If you’re like most people, you’ve probably tried your share of the newest diet. Maybe you’ve dabbled in Whole 30 or different nutritious-minded programs, or gone vegetarian or vegan for a while.
While there’s nothing wrong with trying different dietary approaches, the fact is that most people end up back where they started: eating and behaving the same old way they always have, only now they feel guilty about it. The key is to never stop investing time and interest into the journey towards lifestyle nutrition. Read on to learn about simple changes you can make to get on the road to a lifestyle of nutrition.
Simple changes can bring big results
What is lifestyle nutrition?
For those who have mastered it, lifestyle nutrition is about making small, sustainable changes to your diet and lifestyle in order to improve health and well-being. A healthy lifestyle is a valuable habit to develop because it can help us break the cycle of yo-yo dieting, feel better in our bodies, and develop a healthier relationship with food. When we make the decision to focus on lifestyle nutrition, we are making a commitment to take care of ourselves in the long term.
Care for and invest time into yourself
This not only involves eating nutritious foods but also getting enough sleep, managing stress, and getting regular exercise. Making these changes can be difficult at first, but they become much easier when we view them as part of a lifelong journey towards optimal health. With each positive change we make, we are one step closer to achieving our goals.
It is not about making a sacrifice, nor should it feel as if you are sacrificing something. Slow daily changes and the positive feedback you receive from a feeling body will help you press forward.
Choose your “hard.”
Life is about choices, and choosing your “hard.” It’s hard to be overweight, fatigued, and stressed. For that same person, it may also be “hard” to exercise, eat a healthy, well-planned meal and get a good night’s rest. Which subject would you like to focus on?
Embed your healthy choices into your normal everyday life through repetition
What if there was a way to make healthy eating and exercise something you do every day without even thinking about it? With enough habit-changing to form new habits, this can become a reality.
Find other like-minded people to create your new clan if necessary
It will take finding others who have the same mindset. If you continue to hang with the same crowd that is participating in activities and habits that no longer serve you, change will almost certainly not come to fruition, as those people will hold you back.
Your changes will make them uncomfortable, and they do not want you to change, as it feels unfamiliar and “unsafe” to their subconscious mind. Even though they love you, they will help you sabotage your new lifestyle by offering negative encouragement like: “You’ve done so well this week. Surely you can have a piece of cake as a reward.”
Start spending less time with these people if you are serious about progressing, and find a new group or friend who has the same goals as you. They may be at work, at the gym, at church, or in the oddest of places. Just know they are looking for you too!
Tips on how to make wellness a lifestyle, not a diet.
1. Find an exercise you enjoy.
The first step to making wellness a lifestyle is finding an exercise routine that you enjoy. A lot of people hate going to the gym, and that’s perfectly understandable. Who wants to spend an hour or more on the treadmill when they could be doing something they actually enjoy?
The good news is that there are plenty of other options out there besides the traditional gym workout. You can go for a walk or a run outdoors, join a sports league, take a dance or a kickboxing class, or anything else that gets you moving and having fun. The key is to find something you enjoy so that working out doesn’t feel like a chore.
This may make you chuckle, we certainly did, but it really makes sense! Why not?! We are not suggesting you replace regular or more strenuous fresh air exercise with this, but consider the calories burned from a device like this under your desk exerciser a bonus!
DeskCycle Under Desk Bike Pedal Exerciser
Why we love this Desk Cycle exerciser:
- Silent magnetic resistance mechanism, will not disturb others
- Adjustable petal straps
- Dual direction petals, frontwards and backwards
- Stay flat petals
- Highly rated on Amazon
- Why not burn bonus calories while sitting at your desk?
2.Make Healthy Eating Easy!
Another tip for making wellness a lifestyle is to make healthy eating easy. A lot of people think that eating healthy means cooking elaborate meals from scratch every day, but that’s just not realistic for most people. Instead of trying to cook big meals all the time, focus on making small changes that will add up over time.
Small Changes
For example, instead of having sugary cereal for breakfast, try some oatmeal with fresh fruit instead.
Instead of chips and dip as a snack, try carrots and hummus.
And instead of ordering pizza for dinner, try making your own healthy version at home with whole wheat crust and lots of veggies.
Overall health can be improved by making small changes like these.
A good way to make these small changes is to eat fewer meals out of a box or a package. The less processed your food is, the better you will feel.
Want something sweet? This will help you choose a healthy option. Turn simple frozen fruit into a satisfying ice cream-like dessert. This is a must have to help make better food choices, and to help combat sweet cravings while packing your snack with all of the micronutrients fruit has to offer.
