5 Essential Tips For Maintaining Healthy Eating Habits

5 Essential Tips For Maintaining Healthy Eating Habits

According to Harvard’s T.H Chan School of Public Health, the majority of Americans could quickly answer the question: What does healthy eating look like? Indeed, everyone knows and understands the main factors of a healthy diet: 

• More fruits and vegetables
• Less red meat
• Less processed foods
• Avoid fast-food restaurants

Why Eating Healthy Can Be Challenging

Despite knowing what a healthy diet consists of, fewer than 25% of Americans adhere to the American Heart Association's dietary guidelines, and over 42% of the population is obese, increasing the risk of fatal heart disease. This suggests that the issue of maintaining healthy eating habits isn't just about knowledge but also about other factors.

According to a nutrition professor at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, one of the challenges is people's misconceptions about healthy eating. Many see it as too limiting, focusing on fat-free, low-fat, low-calorie, and low-sugar choices. Additionally, some believe that healthy foods are costly and complicated to prepare.

The perception that healthy eating is too difficult to manage is also prevalent. Many think that healthy food is too expensive or too time-consuming to make. The primary reason cited for not following a healthy diet is taste, with many Americans believing that healthy food isn't enjoyable.

Convenience is another important factor in maintaining healthy eating habits. Buying pre-packaged meals seems easier when working long hours rather than preparing meals from scratch. However, there are ways to establish and maintain a healthy eating routine without added stress. Here are some tips to get started!

Making the changes: Overcome the misconceptions about healthy eating

Master The Art Of Healthy Meal Planning

Planning your meals ensures you can maintain a well-balanced and nutritious diet that fuels your body with goodness. Indeed, meal planning has many advantages that can transform the way you think about food. 

First, following a meal plan can save you a ton of money because you can focus on seasonal products and make your ingredients last longer.

For example, you can cook multiple batches ahead, which means you get the most out of your ingredients while ensuring you only buy what you need. This makes healthy food cheaper. 

Exploring Plant-Based Alternatives For Healthier Eating

Plant-based eating has gained popularity for its numerous health benefits. So, incorporating more plant-based alternatives into your meals is definitely a good idea. You can still stick to the food you love but add a healthier twist with a veggie version, such as making veggie burgers for dinner this week. 

First, plant-based meals are rich in essential nutrients, including more vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants than meat-based options. They are also lower in saturated fat and more environmentally friendly, helping reduce your risk of heart diesese.

What's great is that you can still indulge in your favorite meals even if you choose to have one vegetarian dish each week. Plant-based meat substitutes work just as well in your favorite meat recipes. For instance, I prefer having plant-based sausage for breakfast, the day's most important meal.

Cooking Homemade Meals For A Healthier Diet

We get it: You don’t have time to cook from scratch. While true, you can seize the opportunity to prepare batches ahead, which you can freeze for when you need them. 

Homemade food is also easier to digest, as it doesn’t include preservatives or additives in store-bought food. A recent study showed the difference between homemade noodles and shop-bought ones, revealing that the homemade version was digested within a couple of hours. 

Here’s a crucial lesson for eaters trying to reduce bloating, digestive issues, and even cancer in the digestive tract: Preservatives can affect your digestion and metabolism. So, essentially, what makes typical quick food unhealthy is the addition of preservatives.

In other words, whether you are a noodle, pasta, or pizza fan, you want to start making and freezing your own dough to use when needed. 

Elevate Your Healthy Eating With The Power Of Spices

Spices can make or break a meal. Not only do they add flavor, but they also bring a range of health benefits. For a start, your body will benefit from adding spices instead of sauces. Spices are rich in antioxidants, helping combat inflammation in the body.

They are metabolism boosters like chili peppers and can support digestion. Adding ginger or turmeric to your meals will soothe any digestive discomfort. 

More importantly, you can also enjoy a meal not loaded with sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats in store-bought sauces.  

Boost Your Healthy Eating With Increased Protein Intake

If you're feeling hungry after switching to a healthier diet, it could be because you're not getting enough protein in your meals. Protein can be found in various foods, including fish and mushrooms, and can help you feel full for extended periods. Additionally, protein supports and builds healthy muscle growth and repair while boosting metabolism. For this reason, many people incorporate protein into their fitness and health routine.

