Top 5 Effortless Health Habits
/Maintaining healthy habits 100% of the time can seem near impossible. Many diets fail because we aren’t able to stay in a state of strict rule and restriction for too long - we “fall off” the plan and end up back where we started.
The key is to set yourself up with healthy habits that are SIMPLE so you can repeat them daily and they feel EFFORTLESS. If you can do this you will enjoy more energy, improved sleep, better moods and be more resilient to stress. You will feel better all around!
Here are my top 5 tips for effortless health habits.
Eat a protein rich breakfast
Having a breakfast with 20-30grams of protein will keep you full, fuel your muscles, balance your blood sugar and reduce cravings. Some great options are smoothies with protein powder or eggs & veggies.
Drink water
We all need at minimum 1/2 our body weight in ounces/day. For most people this is 2-3L of water. Are you getting enough? Having sufficient water increases energy, helps reduce cravings, and supports healthy digestion among many other things.
Plan snacks
Snacks are where many people struggle. We don’t want to snack frequently, but we do want a snack mid afternoon to bridge the gap between lunch and dinner. Preparation is key to making this happen. As with breakfast you want to ensure you are putting together a protein rich snack with around 20grams of protein. I recommend always having one or two on hand so you are prepared!
Some good options - boiled egg & raw veggies, protein smoothie, greek yogurt with berries, or protein bars.
Most people find that when they do incorporate the afternoon snack their evening cravings go down and they have much better energy in the later part of the day.
Add veggies to every meal
Veggies add a lot of nutrients and volume to your meals. An ideal meal with have half a plate of non-starchy veggies - things like spinach, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, peppers, brussel sprouts, eggplant
I always recommend trying different ways to get them in - grill, roast, toss them in salads or smoothies, stir-fry them or add them to omelettes.
Enjoy your favourite foods
Food is meant to be enjoyed. Don’t make yourself a list of forbidden foods. Not only does this rob you of a lot of joy, it also tends to backfire. When we put foods on a forbidden list it can actually lead us to over indulge in the food when we have the opportunity. If we allow ourselves to eat all foods then you will notice you are more able to eat a reasonable portion of cake or candy and enjoy it versus feeling like you need to “eat it all” because it is forbidden and it’s your one opportunity.
Those are my top 5 health habits. Work to incorporate them into your days and I promise you will notice a huge difference!
