Healthy body, healthy mind.

Are you like me and gain weight like a mad woman if you don’t watch what you eat? UGH! I sometimes envy my skinny little friends who can eat whatever they want and not see an impact. But at the same time, it’s kind of nice to know I work hard at keeping my figure trim. While it’s definitely far from perfectly where I want it, I am at a point where I feel good enough to blog about it! So aside from the much needed- no matter how skinny you are- daily exercise, I have found some healthy eating habits that make it much easier to keep the muffin tops away. This is what works for me:
-Save your indulging for the weekends. I have to remind myself that eating is really just for our health and survival. So while I love love LOVE a delicious meal, I also can’t always eat to my heart’s highest content. But there is definitely a happy medium. For example, I create a consistent and healthy routine that keeps my body happy by eating the relatively same foods at work every day. Then come the weekend , I can let loose without the guilt!
- Pack your lunch the night before! Do it! This way you can buy things that require a bit more prep time so that you don’t have to worry about the rush in the morning (which means they are probably healthier). Also helps to avoid getting take out because you didn’t have time to pack anything
-Read labels! Avoid buying it if it’s not good for you. Just avoid having the unnecessary and unhealthy foods at your house. If you’re like me, if it’s there….you’ll eat it. And then feel guilty about it.
Suggestions (all purchased at Trader Joe’s):
-I LOVE salads. I have a salad every day at work- I mix the greens the night before at home, and leave some of my toppings and dressings at work to avoid the hassle of lugging at back and forth. My perfect salad that I am yet to get sick of consists of: baby lettuce mix, basil, Persian cucumbers (represent), shredded carrots, walnuts (super food), dried cranberries, tomatoes, broccoli, and feta cheese crumbles. I just add balsamic vinegar and olive oil. It sounds like a lot of work but honestly, TJ’s makes it really easy and if you leave the bulk of it at work and do the other part at home the night before, you’re set.
-TJ’s Heart Healthy Instant Oatmeal (blueberry or cranberry are my fave)
-Fat free cottage cheese- try it with some fruity fat-free (natural) yogurt or fresh berries! If you can’t deal with the cottage cheese, try fat free vanilla yogurt or for more of a natural flavor Greek style plain yogurt mixed with fresh berries (I love mixing with blueberries)
-An apple, banana, pear….at least one fruit as a snack
-Turkey meatballs- TJ’s sells these low fat frozen cooked turkey meatballs. They have great flavor and are a good source of protein. I just heat up a few, plain or with marinara, and eat them a la carte!
I have a lot of others but these are some of the ones I consider staples at this point. It really makes a difference not just in the way you look but the way you feel when you live an intentionally healthy lifestyle and I think it’s something everyone should try out!