With us being 1 full month into the new year, I can't help but wonder how many people have thrown in the towel on their New Year's Resolutions? It's okay, you don't have to raise your hand...this is a judge free zone. For those who have slipped off track this post is just for you! This week’s beauty tip is going to focus on a better diet, or lifestyle change as I like to call it! The biggest beauty tip of them all. Your body is not going to produce what you want (i.e. long healthy hair, glowing skin, strong nails, etc.) If you don't take a look at what you are feeding it! So I am going to give you 5 quick tips that could help you change small things in your everyday eating habits that could potentially give you long term benefits.
Tip 1: WATER! WATER! WATER!
I know this seems so basic but it is essential to a healthy lifestyle. Drinking water keeps your body hydrated which can be noticed through your hair and skin, and most importantly it keeps toxins flowing out of your body which is what we want! If you are one of those "but i don't like water, it tastes like nothing" people, I have some suggestions for you as well. Lemon! Add lemon to your water at night before you go to bed to infuse your water for the next day. Gives is a little taste and the lemon also helps flush toxins out of your body as well.
Make a meal list for the week, so when you go to the grocery store you buy what you need for that week which keeps those sneaky bags of chips, cookies, and cartons of ice cream out of your shopping cart. I am still addicted to Pinterest and I check daily for new recipes that I can add to my list. I plan out my dinner and lunches for the week and stick to it for the most part. I might sub my chicken and rice for chicken tacos because I always seem to have whole wheat tortillas laying around. It is a way to stay on track and it makes you think about what you buy before you just throw it in your bag!
Tip 3: Drop the doughnut, muffin, pastry...
With morning being one of the busiest times for most Americans we tend to grab the quickest thing we can find. We do not realize that in doing so, we are essentially eating a piece of cake for breakfast! The most important meal of the day. Sub that pastry for a bowl of oatmeal with fresh fruit and honey for your sweet fix. Leave the doughnut in the box and grab a green smoothie. You can even make it at night to aid in the grab in go process in the morning! I'll place a picture of my weekly smoothie prep at the end of this post. I place everything in small Ziploc bags and just pour the single size smoothie mix into my blender and walk out the door!
Tip 4: Don't focus on clearing your plate!
This is something I still struggle with daily! Growing up, I was forced to finish everything on my plate before I got up from the table and that mentality has carried over into my life nearly 20 years later. You DO NOT have to clear your plate. Now I know that means you might waste food, if it's only you save it for later. I am not into wasting food or money so this forces on to look a portion size when making plates! Eat until satisfied, don't force food down when you stomach feels like it is about to burst.
Clean eating focuses on eating for whole foods. Getting rid of processed and bleach foods and eating less fast/restaurant prepared foods. It is ALL about knowing about what is going into your body. I started about a year ago now focusing on ingredients. If you follow the blog, you might know that I started on this lifestyle change almost 5 years ago and every few months I make changes this, being the most recent. I attempt to cook as often as possible including lunch. I don't go to my jobs cafeteria or grab something quick, this ties into Tip 3, I plan ahead. I try to only allow myself 1 meal out a week, which is normally Friday. I try to purchase as many organic products as my little pockets will allow and go for whole wheat/grain options whenever pasta, bread, or rice are on the menu. I try to use as many fresh ingredients as possible when cooking to keep from having to worry about things being processed. Start small! Maybe focus on your snacks, sub a bag of chips for a handful or raw almonds or granola.
5 small tips that will make a huge impact on your body in the long run! What tips do you have for our followers to help as they tackle their personal lifestyle changes? Let us know!
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