A Handful of Health Tips
Have you started the year off with good intentions, only to find that you have not made much progress on your health goals? The following are some suggestions that you might find to be useful reminders.
Eating
Keep your meals simple. A large variety of foods at one meal adds to the likelihood of overeating. Eating simple foods prepared simply helps one to avoid food-specific fullness. You know how this works. You feel full, but then discover that you have room for dessert!
Make homemade meals, most of the time. It is easier to avoid overly processed, lifeless, chemical-laden food. Plus it is healthier for your wallet.
Consider reducing your carbohydrate intake if you are having difficulty losing weight. Most people can lose weight if they stick to 50-100 grams of carbohydrates daily. Others, due to insulin resistance or blood sugar imbalances, can only lose weight when they lower their carbohydrate intake to between 25-50 grams, or sometimes even less.
Unfortunately, carbs add up very quickly. Just to give you an idea:
In-N-Out
Coca Cola, regular, 16 oz. = 54 g
In & Out Fries = 54 g
Vanilla Shake = 67 g
Double-Double = 39 g
Double-Double (Protein Style, no bun) = 11 g
Taco Bell
Bean Burrito = 56 g
Nachos Bell Grande = 82 g
Pintos ‘n Cheese = 20 g
Spicy Tostada = 22 g
Starbucks
Pumpkin Spiced Latte, 16 oz. = 50 g
Caramel Macchiato = 35 g
Blueberry & Honey Greek Yogurt Parfait = 42 g
Iced Lemon Pound Cake = 110 g
You can click on those links above for more nutritional information from In-N-Out, Taco Bell, and Starbucks.
Encouragement for the Day
Small steps = Gargantuan gains (over time)
“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out”. Robert Collier.
Similar to what Collier said above, James Clear, a habit expert, says that if you want to be successful, you need to keep making changes, even the smallest—which, overtime, will get you where you want to be.
Clear gives the example of an ice cube being in a 25 degree room that stays frozen until little by little the room heats up, with one degree shifts at a time, until finally the ice begins to melt at 32 degrees. The changes are not perceivable for awhile, even though they are surely occurring and will yield remarkable results.
James Clear also points out that just as an atom is tiny, it is part of a system that can yield great power. Similarly, “the seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision”, and as the decisions are repeated over and over a habit forms and becomes stronger.
He concludes that success comes from being committed to “tiny, sustainable, unrelenting improvements” and that we should always “looking for ways to get 1% better”.
Focus on building better habits
and
Banishing bad habits
ONE
Decision at a time!
A Cheerful Heart…
… is good medicine. Straight from Proverbs 17:22. Smile and laugh often and encourage others to do so too.
Here is one of my favorite medical jokes:
What blood type is the most inspirational and encouraging?
(Answer down at the bottom)
Ponder This:
What is one thing that you could change now that would make a big difference in your life? Remember, start small. If it is eating less sugar or carbs, start with one meal, like breakfast. Then in a few days or next week, reduce sugar/carbs at another meal. And so on. Move the ball down the field, to quote my husband.
Answer to the joke above:
B positive!
Anyway, remember to START * BUILD * CONTINUE.
Cheering you on,
Vanessa
www.vanessamarsden.com
Instagram @wellnessadventure_RN
