My pants are tight. Shirts that I once thought were too big are slowly cutting off my circulation. And my skin, there’s no hope. I’ve reached the point of blah for lack of a better word. Am I intrigued by all the stories and advertisements I see to be a better me in 2019? You better believe it! This isn’t the first year I feel like I’m waddling around at the end of the year in poor health. Even in pure desperation & the temptation of the “miracle diet” looming in the wings, I am going to create my own plan and do something I know is maintainable for me. I’d like to share with you my plans & progress to not only inspire but also to keep me on track.
We’ve all heard the word “detox” & thought that is what we need to do in order to get rid of those extra pounds after the holidays. Though, did you know that while detoxes can help you drop a few pounds, they aren’t sustainable nor are they healthy options. Our bodies are created to to detox themselves, that is why we have all these amazing organs.
“The best advice I can give is to eat a whole foods diet full of nutrient and fibre-rich plants and limit processed foods, alcohol and sugary drinks. If you look after your body well there should be no need to detox,” Fiona Tuck explained in this article from the Huffington Post.
What Foods Should You Add To Your Diet?
A whole food diet sounds intimidating. What do you eat? How much? And to be honest, I don’t have all the answers. For me, I am going to incorporate those whole foods into my diet, but I also want to make sure I am getting other vitamins and nutrients I need. According to Recipes Kingdom, this is a list of the healthiest foods you can incorporate into your diet. Quinoa, beets, broccoli, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, almonds, raspberries, kale, black beans, kelp, asparagus, cantaloupe, grapefruit, artichokes & watermelon. Did you know that beets are not only good for blood pressure & your heart, but they are also good for your brain? They help you focus & give more attention to detail as well as help you with organization.
Healthy Skin
I’ve tried multiple products & have even been on prescriptions for my skin issues. The more & more I dive into healthy skin, I find that it’s not only what you put on the outside, a lot has to do with what we put into our bodies. When researching key foods for healthy skin, I found the following: fish, avocado, sweet potato, broccoli, soy, red wine, chocolate, green tea, peppers & walnuts. The bad list contains is alcohol, sugar & packaged foods. This explains why after a pint of ice cream my skin looks like I’m a teenager going through puberty.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! I can’t say it enough. Drinking water will help you look like you’ve gotten enough sleep even if you haven’t & give your skin an extra glow. Also, moisturizing your skin is crucial. We will appear to have less wrinkles if we keep our body hydrated.
Meal Prep
Finding a plan that works for each individual is key. I’m a fan of counting macros, intermittent fasting & carb cycling. This makes sense to me, I like the ease in knowing what’s on the agenda. I have more of a tendency to grab something unhealthy if I don’t plan. If you only have one takeaway from this entire post, know that meal prep is a must for any healthy path you want to take.
Get Moving
When I read my tarot card for the day & it was VIII of Swords – Reversed. This card represents self acceptance & new perspectives. It says that “your own beliefs may have been your greatest weaknesses”. My first thought when I read this was my belief about exercise. I’m not a fan. But what is one thing that can help me in all aspects of life? Exercise! I’m challenging myself to daily walks to start. Then I’ll turn up the volume and cycle into weight training.
Changing your lifestyle & eating habits takes a lot of willpower. It takes confidence in yourself & a support system who takes you seriously & wants to help you better yourself. For me, putting out my goals will go a long way to achieving what I know I am fully capable. Stop mindless eating, prepare healthy foods for lunch & snacks & not going back for that third piece of chocolate in the evenings.
The more I learn over the course of this journey, the more you will as well. I’m excited to get started and to be the best version of myself I can be. If you’ve found something particularly helpful in your journey of getting healthier please let me know!