Thinner Peace

healthyisfabulous:

Being that summer is right around the corner for many, in my case, it’s been here for the past two months, I always like to start treating my body to healthier intakes. I don’t mean heavy diets, of greens, etc, because I really don’t believe in being miserable while trying to stay fit. I believe in smaller portions, at certain times of days but also treating yourself to a dessert once a week or so. I believe that anyone can start a healthier life style and intake, and this is coming from someone who barely has time to herself. I’m constantly drowning in studio work, meeting deadlines, attending fashion shows and constantly taking photos for inspirations, so it doesn’t come easy to just stick to a good life style at all hours, but I do try. I decided to share with you 10 steps to a good start for your body for the upcoming bikini season.

1. Start drinking more water. Most experts recommend eight (8-ounce) glasses per day. The easiest way to do this is to spread out your water intake throughout the day and use containers that will help you keep track how much you drink. If you aren’t drinking much water currently, try easing into it. You can add one cup every few days until you reach 8 or more per day. 

2. Strive to eat 1-2 servings of fruits or vegetables at each meal or snack. This will add up to several servings a day which is recommended for optimal nutrition. 

3. Switch to whole grains. Go for the healthier whole grains in breads, pasta, tortillas, and cereals. Also eat brown rice instead of white. You’ll be taking in more beneficial fiber and gaining all the other benefits of whole, rather than processed, grains. 

4. Get your sweet tooth under control. Start to slowly reduce the portion sizes and frequency of your intake of any sugared treats. Try switching to unsweetened breakfast cereals. Go from full-sized candy bars to bite-size. And, if you are accustomed to eating dessert after every meal, switch to fruit as a dessert a few times per week. The less you eat the sweets, the less you’ll crave over time (really!). 

5. Switch to lean meats. Avoid highly marbled beef, high fat pork ribs and chops, regular ground beef and other fatty cuts. Try substituting lean ground beef and turkey, pork tenderloin and flank steak, along with fish and shellfish. 

6. Switch to lower fat dairy products. You can really influence your calorie and fat daily totals by switching to lower fat milk, cottage cheese, cheese, sour cream and more. If you enjoy fat-free, work your way down to that. If you really don’t enjoy the taste, then go to the lower fat varieties (that’s what I do!). 

7. Find a couple of lower fat salad dressings that you enjoy. With all the vegetable you’ll be eating as part of your new eating style, a couple healthier dressing options will go a long way toward making them more enjoyable. In addition to using on salads, you can use dressings for marinade, dips, sandwich spreads, and whenever you can use some extra flavor. 

8. Slowly reduce your portion sizes. Most people who are carrying around some extra weight probably are eating too much food. By slowly reducing your portion sizes, you’ll feel less deprived as you make your way down to a portion size you feel comfortable and satisfied eating. 

9. Learn how to read and compare nutrition label information. This will help avoid common mistakes made by people experimenting with healthier foods, such as overeating low fat items even though they contain as many calories as the full-fat varieties. Look at things like fiber, protein and sugar content to help you understand what you’re feeding your body and how it makes you feel. 

10. Although this isn’t directly an eating issue, increase your activity! Healthy eating is only half of the equation. For ideal health, your body needs to move and move often. Again, start slowly and gradually increase your activity. This doesn’t necessarily mean hard exercise walking, housework, gardening and running around with your kids can lead to healthy changes in your fitness level. Many experts recommend 30 minutes of exercise three times a week as a minimum for overall health. Each person should talk with their doctor, and determine what type and level of exercise will best suit them.