self-empowerment and growth! I cannot wait to witness you achieve great things. Xoxo, Jessy