Protein is also essential for weight loss! Our bodies burn more calories digesting protein than carbohydrates. More importantly, protein helps you stay full longer, a common reason diets fail. You shouldn't feel hungry by consuming a protein-rich diet with plenty of greens and minimal carbohydrates.

Therefore, increasing your protein intake while reducing your carb intake is a good idea. It's important to remember that your body needs carbohydrates, so it's best to achieve a balance and maintain a healthy weight by adding sources of protein like poultry, fish, legumes, tofu, and healthy snacks like nuts to your meals.

It is advised to avoid added sugars from sugary drinks, full-fat milk, and other beverages that are really high in calories claiming to have protein. Achieving a healthy weight is crucial, and this can be done by following a balanced diet and staying physically active.

To Sum It Up

To sum up, adopting healthy eating habits is not a quick fix but a long-term lifestyle change. Embrace a sense of adventure when it comes to healthy eating. Be open to trying new foods, ingredients, and recipes. This approach can make healthy eating enjoyable, accessible, affordable, and tasty. Remember, healthy eating is a journey, not a destination.

Show Your Body Some Love With A Healthy Lifestyle

The holidays are behind us, and so is the overindulgence of cookies, cakes, large family meals, and some holiday cheer! With the first month of the year almost under our belt, it's time to check up to see if you are staying on track making some healthy lifestyle choices. And with love in the air, why not show your body some love with a healthy lifestyle that will keep you looking great for Valentine’s Day and beyond.

Think of your body as the vehicle to your dreams. Honor it. Respect it. Fuel it. And here are some simple ideas to help you do just that by showing your body some love for a healthy lifestyle.

Keep An Eye On What You Eat

This does not suggest that you start counting calories or following a fad diet, nor that you need to keep track of every mouthful of food you eat. In truth, that is not the most effective method of achieving your objective of living a healthy lifestyle. It all comes down to moderation. As a result, you shouldn't feel bad about indulging in that custard cream or a glass of your favorite beverage while curled up in front of a movie; instead, you should be conscious of the quantity and frequency with which you indulge. Keep in mind that a healthy diet is not about complete deprivation; instead, it is about addressing your body's nutritional requirements. As long as your primary diet consists of foods such as dairy, nutritious carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, and healthy fats, you can indulge in a treat now and again without feeling guilty.

Exercise Daily For A Healthier Lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle does not necessitate the ability to run a marathon. All you have to do now is figure out how to incorporate physical activity into your everyday routine. Try parking further away in the parking lot, take the stairs instead of the elevator, schedule half an hour a day for a short walk or an exercise video to help you get more exercise. After all, most people have more than enough time to accomplish a quick workout if they take an honest look at their nightly routines.

If you work from home, you can run a few times during the day in short spurts and an elliptical machine is perfect to help you to reach your exercise goals.  

Weight benches are also a great addition to your home fitness routine. When you bench press or do incline or machine presses, it helps to keep your back flat and consistent.

And remember with weights not to overdo it. The expression "No Pain, No Gain" is a lie; pain is not the answer. you may want to consider the healing potential of CBD and look into some of the products available at a CBD online store to alleviate any joint or muscle discomfort you are experiencing. 

You might want to try the range made by sugarandkush to help you relax after a good workout, plus it’s good for the mind, which we’ll talk about next.

Mental Health Benefits Of Exercise

Adopting a healthy lifestyle involves not only a nutritious diet and regular exercise but also taking care of your mental well-being. Besides, there are some other things you can do to make a difference. 

For instance, you can meditate or enroll in a yoga class to work out while caring for your mental health. Practicing mindfulness, such as understanding the benefits and meaning of savasana yoga poses, can significantly contribute to your mental well-being. Learn more about the benefits of savasana yoga poses at BetterYoga. 

If you experience stress, anxiety, or pressure, seek professional guidance for support. To show some love to your body with a healthy lifestyle, focus on these three areas. You are welcome to share any additional tips in the comments section below. Until, next time!

The Beginners Guide To Healthy, Glowing Skin

Ok, who is ready for healthy, glowing skin?

With the warmer weather amongst us, it’s time to shine. But if you have problematic skin, acne, photo-aging, dullness, never used skincare in your life (oh my). Then achieving a beautiful glow (not just a sweaty one) can seem complicated. But no worries, as I have put together this beginner's guide to healthy, glowing skin.

