Change And Evolve

NUTRITION TIPS

Daily Cardio

The research has been done, and the results have been out for quite some time: cardiovascular workouts are imperative to a long, healthy life.

Whether it’s a daily walk or intense run on the treadmill, there are so many benefits to getting your heart rate up!

Working out your heart with cardiovascular exercise makes that beating all the stronger. When your heart is strong, it doesn’t have to work so hard to pump, adding years to your ticker.

By keeping it in tip-top shape, it helps lower your chances of heart disease and diabetes. Both of which are life threatening and far too common in our society.

By committing to a daily cardio workout, be it big or small, you can lower your chances of those, and many other illnesses. Talk about a small change with a big, long-lasting impact!

Consider doing either a thirty-minute cardio session each day, or several that add up to thirty minutes.

And of course, check with your doctor first to make sure you’re healthy enough to take on this amount of exercise. And don’t forget your rest days. Even with a goal in mind, you want to give your body time to rejuvenate and heal.

NUTRITION TIPS

Prepared Meals

Sometimes we just don’t have time to whip up even a quick meal, but our stomach is telling us that it’s time to refuel. On these days, it’s great to be able to purchase a prepared meal at your local grocery store.

Due to the rise of consciousness in physical health and wellness, supermarkets have started to catch on and are stocking their prepared foods section with healthy alternatives.

So, while food to go may make you think of pizza, it’s time you gave your local grocery store another look!

Remember that eating out can be expensive, but when your alternative is just as pricey junk food, know you’re putting your money to good use. Your body will thank you for it later. Sometimes life just gets in the way.

Keep reading for suggestions on buying pre-made food!

High Protein Meals: As tempting as that spaghetti-to-go dish may look, try and steer clear of pasta and sugary sauces, and instead, go for the chicken breast and veggies. Stores will often season their meats too, so don’t worry about a lack of flavor!

Protein Shakes: If plans are going to keep you on the road for a while, then look for a protein shake that you can either fix on the go, or is pre-packaged.

Many health food stores make protein shakes in-house and keep them in the prepared foods section. Not only are these shakes nutritious, but they’re also pretty tasty.

Prepared Snacks: You meant to prepare your snacks for the week, but something came up, so now what? Are you stuck hitting up the vending machine for a sugary candy bar? Not so fast! Take a few minutes and swing by your local grocery store where you’re bound to find lots of healthy, prepackaged snacks like nuts, string cheese, and protein bites!

NUTRITION TIPS...

Hydrate

Water may not taste as good as sugary soda, but our bodies depend on it. In fact, our body is comprised of about 60% water. That’s more than half!

As we go about our day, we continuously lose that precious water through our pores. This is why we need to keep hydrating.

Soda and other sugary drinks dehydrate us, so commit to gulping more H2O each and every day!

If you’re worried that you’ll have to sip it out of a boring mug or glass, don’t worry. Thanks to the internet, there’s more than one way to fill up! But in reality, there’s no reason to spend money on fancy bottles and gadgets. A simple cup and tap will suffice.

Keep reading for tips on how to stay hydrated!

Here are some ways to make sure you are consistently getting your recommended daily servings of water.

Bring Two Liters with You to Work: If you prefer the refreshing taste of a bottled water, then consider buying several liters for the week. Every night before you go to bed, make sure you have two refrigerated, and put them in a cooler next to an ice pack in the morning. Off to work you go with your daily water!

Purchase A Fun Bottle: You can now purchase refillable water bottles that have inspiring quotes, such as “you’re doing great,” and “keep going.” These messages can be inspirational, funny, or motivating, it really doesn’t matter.

What does matter, is getting every lost drop. It’s an easy and fun way to keep your body hydrated!

NUTRITION TIPS...

Celebrate Small Victories

Not a single person out there goes from unhealthy to perfectly fit, with all positive habits, overnight. It’s not possible. What is possible is creating small changes that lead to small victories.

Those small victories will eventually graduate into larger ones.

The decision to commit to a healthy lifestyle is a huge undertaking.

First off, you should start your new journey off with a celebration. Get excited about taking the first big step toward a better and healthier you.

Next, make sure you are realistic with yourself and know that there will be times that you will have to force yourself to get up, to eat healthy, and sometimes it can be a real struggle.

It won’t last forever.

With time and commitment, your goals will slowly come closer into focus.

The best way to keep yourself motivated is to celebrate every small victory along the way.

No matter how small something is, you should always take time to congratulate yourself for working so hard!

Here are a few of those milestones you should be celebrating.

Working Out Five Days in One Week: If you’re going from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one, then you’re in for a major change, possible shock. It’s not easy giving up those nights on the couch, scrolling through your phone while binge-watching your favorite shows.

But when you make the sacrifice and give up some of that time to work out, and do it for a full five days, then you should celebrate your achievements!

Losing Just One Pound: If you have a significant amount of weight to lose, it can seem like an uphill battle that can’t be won. But guess what? It absolutely can be won!

Remember that when you step on the scale and it only goes down by one number, because it’s bound to happen eventually.

The truth is, even one pound is an accomplishment. To compare it to something you can visualize, one pound of fat is the same volume as a pound of butter. Not too shabby!

Better Quality of Life: It’s common for those of us who are overweight to easily become out of breath doing every day simple activities.

Walking, climbing the stairs, even talking too quickly can turn into a case of heavy breathing. With daily exercise and more nutritional foods, your cardiovascular system will begin to heal, and if you’re paying attention, it doesn’t take forever.

When you finally finish that 60-minute workout without stopping, and your heartrate and breathing is at a normal high intensity level, it’s time to celebrate.

NUTRIRION TIPS...

Consume Carbohydrates

Whenever you hear the word ‘carbs,’ chances are, your outlook is less than favorable. After all, just look at all those high protein/low carb diets.

What runs through your mind every time you see a plate of carbs? Breads, pastas, sugars, and starchy vegetables, right? All of things we’ve been told to stay as far away as possible from.

But surprise! Our bodies actually need carbs.

The problem isn’t carbs, it’s the type of carbs that we are consuming.

The ones we should be avoiding are found in white flours, processed sugars, and white rice.

The ones we should be consuming, however, are found in foods like oatmeal, whole grains, and brown rice. These types of carbs are called Complex Carbohydrates.

Here are some easy ways to incorporate complex carbohydrates into your daily diet.

· Steel Cut Oats: Steel cut oats are better for you than regular oats because they’re not as heavily processed. The high fiber content makes them perfect candidate to eat away at bad cholesterol. Pick some up at your grocery store and have them for breakfast with a banana or avocado!

· Quinoa: If you’re either allergic to gluten or just want to eliminate it from your diet, then consider adding quinoa to your list of complex carbohydrates. Not only are they high in fiber, but they have a good amount of protein, and even comes with some omega-three fatty acids. Talk about a superfood!

· Lentils: If you’re a vegetarian and looking for more plant-based protein, or just looking to ease up on eating so much meat, then lentils are a must.

Not only are they also full of fiber, but they’re loaded with cancer-fighting polyphenols and folic acid, which helps combat heart disease. Plus, there are so many ways to enjoy this tasty legume. Just search the internet for some recipe ideas!

So, the next time you hear someone put down carbs, remind yourself-and them-about the importance of complex carbohydrates!