on July 4, 2014

Getting It DONE!

You should eat 5-6 smaller meals a day. Yes we said 5-6. This helps speed up your metabolism and keeps you satisfied between meals, reducing cravings as well.
Choose a simple exercise routine that includes physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day, 3-4 times a week. It can be walking, swimming, yoga, weight training, jogging, or simply taking the family outdoors and playing! Just get up and move.
Last, and perhaps the one you will like the best…. Rest and relax. An adequate amount of sleep every night restores and rejuvenates the body, mind, and soul. It is far more important to your health than you may realize.

Now you may be wondering, ‘did they really say I should eat 5-6 times a day? I only eat twice a day some days!’ Yes we said 5-6! Why? Because eating smaller more frequent meals over the course of the day will keep you satisfied between meals and less likely to binge or choose bad foods. It also speeds ups your metabolism! Who doesn’t want that right?! By training your body to eat more frequently, it becomes a routine as well. So you won’t be hungry during the day, as long as you’re eating good nutrient dense foods- not a meal of chips or fries! This also means since you’re eating more, your meals shouldn’t be high in calories. They should be around 300-400 calories per meal, depending on your goals.

Time to add in some physical activity! We know we know. This may be making you moan and groan. We aren’t saying you need to start with a 26 mile marathon, or join a gym and try out every class and equipment there in one day. But you do need to get up off that couch or chair and move! Step away from the tv, the computer, the X box, and go for a walk. Don’t want to walk, then March in place, do some arm circles, get on the floor and do some bicycle moves with your legs. Have a dog? Go walk it! Just get that blood flowing! You will feel so much better both physically and mentally, when you simply do something to move your body. Aim for 30 minutes a day for a few days a week. If you get more in, awesome! (Insert fist bump and a whoop whoop!) if you get in less, that’s ok! Set a goal for more next week.

Zzzzzzz….. Oh sorry, we were resting a minute! No really, so many people ‘burn the candles at both ends’ and don’t rest or sleep enough. Rest is so good for our bodies, we feel so much better when we allow ourselves down time. Our minds function better, we think clearer, make better decisions. Now how much sleep you get is up to you, but we aim for at least 7-8 hours a night. And when we can sleep more, like on the weekends, we do! When was the last time you ‘slept like a baby’? If it’s been a while, think about what may be hindering your sleep and try to make some changes so you can soak up some zzzz’s.