What The Heck Is Glowing Skin?
We hear this word tossed around frequently in the online beauty community, from Instagram to Tik-Tok, but what the heck is it?

According to an esthetician friend of mine, glowing skin is soft, subtle, and moist. Moist??? Yeah, I know the word moist makes many people cringe. But to take it a step further after she laughed at me for saying, no, not moist. "Miss Barbie, glowing skin is characterized by small pores, an even skin tone that is clear, healthy, and without blemishes."

Also, achieving healthy, glowing skin is not just about skincare; it is about a healthy lifestyle. But since this is a beginner's post I will go over the basics to help you kick start a fantastic routine for healthy, glowing skin. 

Respect The Skin
R-E-S-P-E-C-T find out what that means. It means do not overdo it. Scrubbing harder is not the key to make your skin glow; it will actually do the opposite. You have to respect the skin’s microbiome as disruptions to it can lead to a host of problems. And for those who think you have to scrub your face aggressively to get rid of acne, find that hidden glow, or must get a tingling sensation, you are doing the opposite by compromising the skin barrier. When your skin barrier is compromised that can lead to irritation and sensitivity. Not glowing, healthy skin!

Skincare Ingredients For Healthy, Glowing Skin
Continuing from the above discussion of respect is the ingredients in your skincare. Harsh ingredients, especially those causing a tingling sensation, is your skin telling you it’s being compromised, not helped!

The most common ingredient that causes a tingling or burning sensation on the skin is SD alcohol. But tingling isn't always bad. Yes, I know I am confusing you, but sometimes a product’s tingly effect might very well mean it’s working in some way. Again, it goes back to the ingredients. Some ingredients that can lead to this good tingling sensation are typically exfoliants like Vitamin A (retinol), Vitamin C, and alpha hydroxy acids (like glycolic acid), which are ok. You just have to take baby steps and check the ingredients before using them, also to test for sensitivity.

If you see ingredients like glycolic acid or retinol, you can expect there to be a healthy tingling sensation as the product works to exfoliate your skin. If you see ingredients like alcohol, menthyl lactate, and eucalyptus, this is something to avoid.

In choosing your skincare products, go for reliable products like Revinia skincare products that do not contain harmful chemicals and are known to give excellent results by nourishing from the inside out. (rejuvenating your skin at the DNA level).

Your Face Is Not The Same As Your Butt, So Use A Different Cleanser
What?? You should not use the same type of soap to wash your face as you would your butt. PERIOD!!! And if you are using a bar of soap to cleanse your face, that is precisely what you are doing, so stop!!!!  The binders that hold the bar together are highly alkaline with a high PH balance that strip all the moisture from your skin and make it dull, dry, and far from glowing. (kind of like a chapped A$$) ~ oh, I make myself laugh!!    Hence,  invest in a gentle face cleanser for glowing healthy skin.

Implement An Easy To Follow Skincare Routine
For your skin is to look radiant, you would need to find a skincare routine and follow it religiously. Remember, achieving smooth, glowing skin is a journey, but that doesn't mean it has to be a 10 step skincare routine.  One of my favorite skincare lines is TreCeuticals, which has got it figured out with their power of three concept...Three powerful active ingredients, three simple steps, three minutes a day is all you need!!!

The Proper Order To Apply Your Skincare Products For Glowing Skin
While having a dedicated skincare routine is a crucial part of healthy, glowing skin it’s only part of the battle. You also need to know the correct order to apply your skincare to get the most out of your skincare products.

Like anything in life to be successful, there needs to be a plan of action, with rules and guidelines, and your skincare is not any different. As when it comes to using skincare it needs to be in a systematic order, but what the heck is that?

Tip 1: Prioritize the most active ingredients in your products. The rule of thumb is the more critical the component, the sooner you should use it.

Tip 2: The trick to remember is to start with the thin products first and work your way to the thicker ones.

