Five Habits to Get Your Health Journey Started by Dr. LeiLani Vidal in Business Body Contouring
So you’ve heard that dieting is out. You may have heard that Weight Watchers, the ketogenic diet, and carbohydrate restriction don't usually result in long-term weight loss and frequently result in you gaining the weight back.
The vast majority of (wise) experts are advocating that healthy habits are the best approach for most individuals to achieve their goals, sustain them, and live life to the fullest all at once.
That's incredibly fantastic, but since "healthy habits" are so broadly defined, it might be challenging to promote and impart on a huge scale. So today I'm gathering 5 habits that have transformed so many lives.
Remember that developing habits takes time. Be steady while moving slowly and graciously.
1. Fluff With Veggies:
Without counting, measuring, or eliminating anything, you may be able to produce a minor calorie deficit if you develop the practice of fluffing your meals with high fiber, low carb, low calorie vegetables. At least two meals a day, if not three if you can, should include a half-plate of vegetables. You may add frozen or fresh vegetables to casseroles, stews, soups, and yes — even oatmeal. If you're not having a traditional "plated" dinner and instead for something more like a casserole or a stew, or even a bowl of oatmeal, keep the "half a plate" in mind but consider "fluff."
By including vegetables in your already beloved meals, you may make this habit simple. Avoid making too many quick changes. If you enjoy mac & cheese, instead of omitting the pasta and cheese sauce, consider adding cooked cauliflower or broccoli. If you enjoy tacos, consider creating a taco salad with similar flavor and delight that you can top with a few tortilla chips for crunch.
2. Sips, Not Chips:
Eating out of habit while working or watching TV, eating out of boredom, stress, or emotion are all harmful habits that can be challenging to break. I advise substituting SIPS for the habit of munching on anything during certain times rather than fully eliminating it. Coffee in the morning, herbal tea, low-sugar hot chocolate, decaf unsweetened lattes, or naturally flavored water can all be consumed in sips.
I enjoy choosing sips over chips (or any other snack item) because it allows you to maintain the relaxing and mindless practice of having something to occupy your hands and mouth while adhering to your dietary and energy requirements for the day.
3. Ten-second breaths:
I love 10 second breathers! If I'm nearing a large box of doughnuts and want them all or just feel like eating to pass the time, I take a deep breath for ten seconds, tune in to what my body actually needs, and then decide whether to savor my pleasure thoughtfully or move on.
It's far too simple to dive into a meal, snack, or dessert when feeling tense, stressed, or distracted by a hundred other things. In similar circumstances, it's nearly instinctive for us to revert to the "screw it" mentality and succumb to overeating and mindless eating.
By giving yourself that ten seconds, you have the opportunity to focus, reduce tension, and decide what would actually feel good for your body and move you closer to your goals. You may occasionally decide to indulge, but I can assure you that you'll do it far more deliberately and with less risk of bingeing. Sometimes you'll continue, take a stroll, or do anything else that will benefit your health goals and you.
4. Take Small Steps:
There isn't a pretty way to phrase it, but don't be inefficient. Place your dishes in the sink after getting off your behind. Restock the dishwasher. Put your things away after folding them. Instead of having groceries delivered by Instacart, go shopping yourself. Place your car farther from the store. Get up and go get it yourself instead of asking someone else to do it for you.
Make it a habit to carry out the small tasks that encourage movement. More than just getting you moving, it'll keep you attentive and lessen your likelihood of becoming lethargic and exhausted during the day.
Really, a little goes a big way.
5. Speaking kindly to oneself:
We've also heard of this one. Talk to yourself like you would a close friend. cheesy, exaggerated, and unrealistic Whatever you want to call it, it functions. If you believe that you are overweight, ugly, and undeserving of pleasant things, you will treat yourself accordingly. You'll treat yourself badly if you believe you'll never be able to lose weight and keep it off (hello self-sabotage). You'll treat yourself badly if you believe that you failed because you had one or two cookies.
If you genuinely want change, you need to start talking to yourself as though you deserve it. I know it's difficult and uncomfortable. And let's face it, you ARE deserving of it! You're successful in so many different aspects of your life that you can succeed here too.
You just have to keep that in mind. Up to the point where it truly expresses how you feel.
That final one should have come first because attitude is truly everything.