10 Small Steps To Improve Your Health

Many of us make health-related resolutions, such as to lose weight, stop smoking or join the neighborhood health club. While it is common to set high goals, experts say that setting smaller goals could do more for our health. 

"Small steps are achievable and are easier to fit into your daily routine," says James O. Hill, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. "They are less overwhelming than a big, sudden change." 

Here are 10 to try:

1. Keep an eye on your weight and work on making sure you are not gaining extra lbs. Even if you gain just a pound or two every year, the extra weight adds up quickly. 

2. Take more small steps. Use a pedometer to count your daily steps; then add 2,000, the equivalent of one extra mile. Keep adding steps, 1,000 to 2,000 each month or so, until you take 10,000 steps on most days.

3. Eat breakfast. Breakfast eaters tend to weigh less and have better diets overall. For a filling and nutrition-packed breakfast, top Whole Grain Total® with fresh fruit slices and low-fat or fat-free milk. 

4. Switch three grain servings each day to whole grain. If you're like the average American, you eat less than one whole grain serving a day. 

5. Have at least one green salad every day. Eating a salad (with low-fat or fat-free dressing) is filling and may help you eat less during the meal. It also counts toward your five daily cups of vegetables and fruits.

6. Trim the fat. Fat has a lot of calories, and calories count. Purchase lean meats, eat poultry without the skin, switch to lower-fat cheeses, use a nonstick pan with only a dab of oil or butter.

7. Consider calcium by including two or three daily servings of low-fat or fat-free milk or yogurt. Dairy calcium is good for bones and may also help you lose weight.

8. Downsize. The smaller the bag, bottle or bowl, the less you will eat. 

9. Lose just 5 to 10 percent of your current weight. The health benefits are huge-lower blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and triglycerides.

10. Keep track of your eating. Write down what you eat over the next couple of days and look for problem spots. Often, just writing things down can help you eat less.

6 Tips to make meal prep simple

If meal prepping is holding you back from living your best life, here's some tips to make eating healthy simple.

 

1. Decide what type of meal prep best fits your lifestyle and preference.

2. Set aside and budget the time required to plan, gather, and prep your meals.

3. Invest in the right equipment, tools, and supplies required to make and store your meals.

4. Stock up on the cooking staples to ensure you minimize frequent grocery shopping.

5. Plan-ahead by preparing a weekly menu.

6. Minimize distractions while meal prepping.

 

 

What if I told you that you could quickly prepare a simple, healthy meal that fills nutritional gaps and saves you up to 25% of your time in meal preparation?

 

Replace one meal a day with Shakeology and get a delicious treat while getting all the daily recommended vitamins and minerals AND save time in the kitchen!

Protein...your muscles' best friend

While getting protein from food is the best way to get your macronutrient daily dose, taking a protein supplement while training hard may be a good idea.

 

You may say, "Well, Michelle, I don’t do supplements!"

 

Really?? Well, here’s the TEA!!

 

A systematic review of 49 randomized controlled trials with 1,863 participants who performed resistance training at least twice a week for 6 weeks or longer revealed that protein supplementation significantly increased strength, lean body mass, and muscle size in healthy adults who were not restricting calories compared to placebo or no supplements (NASM 2022)

 

If you really want results that actually changes your body composition, consider taking a protein supplement as part of a healthy diet while training hard.