Beach Ready Part II
The Girl Scout Cookies are gone, replaced with a few more fruits, vegetables, and salads. Soda and alcohol consumption is down with more water and tea taking their place. You’re trying to park as far away as possible to get those extra steps in throughout the day. What’s next on our ‘Beach Ready’ plan you ask?
We are big fans of small simple changes that over time, equate to big results, so bear with us as we suggest just a few more.
The Girl Scout Cookies are gone, replaced with a few more fruits, vegetables, and salads. Soda and alcohol consumption is down with more water and tea taking their place. You’re trying to park as far away as possible to get those extra steps in throughout the day. What’s next on our ‘Beach Ready’ plan you ask?
We are big fans of small simple changes that over time, equate to big results, so bear with us as we suggest just a few more.
Eating Right: Small Changes
1. Give up fast food. Period. There is no such thing as healthy fast food. It is as empty a calorie as cookies and chips only with tons of fats, preservatives and fillers. You deserve better, so eat that way!! Shower yourself with fresh fruits, nuts, lean meats, fish, veggies, cheese (yes cheese!) and you won’t miss that nutritionally deficient fast food filler.
2. Clean out your cupboards. Like cleaning out your closet of clothes you no longer wear, cleaning out your cupboard of chips, cookies, cakes, pies, pretzels etc. will help you stay on track. Instead replace these nutritionally empty snack foods with better choices. Since no one is perfect, if you do get the urge to splurge, try to limit your intake of these types of foods to ‘special occasion’ single serving sizes – and try to eat just one.
3. Had enough on food changes? Not sure you can make them all? That’s okay, just do your best each day, keep track of what you eat and make sure each of your three meals (skipping meals equals a slow metabolism) include fresh fruits, vegatables and lean protein and no fast food or snack foods!
Exercise : A Few More Changes
1. Exercise 30 minutes a day 3 times a week. It is warming up, birds are singing, flowers are blooming; a perfect time to take your exercise routine outside! Even 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week can make a big difference in how you look and feel. Maintaining a healthy pace as you walk, jog or ride your bike will get your heart rate up and blood flowing.
2. Add some weight. No, not put on weight, but ADD weights to your workout routine. Muscle burns more calories than fat, so ideally you want to build as much muscle as possible to turn your body into a top notch calorie burner. Small hand weights of 3-5 pounds used regularly whether for bicep curls, lunges or squats make you work harder and help you build muscle as you burn calories. A powerful combination that really helps get you results.
3. Hate the idea of a ‘work out’? Get bored at the thought of the gym or weights? The key to exercise is to move your body for at least 30 minutes. Dance, swim, bike, hike, skateboard, roller skate, volleyball, tennis – the list of options is endless. Try them all till you find one or two you like and, as Nike says, ‘just do it!’ You’ll look and feel better in no time!
Next up, getting ready for your first beach day.