• Liquids
• Lightweight serums
• Creams
• Finish with oils
  

Tip 3: Properly layer your skincare products

• Cleanse (Preparing the skin. Skincare works best with a clean canvass)
• Tone (Prepping the skin)
• Serums: Apply treatment focused skincare (above prioritize)
• Moisturize (Protect and support)
  

Use Antioxidants For Healthy, Glowing Skin
If you want healthy, glowing skin, then antioxidants are a must!  Antioxidants play an essential role in the skin's health as they fight the signs of aging by protecting, preventing, and restoring the skin from oxidative stress.

The easiest way to get your dose of antioxidants is to look for skincare products with them.  Another way that many people may not think of is eat your way to healthy glowing skin!

Time and time again, you may have heard the phrase "you are what you eat." Well, it is true! A diet consisting of fruits and vegetables provides your body with vitamins and antioxidants, which help give you radiant skin. For example, antioxidants are known to protect your skin against UV rays responsible for hyper-pigmentation. Studies have also shown that healthy fats from fish oils and nuts like walnuts contain ellagic acid, which helps the skin achieve a healthy glow.

Exercise For Healthy, Glowing Skin
Exercise offers numerous ways to help you achieve the smooth, glowing skin you want. The sweat you experience when you exercise enables you to release toxins from your skin. You also improve the blood circulation throughout your body when you work out. This, in turn, gives you radiant skin as oxygen and nutrients are effectively distributed in the body, there is sufficient production of collagen, and new cells are generated.

So, whether you are going to the gym or working out at home, you can start experiencing the benefits of exercising regularly on your skin’s health and bonus...weight loss.

There you have it beauties, my beginners guide to healthy, glowing skin. Once you have this down, make sure to check out some of my other skincare tips for beginners.

Tips To Getting Fit And Healthy For Summer

With summer right around the corner, I decided I needed to start hitting the gym and getting my eating routine back into to gear.

I want to first start off by saying, by no means am I a medical professional.  I do not claim any responsibility for any product, diet, food plan, or tips I am about to discuss. This is what has worked for me, so always do your research and more importantly consult with your doctor for medical advice. With that being said, let's get on with the goodies.

My Secret To Losing Weight And Getting In Shape
Eating healthy, exercise, and just generally taking good care of yourself is the key, so it's not rocket science, and it's not a new concept. But unfortunately, a lot of us are all looking for the 'quick fix.' We've gotten brained washed thinking there is one, but there is not.  And more importantly, a lot of these fads are not safe, or we end up frustrated eating tasteless foods, starving ourselves and ready for a final fix to the unforgiving cycle of self-sabotage.

Given that, trying to get into shape for the summer doesn't have to be overly complicated, but it will take some time and effort on your part.

I always say: "If you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you always got." SO, if you keep doing the same things you've always done with your eating habits and exercise, then you won't lose weight. It will take some time to change your behavior, but you can do it. Just be realistic in your outlook and be willing to give it some time and you'll be where you need to be sooner than you may have thought.

My Most Important Tip
When it comes to me losing weight, it is all about portion control, bottom line.  The portions of food we eat are ridiculous.  Think about it, next time you go out look at how much food you are served with your one entrée, WAY TOO MUCH! This is why when I go out to eat I do one of the two things; Share a meal with a friend, not only does it save money but the serving size is more than enough. The second option is when my meal comes, I also ask for a to go box and before I start to eat I take half of the meal and place it in the to go box.  If I am at home, I eat from a smaller plate.  ALSO, for me trying to lose weight, I also weigh my food based on the ounces my trainer gave me. I will list that below.

In addition to portion control, eating healthy requires you to lower your daily caloric intake. The exact amount you need to take in every day will depend on many variables such as your age, your gender and the amount of activity you get every day. That doesn't necessarily mean exercise, just how much you 'move' on a daily basis.

Once you've figured out what your caloric intake needs to be, you should find a food plan.  For the most part, you'll want to keep things as natural as possible. Stay away from highly processed foods, which means, those quick premade dinners, mixes, etc. are not a good idea.  The best approach is to make your food and create prepared meals you can eat throughout the week and take to work with you, as you want to avoid eating fast foods or overly processed foods that you WILL find at the popular sit-down restaurants.

 

Foods To Eat To Keep Healthy

Protein...
Protein is key to losing weight! Our body burns more calories digesting protein that carbs.  More importantly, protein also helps you to stay full longer, as the biggest reason for failing a diet is feeling like you are hungry all the time! But not when you have a diet high in protein, combined with a good balance of greens, and minimal carbohydrates, you should not feel hungry.