Yonanas 902 Classic Vegan Non-Dairy Frozen Fruit Soft Serve Dessert Maker
Why we love Yonanas 902 Classic Vegan Non-Dairy Frozen Fruit Soft Serve Dessert Maker:
- Have frozen fruit ready to go in the freezer and making a frozen dessert is quick and easy
- Tons of options and versatility
- Top with bee pollen, chia seeds, hemp seeds, cocoa nibs SOOOOO good!
- Easy to clean (IMPORTANT!)
- Can make a single serving or enough for the family
- BPA free
- Helps guide you to eating more nutritious snacks
Swap the time you take to pick up meals for making them.
You can create and cook quick, healthy meals that take the same or less time than take-out!
Takeout is delicious and easy, but it’s not always the healthiest option. Plus, it can be expensive!
If you’re looking to make wellness an everyday habit, one small change you can make is cooking more meals at home.
Many people resort to ordering out because they have no inspiration for what they can make, but it just takes keeping a pantry with staples and ensuring that the fridge is stocked each week with your favorite whole foods.
We’re not talking about slaving over a stove for hours on end. We’re challenging you to make quick, healthy meals that take the same or less time than it takes to order and pick up takeout. Here are some examples to get you started.
Simple Salmon with Roasted Broccoli
Ingredients:
- 1 salmon fillet (4-6 oz)
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste, optional
Air fry or bake the salmon fillet at 350 degrees for 15 minutes (check salmon thickness; may need a bit more time) while you chop a stalk of broccoli and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Optional garnishes of parsley or raw veggies.
Thoughts about owning an air fryer
If you do not have an air fryer, it might be the best investment in your health and time efficiency that you make. Plus, it saves in using less energy than firing up the big oven.
Please note: Many air fryers have Teflon coatings inside and on their racks. Steer clear of Teflon, there are many studies that point to Teflon making our food toxic.
This Teflon-free air fryer is highly rated on Amazon, and reasonably priced:
Aria Teflon-Free 7 Qt. Premium Ceramic Air Fryer with Recipe Book, Black
Why we love this Aria Air Fryer:
- Instant pre-heat, reaches 400 degrees in seconds!
- Non toxic, no Teflon!
- Interior made of ceramic
- 7 quart capacity
- Cookbook included
- You will use this appliance way more than you ever thought, I discovered this recently!
Use variations of the recipe above and keep going!
You can use variations of the above recipe and repeat. Use different meats, root vegetables and vegetables as sides.
Use the oven for more than one meal element, if possible. For this recipe idea, you’ll be using the oven for the chicken and potatoes.
5-Ingredient BBQ Chicken with Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans
Ingredients (adjust if serving more than 1).
- 1 pound chicken breast
- 1 potato
- 1 cup of green bean
- Olive oil
- BBQ sauce
Cut the chicken breast lengthwise to butterfly it so it cooks faster and more evenly. Spread it with olive oil on top.
Dice the potato into small cubes. Toss in olive oil. Put the potatoes and chicken into the air fryer or oven at 400 degrees until done, about 20 minutes or less. Serve with barbecue sauce.
Add the green beans into the oven or air fryer half way through the cooking of the chicken and potatoes so they don’t get overdone.
3. Be mindful of your choices.
Another important tip is to be mindful of your choices when it comes to food and exercise.
This means being aware of why you’re making the choices you’re making and thinking about the long-term effects they’ll have on your health. For example, if you’re considering skipping your workout because you’re tired after work, ask yourself if you’ll regret it later.
Will you feel better after getting some exercise, or will you just feel guilty about not working out? Chances are, you’ll feel better if you just put on your sneakers and get moving!
Your condition is the result of cumulative lifestyle decisions
Every positive and negative decision adds up, and the result is the current state you are in. Every bite you consume and every decision regarding exercise either adds to your quality of life, or it detracts from it.
The good news is that a person’s current state did not happen overnight, so a few slip ups are not going to sink the whole effort.
In parallel, changing the current state will take a reasonable amount of time as well. Consistency is your friend. Whatever you do consistently will pay off, or you will pay.
Nobody should or does care more about your health than you. You are in control. If you want a great looking and feeling body that is free of aches and pains, choose it. Do what it takes.
Concluding Thoughts
Making lifestyle nutrition your way of life is all about finding what works for you and then sticking with it. There’s no magic pill or quick fix. Making small changes in your diet and exercise habits can lead to big improvements in your overall health, both physical and emotional. Sustainable change takes time and effort, but it is worth it! You’ll see!
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