Hey everybody! So since the new year started, you guys have to work on your new year’s resolutions. And I know that many of you probably are working on and/or struggling with being healthy and staying healthy. So today I wanted to help you all out with that. I’m going to share some tips, tricks, recipes, exercise routines and more so stay tuned!
Diet:
If you are trying to lose weight, I would suggest not going on a diet because most of the time it doesn’t work. Also, do not skip meals because even if you lose weight, it will make you more tired during the day and it is not good for you. Also, do not feel bad about snacking throughout the day. As long as you keep your snacks healthy like nuts, fruit, veggies, yogurt, etc. then you can eat as many snacks as you would like.
If you are not trying to lose weight, here’s how to still eat healthier to keep your body in shape.
Breakfast: For breakfast I will usually go with one of the following:
Oatmeal
A Smoothie
Toast with honey butter and jam
Toast with sunbutter
I love sunbutter because personally, I think it tastes better than peanut butter. It’s also slightly healthier, and it’s a good alternative to peanut butter if you have nut allergies.
Lunch & Dinner: I have done a previous post on healthy meals to eat so here is the link:
https://nicolefemme2000.wordpress.com/2014/11/19/quick-easy-and-healthy-lunch-ideas/
Snacks: There are so many snack possibilities that I can’t name that many so I’ll just name some of my favorites.
Trail mix
Fruit
Carrots, celery, and peanut butter
I also have a sweet snack favorite that I found on YouTube. (It’s the strawberry shortcake sandwiches) Here is the link:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh1rxnQm670
More advice/tips:
When you’re at the store, it’s very easily to gravitate towards unhealthy foods, and one way to guarantee hat you’re buying something good for you is to shop in the organic or gluten free aisle. Most organic foods can cost up to a few dollars more that regular foods, but if you buy things in bulk and use coupons, then it won’t cost so much. Also, if you want fruits and vegetables make sure they are fresh and won’t spoil anytime soon. You can buy frozen fruit, but fresh tastes way better. Some of my favorite places to shop for food are:
Target
Martin’s
Trader Joe’s
Exercise:
I, for one, know that exercising consistently is pretty hard to do, whether you don’t have that much time or you just don’t like doing it. So I’m going to tell you how I stay fit.
1) I walk my dog. My dog is a German Shepherd, and she requires HUGE amounts of exercise per day so sometimes I just do this to wind her down. Since she has such a high energy level, our walks usually last around 20-30 minutes. When I walk her in the summer, I try to walk her before noon because it’s cooler. In the wintertime, I walk her in the afternoon when it’s warmer. I always bring a portable water bowl and two water bottles on our walks.
2) You could go to the gym. I don’t go to the gym because I exercise in school and in the summertime I swim every week. But if you don’t go to school and you need to exercise then the gym is a great place to do it. My favorite pieces of equipment are the stair stepper and the treadmill.
Tips for the gym: Bring some disinfectant wipes to wipe off equipment because it can get really sweaty over the course of a day. Also bring a change of clothes and shower at the gym if possible.
3) Do yoga. Yoga is super fun, and not that hard on your body but it still works out your muscles. I like to listen to some softer type alternative music while I do this, like Lorde or Lana Del Rey. When I do yoga, I usually wear a tank top or t-shirt paired with yoga pants, leggings, or sweatpants. You do not need a yoga mat to do yoga but it is recommended. Just don’t do it on wood floors, do it on a softer surface. I don’t have a set workout, but here are some of my favorite moves. (Do them in order)
1) Arching three-legged dog:
1. Start with your hands flat on the ground, holding yourself upwards with your bottom up in the air.
2. Stretch one leg upwards, bending the knee so you foot falls toward your head.
3. Hold for about 30 seconds, repeat with other leg.
2) Extended Tabletop:
1. Start sitting down.
2. Lie back and lift your body up on your hands and feet so your belly is facing the ceiling and your body forms a flat surface.
3. Push your body more upwards, and extend one arm back past your head. 4. Hold as long as you can and repeat on the other side.
3) Warrior Pose
1. Stand with your feet close together.
2. Lean forwards on one foot, pushing the other leg back, and stick your arms straight out.
3. Hold as long as possible, then repeat on the other leg.
4) Wide squat:
1. Stand with your feet spread out past your hips.
2. Bend your knees and lower your bottom towards the ground.
3. Bring your hands together in front of your chest, and push your elbows on the inside of your knees to stretch your hips more.
4. Hold as long as possible.
5) Camel pose:
This pose is a little more advanced than the others, so it’s ok if you can’t get it at first.
1. Start standing on your knees.
2. Bend backwards and grab your ankle area if possible.
3. Hold as long as you can.
6) Child’s pose
1. Start standing on your knees.
2. Stretch your arms out as far as you can so your body is sort of crouching with your arms sticking out.
3. Hold this pose as long as possible.
7) Warrior Two
1. Start standing with your legs far apart, one foot facing forwards and the other facing sideways.
2. Bend the knee of the leg of the foot facing forwards and lean forwards.
3. Make sure to keep your upper body straight and hold your arms out so one is in front of you and one is behind you.
4. Hold this pose as long as possible.
8) Upward facing dog:
1. Start lying facedown with your arms at your sides.
2. Place your hands in front of you and push off the ground, lifting up your hips and curving your upper body while looking to the ceiling.
3. Hold as long as possible.
9) Bridge:
I don’t think this is a yoga pose but I did it in gymnastics and it’s great for stretching out your core.
1. Start lying down.
2. Point your elbows and knees up toward the ceiling, with your palms and feet flat on the floor.
3. Push upwards, first with your feet so you are standing on your head, then with your hands so your body is curving like a bridge and only your hands and feet are touching the ground. Hold as long as possible.
10) Corpse:
This is my cool down move. It is so relaxing. If you had music playing, and you think it will be distracting then turn it off because this will require great concentration.
1. Start lying on your back with your palms facing upwards.
2. Close your eyes, and relax your body.
3. Try to clear your mind, so you aren’t thinking about anything.
4. Remain like this for about 5 minutes, then slowly get up.
Tips for relaxing your body: I have a hard time relaxing, so here is what I do to relax. I pretend I am encased in jello and I can’t move or the jello will break.
I also imagine my body and the floor becoming one, my body melting into the floor.
These are all of my tips and tricks for being and staying healthy. I hope you enjoyed it and see you next time!
nicolemode777 