So Why Protein
Because it contributes to building and maintaining muscle.  Hence having a diet heavy on the protein side is key.  BUT WAIT.  It is healthy protein, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be meat!!! You can also find high amounts of protein in foods like yogurt, eggs, cottage cheese, and nuts. But if you love your meat, try to stick to leaner ones, like boneless, skinless chicken, fish high in Omega 3 as these are also excellent sources of low-fat protein. And if you have to have some red meat, stick to lean meats, like a filet.

Implementing Protein Powder Into Diet
Another source of protein is protein powder, and nowadays you can do a lot with protein powder, not just shake it with water and go! You can make smoothies from it, bake with it, mix it in with other foods and much more.  And for this portion, I have partnered up with The Svêlo™ Solution; a Delicious Protein Shake Formulated for Weight Loss Success.

So Why Do I Like Svêlo™
Svelo is more than a 100-calorie protein shake mix, it is also packed with vitamins, minerals, protein and healthy carbohydrates – plus it's an appetite suppressant, and metabolism booster, which is a must have for those that go through those HANGRY moments.  According to their website, this product provides your body with fuel to function.  It also helps to curb your cravings by inducing sensations of satiety while providing support to rev your metabolism.  This is one thing I like about Svelo as you can continue to burn fat without feeling sluggish.

So What Does Svêlo™ Offer

• BURN MORE, EAT LESS: Delicious meal replacement shake formulated to aid in weight loss | 30 servings
• REV: Powerful metabolism booster may help burn calories while increasing lean muscle mass & energy
• CURB: Strong appetite suppressant & satiety aid may control hunger and crush cravings for up to 4 hours
• FUEL: A complete meal in 100 calories, 12g whey protein, 7g fiber, essential vitamins, and minerals

Other Foods To Add To Your Meal Plan
In addition to protein in your diet when it comes to eating bread and cereals remember to stay away from 'white 'foods. White bread, white rice, etc. are loaded with unhealthy carbs. There are virtually no health benefits from eating those types of foods. Try instead to eat more high fiber, whole grain bread, brown rice, and Quinoa, which aside from producing energy quinoa is also another great source of protein.

• Vegetables  Eating a lot of greens is essential, look for green leafy vegetables, like Kale, spinach.
• Fruits are also good, but if you are trying to lose weight some fruits should be excluded like bananas...The best fruit to add to your regimen is an apple. Yes, I guess an apple a day keeps a lot away!

My Food Plan
As mentioned above I was going to share my diet I got from my trainer.  As you will see I am eating throughout the day as starving yourself is not going to work.

Breakfast:

• Black coffee (no sweeteners or creams, sorry)
• Egg whites or Oatmeal. For the oatmeal, I do not add sugar; I do however add some of my protein shakes to it, as it is sweet and makes it flavorful.
• Svelo Protein shake.

Snack: 
PICK ONE...A Svelo Protein Shake, Greek Yogurt with an apple or some almonds ( I prefer the Greek yogurt and an apple)

Lunch: 
3 ounces of protein, ½ cup of brown rice or Quinoa and a cup of greens.

Snack:
Whichever of the above you did not eat do it here. I prefer to drink the Svelo shake here as there is a longer time for me until dinner and the shake prevents me from being hungry in the afternoons.

Dinner:
3-4 ounces of lean protein, ½ cup of brown rice or Quinoa and a cup of greens.

And don’t forget to drink plenty of water throughout the day which will help keep you in great shape.

So, there you have it, my approach to eating healthier while trying to maintain my weight.  The key to my success is my belief to look at this as a lifestyle, not a diet. Watching what you eat is always important! At the very least, that means lots of lean protein, fruits and vegetables, and complex carbohydrates and no processed foods. And when it comes to building muscle, toning your body, and increasing your energy, consider about 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight to maximize the benefits of protein.

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• Want to know the nutritional facts on Svelo Meal Replacement click here 
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8 Tips To Feeling Fabulous This Summer

Fitness and beauty can be one and the same. Being fit and healthy will automatically make you look better. A healthy inside creates a healthy outside. Fitness through exercise as well eating properly can help you to maintain a healthy body weight, improve muscle tone, to make us feel BEAUTYful from the inside out.