Believe it or not, looking and feeling better can be as easy as incorporating a few more of these habits. In fact, some of these simple tricks may be just what you need to kick-start your quest for improved health and well-being.
1. Visualize the Day Ahead
1 of 7
The mind is often the most clear as soon as you wake up. For this reason, take five minutes each morning in bed to think about what you want to accomplish throughout the day.
Think about work, who you need to talk to, what your workout will be and anything else that may be on your to-do list. Then, think about how productive the day will be once you have it planned out.
2. Drink a Glass of Water Before Every Meal
2 of 7
Nearly everyone should drink more water. That's a given.
Consuming more H2O is one of the easiest health habits to establish, especially once you start to reap the benefits. Simply drinking a glass before each meal can help with weight loss.
Next time you feel hungry or sluggish, try drinking a glass of water first and see how you feel. Drinking a glass of cold water can make you feel refreshed and improve your state of mind and mood. On the contrary, mild dehydration has been shown to negatively impact moods, among other negative side effects.
3. Eat Breakfast
3 of 7
Eating breakfast helps set the tone for the day.
Consuming a hearty meal in the morning is a great way to get your metabolism firing. If you eat shortly after you wake up, you're telling your brain and body to start working to digest it, which helps wake the system and warm up your metabolism.
Skipping breakfast can result in a slower metabolism. If you're not signaling your body to eat, it responds by trying to conserve energy because it's not getting adequate nutrition. A decreased metabolism can result in a decrease of calories burned in a day, not to mention you will be ravenous later on.
4. Eat Often; Eat Veggies
4 of 7
Your food consumption for the day isn't done after breakfast—not even close.
Throughout the day, maintain a proper diet by eating real foods and healthy fats often. Strive to consume small, frequent meals throughout the day as opposed to a few large meals.
Women shouldn't go longer than three hours without eating. Why? Because your levels of the stress hormone cortisol rise. And high cortisol levels signal the body to store fat in the abdominal region.
Eating small meals often will elevate metabolism and keep blood sugar levels stable. Eating this way will also help ward off urges to grab a handful of chips, a greasy cheeseburger or an ice cream sundae.
Vegetables are among the most nutrient dense of foods, meaning they have the most nutrition value per calorie. A veggie-rich diet can help protect you from arthritis, heart disease, stroke, cancer and dementia. Veggies can even slow down your body's aging process.
5. Get in Daily Movement
5 of 7
We all know exercise is good for us. It helps improve our mood and energy levels and decreases stress levels. Daily physical activity can also help control weight. It doesn't have to be vigorous and specifically planned every day—simply going for a brisk walk for 30 minutes or taking a yoga class will do wonders for the mind, body and soul. With that said, the more intense the activity, the more caloric expenditure you will experience. With goals of fat loss, it would be a great idea to head to your local gym to see the space and get on a customized program! Daily movement also will help to boost HDL (good) cholesterol and decrease unhealthy triglycerides. . Regular physical activity can help to prevent or manage a wide range of health concerns such as stroke, metabolic syndrome, type II diabetes, depression, certain types of cancer and arthritis. Exercise can also improve mood! You will feel more energized, more positive about your body which thus can increase self confidence! Choose something that you enjoy. Exercise should never feel like a chore. It should be something you always look forward to.
Naomi Rotstein
Author Bio 6 of 7
Naomi Rotstein is a certified personal trainer (ACSM) and creator of 1FitFoodie.com. She has a passion for health, fitness and nutrition, has competed in several bikini competitions, and has a wide range of fitness certifications.
Links:
Twitter
Facebook
Website
Get ACTIVE on the Go
Couch to 5K®
The best way to get new runners off the couch and across the finish line of their first 5K.
Available for iOS | Android
Discuss This Article