If you’re looking for a way to stay healthy and fit, the lean lifestyle is an easy, and a surprisingly delicious option. By aiming for balance with nutritious foods, physical activity, and plenty of restful sleep, it’s not hard to reap the many benefits that come along with living lean.
From improved digestion to increased energy levels and vibrant skin, this health lifestyle can work wonders in no time. Ready to learn how? Here are 10 simple tips and tricks to help you master the art of lean living in no time flat!
Ready to get lean? Here are 13 easy tricks you can try to help you master the lean lifestyle:
- Start your day with a minimum of 16 oz of fresh lemon water because beginning your day with a healthy detox is highly beneficial! Lean people are very serious about this habit because:
- Fresh lemon water helps to flush out toxins from your system and gives you an immune boost as it’s a great source of Vitamin C.
- Lemon water kickstarts optimal digestion. Lemon juice is rich in minerals, enzymes, and vitamins that aid digestion and promote regularity. When consumed in the morning on an empty stomach, these properties help to break down food more efficiently throughout the day.
- Lemon water is structured and more bioavailable than water without lemon, so it enables better hydration. It is also a great way to stay hydrated first thing in the morning – drinking plenty of water throughout the day can keep your skin glowing and help regulate your metabolism!
- Reject the waffles and pancakes topped with sugary products for breakfast. Breakfast items made with blood-sugar spiking processed white flour also requires much more digestion energy to process which leaves you feeling sluggish.
If you love pancakes in the morning, try quinoa flour for a high protein, complex carbohydrate meal that will set your day on the right pace.
Eating a nutritious breakfast full of complex carbohydrates includes:
- Sweet Potatoes
- Quinoa
- Oats
- Brown Rice
- Sprouted, organic bread
Pair your complex carbohydrates with lean proteins like these:
- Greek yogurt
- Hard-boiled eggs, or eggs done your way
- Smoked salmon
- Quinoa with nuts and seeds
- Oatmeal
- Protein smoothie
And adding fresh fruits and veggies to your breakfast plate is key for maintaining your energy levels throughout the day and giving your metabolism a boost. Add fruits and veggies like these:
- Tropical fruits
- Berries
- Apples
- Carrots
- Spinach
- Eat lots of veggies throughout the day
Not only are they packed with nutrients, but they’re also low in calories so you can eat more without feeling guilty!
Plus, packing your plate with colorful vegetables is a guaranteed way to ensure you stay full and satisfied until your next meal. If you fall short on veggies one day, you can supplement their micronutrients.
- Drink plenty of water.
Staying hydrated helps regulate digestion and keep you energized so make sure you drink at least 8 glasses of water each day. If plain water isn’t doing it for you, try adding some lemon or cucumber slices.
Not only does this make the water tastier, but it also makes it structured and more bio-available for the body to utilize more efficiently.
- Exercise regularly.
Exercise doesn’t have to be boring—try incorporating different activities into your routine such as dancing, swimming, or even just taking regular walks in nature!
Also, staying flexible is key to avoiding injury and keeping your body in great condition. Be sure to stretch. Even when you are doing other activities, you can be mindful and stretch out a muscle group or two.
This will not only help increase muscle mass, which burns fat, but it will also get those endorphins flowing and give that extra boost of motivation we all need sometimes.
Exercise boosts circulation which delivers oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body which is necessary for a well-functioning, healthy body.
- Get enough sleep.
A good night’s sleep is key for weight loss since our muscles repair overnight while we rest. Aim for 7-8 hours per night if possible. If you are finding it difficult to sleep, taking some melatonin tea before bed might help, or, you could try a weighted blanket.
Sleeping adequately reduces stress hormones which can lead to overeating during the day from comfort eating, which is enough motivation to get those zzzz’s!
- Cook at home as much as possible to drastically reduce sugar and salt intake. Preparing meals at home rather than dining out is one of the best ways to control what goes into your food.
Most restaurants use cheap oils that have been shown to wreak havoc in the body, and they load on sugar and salt to make their meals extra tasty.
When you make your own meals, you know exactly what ingredients you used so there won’t be any hidden unhealthy fats or sugars sabotaging your weight loss efforts.
- Control portions by using smaller plates.
When it comes time for meals, don’t be afraid to downsize your dishes. Using smaller plates helps trick the brain into thinking there’s more food when really there’s less.
This leads to overall lower calorie intake with every meal that really adds up to weight loss over time.
Eat mindfully by focusing on every bite. Here are some tips on how to ensure that your eating is mindful:
- Keeping a food journal is a great way to be accountable for what you eat, because it helps discourage mindless eating when you have to write it down.
- Take some time before every meal or snack to sit down away from distractions like TV screens or phones. This way you can pay attention to how much and how often you’re eating while still enjoying yourself in the process.
- Plan Your Meals
Plan your meals in advance. This will help you to make healthier choices and avoid last-minute unhealthy decisions. Planning ahead will also help you to save money, as you’ll be less likely to impulse buy or eat out if there is something defrosted and ready to go in the fridge.
- Eat Slowly
When you’re eating, make sure to take your time and savor each bite. Eating slowly will help you to feel fuller faster and avoid overeating. It’s also a good opportunity to really taste your food and appreciate all the flavors.
Ensure that you have enough time to eat a meal. It takes 20 minutes for your body to process a “full signal” so eating slowly will give your body time to tell you it has had enough, which significantly helps curb over eating.
11.Listen to Your Body
Pay attention to your hunger cues and stop eating when you’re no longer hungry. This may take some practice, but it’s worth it.
Have confidence in what your body needs and what it is telling you. If you listen carefully, you will take note that your body is not asking for a heart-clogging burger and fries.
Remember, your body takes an average of 20 minutes to send full signals, so allow an adequate amount of time for eating so you are not wolfing down a plate of food that may be too much, sabotaging your efforts. We need less food than we think!
12. Stock up on healthy snacks. Having healthy foods like the following close at hand will help nix impulse choices of less healthy items.
- Nuts
- crispy seaweed snacks
- protein bars or protein shakes made with natural, and few ingredients
Keeping snacks like these handy can help stave off cravings between meals throughout the day. They also provide essential vitamins and minerals that body needs too!
13. Stay motivated by celebrating successes! Celebrate small wins like:
- losing a pound
- running an extra mile
- taking the stairs for a week instead of the elevator
- not giving into fast food for lunch for a week
This not only keeps motivation up towards a goal but acts as positive reinforcement for making good decisions along the way. Stick with it because little goals add up overtime leading eventually lead towards bigger rewards!
Be sure you do not celebrate the above kind of wins with junk food or anything that would sabotage your efforts like taking the elevator instead of the stairs for a week since you just took the stairs for that amount of time.
Small non-food celebrations for sticking to your lean plan could be:
- Give yourself a manicure or pedicure
- Buy/borrow a new book
- Get a massage
- Go see a movie
- Take a yoga class
We hope that this guide was helpful and that it will further pave the way to a clearer way to live a lean lifestyle!
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