Hubby Dan is always telling me that he can't make big changes. He has to take baby steps. Ever since we started dating it has been that way with him. And when we got married and I kept bugging him to eat healthier and exercise more, he would say, baby steps. After a while those baby steps became actual healthy changes in his diet and over the years, he has made several huge changes a little bit at a time.
I'm always one to make big changes all at once because I am impatient. I think we all are. We want to see changes in our bodies like today. But Dan is so right. The only way you can make huge changes to your lifestyle that actually have a chance of sticking is to make them slowly and a little bit at a time. I've also heard that it takes 21 days or times to make something a habit.
So, when it comes to changing for the better, eating healthier and exercising more, try one healthy change to your day to day menu that you can make without getting too crazy. And start with an easy exercise plan you can actually follow. Here are a few suggestions. Pick just ONE or TWO at a time. Next week, make another change and the next week, another, and so on.
1. Replace one soda a day with water. Someone just gave me a great idea to fill up a pitcher with water at night and put cucumbers, and different citrus fruits in it to soak overnight and drink it throughout the next day. Strawberries are also an awesome flavor to add. Or if you love the carbonation like I do, try a healthier version of soda. I love fruit infused seltzers. They are basically carbonated water with a splash of fruit juice for flavor and totally refreshing. You can get them at Target, Trader Joe's and probably most grocery stores.
2. Try eating on a smaller plate at dinner or lunch time. I love the saying, "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper." It helps me remember to start the day out by eating plenty in the morning when my metabolism is going strong. Then eat a small dinner. I don't need that much to fill me up at night because I'm winding down for the day, the kids are going to bed and I'm usually sitting folding laundry or on the computer =)
3. Replace your normal snacks with something that will fill you up and hold you over 'till your next meal like nuts, hard boiled eggs, apples and peanut butter or veggies and hummus. I buy several types of nuts from Trader Joe's so I don't get bored of eating the same ones over and over again.
4. Keep water and nuts in your car so you aren't tempted to stop somewhere fastfoodish.
5. Replace white breads and pastas with whole grain or rice versions.
6. Make a rule for yourself that whenever you eat out, you will order a salad instead of a burger. OR you will only eat half of your meal and take the rest home. Sometimes when I go to a Mexican restaurant I'll order a salad right away to keep me from eating my weight in chips, salsa and guac.
7. Birthday parties, baby showers and holiday parties are also places that encourage unhealthy snacking. Try to just get one plate with lots of salad or veggies and let that be it. Bring water in case that isn't an option. If you make a plan beforehand, you are more likely to make good choices.
8. Try incorporating healthy things into your diet like spinach and kale. Greens can easily be added to scrambled eggs, smoothies and soups. When the weather is cold, it is so easy to put your favorite soup in the blender with some spinach and blend it up before you heat it up. When the weather heats up the way it always does in SoCal, I like to make a smoothie with frozen fruit, Greek yogurt and almond milk.
9. We do need carbs for energy throughout the day but we don't need a whole lot at night, so I try to refrain if I can. Try replacing spaghetti with spaghetti squash. I love it. And it is soooo easy. Here's a great recipe. Also, try using cauliflower rice instead of white rice. They carry it in the frozen section at Trader Joe's or you can make your own. Here's a YouTube video.
10. Give yourself a little treat at night. I eat soy ice cream sandwiches from, you guessed it, Trader Joe's. It's just the best place ever isn't it?! They are small and yummy and I feel like I get my sugar fix in. They also have trail mix cookies that are pretty healthy and really tasty if you have a cookie addiction. Maybe I should just start a Trader Joe's food blog!
11. Snacking is always tempting when I'm bored. I know, being a mom I always have something to do, but sometimes I'm just tired or lazy and the housecleaning gets overwhelming so I just snack instead. I try to keep a list of 5 minute easy tasks to do on my fridge should I feel like I don't know what to do. Late night snacking is my downfall. Lately I've been having a cup of herbal tea with some blue agave or honey when I feel that snack attack coming on. Also, I don't buy chips. Seriously, chips are the devil. I can't say no to Doritos. Are there snacks that your kids love that you hate? Buy those.
12. Dinner is hard for me because I'm starving and the kids are cranky and sometimes my hubby is at work for 48 hours at a time. I stock up on these babies (actually pretty good microwavable frozen fish and rice) and feed the kids mac and cheese. You gotta do what you gotta do.
13. Exercise is always a pretty hard thing to start doing. Find something you like to do like walking your dog or baby at the park. It doesn't have to be crazy as long as you are doing it consistently. You can always step it up later. I always start taking my babies for walks in the stroller when they are around 6 months, then I do a run/walk where I run every other song playing on my iPhone. Then I do a full run after a few months.
14. Get a buddy. We are SO much more likely to exercise when someone else is waiting for us. I work out with two friends in the morning. And if they were not meeting me at my house, there is no way I would get up early. I would find every excuse in the world not to.
15. Set your workout clothes out the night before. Everything from socks and shoes to the hair tie you'll be using. That makes it easy to put them on. Once they are on, you will feel like you should do something in them. I always feel more bouncy when I have my running shoes and workout clothes on. The other day, I got dressed to workout just in case I had a spare few minutes. I actually surprised myself with a run with my kids in the stroller because it was such a nice day and I was already dressed for it.
16. Set yourself up for success. Make it super easy to exercise and eat healthy by planning ahead. Do everything you can beforehand in order to make changes. Cut up veggies and put them in the fridge. Leave fruit out in a bowl where you can grab it. Set your alarm to wake up in the morning. Tell friends and family about the changes you are planning. Planning is the best advice I can give you. When something is hard or inconvenient, most of us won't do it. It has to be easy and convenient. So lets do ourselves a favor and make it easy.
I write these on Fridays so we have the weekend to think and plan and shop for the following week. Good luck! I'll be cheering you on.
Happy Friday!!
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