Ditch the low-fat, no fat products
Shira Lenchewski, RD, summed this one up much better than I can:
“One of the most pervasive food myths is the idea that consuming dietary fat makes you fat. But truthfully, consuming any macronutrient (meaning carbohydrate, protein or fat) in excess will result in weight gain. The fact is, fat adds flavor, and when it’s removed, sweeteners and artificial flavors are typically added in its place. And trust me: that is not a good thing!”
I would pick fat over sweeteners and artificial flavors any day.
Practice some self-love
You made it to day seven! That calls for some serious appreciation and self-love. Changing our bad habits is a tough gig and if you have been sticking to the above I’m guessing you’ve been working pretty hard. So today is about taking some time out for yourself. Do something that makes you happy and / or practice some of these self-love techniques. Be proud of yo
rah Wilson on me, I’m just suggesting you cut back on the amount of sugar you are consuming each day little by little. There are a ton of studies, research and opinions out there about why too much sugar is bad for your health (you can check a few out here and here). In my opinion too much of anything is bad for your health. It’s all about moderation.
Add more fruit and veggies to your diet
You know that eating more fruit and vegetables will improve your health. So what’s stopping you? Today I want you to make a list of the different fruit and vegetables you like eating and how you plan to add more of them into your diet. Some tips: keep ready to eat fruit where you can see it, work out ways to make fruit and vegetables a part of every meal or snack, buy in season products, purchase a little bit at a time so it doesn’t go to waste and most importantly, enjoy the benefits you will see and feel when you start incorporating more of these foods into your diet.
Try some protein in the morning
Contrary to popular belief, current research has shown that weightloss may not necessarily occur by eating breakfast which has sometimes been thought of as “The most important meal of the day.” I find that eating a healthy protein breakfast helps to control my appetite and gives me a clear mind.
“High-protein breakfasts reduce the amount of ghrelin — a hormone that stimulates a feeling of hunger — in the bloodstream more effectively than do high-carb breakfasts.” Institute of Food Technologists
I encourage to just give it a go. Try eating protein (eggs, greek yoghurt and fruit, oats, meat) and see how you feel afterwards. Then the next day compare this feeling to your usual breakfast routine. I think you will be surprised to see the difference. Just make sure when you make over your breakfast routine, you avoid high sugar and processed cereals, they really aren’t doing your body any favors.
Change your toothbrush head
The American Dental Association recommends replacing the head of your electric toothbrush or your regular toothbrush every three to four months. Your toothbrush is home to microorganisms from your mouth and also the environment where it’s stored. Changing your toothbrush regularly will decrease the number of bacteria you are exposed to and ensure your teeth are always cleaned well.
Sneak exercise into your day
It’s time to get that gorgeous body of yours moving; no excuses. You know what you need to do, you just have to make the commitment and do it. Here are a few ideas on how you can sneak exercise into your day:
- Always take the stairs.
- Do 20 squats when you’re done in the bathroom.
- Use your lunchbreak to go for a walk outside.
- Park your car a little further away from work and enjoy the walk.
- Before sitting on the couch at night do 25 jumping jacks, 25 pushups, 25 crunches and 25 squats.
- Dance while your cooking, cleaning, working, whatever. Yes you may look a little weird but who cares, get a bit silly and have fun.
- Google the ridiculous amount of at home work outs that are free on Youtube.
Meal prep
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” - Benjamin Franklin
Meal prep is one of the best ways I know to keep your healthy diet on track. When we have delicious healthy snacks and meals in the fridge or freezer ready to go, we are more likely to choose them rather than an easy option like takeaway. My suggestion is to pick afternoon or a day each week that you dedicate to your meal prepping. Get your recipes together, get the ingredients together and have a massive cook off. You could prepare some salads, some vegetables that are ready to be cooked when you need them, fruit salad, boiled eggs, healthy treats, meals that you can eat this week or store in the freezer for when you need them. Make it a habit to prep and I’m sure you will see the difference in your eating habits.
Find one thing to be grateful for every single
Happy people are not happy because everything is ALWAYS blissful and amazing in their life. Happy people choose to be happy, they choose to look for the good in any situation, they choose to support themselves and they choose to make their happiness a priority in their lives. So from now on, every single day I want you to find at least one thing you are grateful for.
“We only live once. We all have an expiration date after that we will never come again. I am not saying that to make you sad. I am saying that so you can cherish each moment in your life and be grateful that you are here and you are Special.” ― Pablo
Fourteen day challenge complete! Your next steps are to do a very big happy dance, practice some serious self-love and then work out what area of your life needs a little makeover next. Keep going, you can do it and you deserve it!
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