I really can’t tell you how much I love candy corn, mashed potatoes and gravy, and plates of cookies. So, there’s no way around it…I love the holidays. And, they’re coming…fast! Crap. I just finished my post-baby diet and I have no desire to diet again, come January. So, I have to think ahead and stay focused through these tough times. On each actual holiday, I plan on living it up, but if I can be mindful on most of the other days, I’ll be okay. So, I thought i would share with you 5 of the things I do to stay mindful of my health.
1. When I’m really doing my best, I like to have the Sunday “Free Day” rule. I watch what I eat Monday through Saturday, then Sunday is my free day. I eat everything I was craving throughout the week and re-energize myself to bust out another week of discipline. I also have this faint memory of Oprah saying how she personally lost 30 pounds in a year by not eating after 8:00 at night. So, whether that’s accurate, or not, it makes sense to me, so I try to do that…sometimes I just figure 2 hours before I lay down. I love this method of watching my diet because it’s simple, I have something to look forward to, and I don’t feel deprived. Back when I was doing my online health competition, this was one of the requirements. All actively engaged participants either lost weight or maintained and boosted their health in the process.
2. Jump roping is an awesome way to burn calories, increase endurance, and strength. You can burn 11 – 20 calories per minute of jump roping (calorie amount depends on person’s weight, jumping speed, and height.) It’s cheap, compact, and you can take it with you anywhere…and it’s a favorite of professional athletes. I personally love it because you can accomplish a lot in a shorter amount of time, as time is something I’m short on. 10 minutes, and I’m done. 🙂 Here’s Amazon’s top selling jump rope…and, also they one I have. It’s only $7 bucks!
3. On average, adults gain .5 to 1.5 pounds per year. There was an interesting study done on nearly 90,000 people and for over 6 years. Those who added 10 grams of insoluble fiber (the kind in cereals, breads, rice, pasta, etc.) to their diet actually lost .17 pounds. I know what you’re thinking…that’s pretty much NOTHING. You’re right, but what that means is you are maintaining weight as you age, that’s SOMETHING! It’s something easy you can do for your health. Dietitians recommend getting between 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day. It’s also said that eating high fiber foods help you feel more satisfied, that’s always a good thing. Oh, and it helps you stay “regular”.
A super easy ways to add 10 grams of fiber to your diet is with Fiber One Honey Clusters, it has 13 grams of fiber in a one cup serving! Another product I love is the Mission Carb Balance Tortillas (medium size), they are a great replacement for bread. I use them to make wraps all the time. They are low in carbs (5-6 net carbs per tortilla) AND get this…it also has 13 grams of fiber…for just one medium sized tortilla! For breakfast, my favorite thing that I have nearly EVERY day is a container of Weight Watcher’s vanilla yogurt (I’ve tried several vanilla yogurts, and this is my fave…bonus, that it’s low in calories!) with a handful of granola in it. A half cup of granola is usually 5 grams of fiber. The Mayo Clinic has a decent list of high fiber foods, to give you some more ideas.
4. This is kinda silly, but when I’m determined to put limits on my snacking, I tell myself that I can’t eat anything (snack or meal) without running up and down the stairs 5 times (a set of 5). It usually makes eating a snack sound less appetizing because being lazy sounds better. Or else I do it, and don’t want to eat as much afterward. It kind of changes my mind set back to “don’t screw up.” Sometimes, I need that. Plus, bonus…it’s good exercise. If I want to change it up, I’ll opt for 30 squats before eating. Keep in mind, I’m no an exercise nut…right now, I’m hardly disciplined at all. But, randomly and thankfully, I get on kicks. I’m steadily changing what I consder snacks after reading up on the effects of garcinia cambogia, anyone interested should take a look.
5. This one is soooo easy. Chew gum. Keep a pack in your pocket, and whenever you feel a craving that you need to suppress, pop a piece in your mouth. It keeps your mouth busy and satisfies a need for a flavor, other than spit flavor. I’m a bit of a gum freak. I don’t always have it in my mouth, but I have to buy all the newest flavors. Every time I go to the grocery store, I have to scan the gum rack for any new flavor I may not have tried yet. Oh, and guess what…I just read in Woman’s Day mag, that chewing gum increases the blood flow to your brain, making you feel more alert and possibly improving memory. Not that I need another reason to chew gum, but I’ll take it.
What simple things do you do to keep you motivated and focused on being healthy? Join the fun on Facebook, and see what those ladies had to say. They had lots of good ideas too!
