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Are you worried about the long-term impact of a poor diet on your health? Do you walk around feeling exhausted much of the time because you are stressed and not sleeping? Would you like to be exercising regularly but haven’t managed to work it into your busy schedule?You’re not alone. Today, poor lifestyle habits have made Americans fatter and sicker than ever before. In fact, our unhealthy way of life is overwhelming the gains we have made in medicine over the past century. And if we continue down this slippery slope, we will for the first time in modern history see a decline in average life span.
Now comes the good news. It doesn’t have to be this way. We can stop the downward spiral by employing 3 simple strategies for better health. These strategies, will help you get organized, shop, cook, and eat better, and move from a sedentary to an active lifestyle. You will also learn how to achieve a restorative night’s sleep. I have seen how adopting these strategies can lead to sustainable changes that result in a healthier and happier life. By implementing them, you will be laying the foundation for a lifetime of healthy living for you and your family.
Strategy #1: Control the Clutter, Free Your Mind
You can’t embark on a healthy new lifestyle if you are suffocating under the debris of the toxic old one. If you feel out of control, you will often end up doing what’s most expedient at the time—skipping your workout or grabbing junk food instead of a healthy snack—and you will not be able to sustain these positive changes.
Decluttering forces you to confront the contradictions in your life. For example, if you are trying to maintain a healthy weight, why is your refrigerator packed with so many take-out containers that you can't find your healthy snacks? If you are truly committed to using your home treadmill, why is it draped with clothes? Clearly, there is a disconnect between what your brain thinks you want and what you're actually doing. The process of de-cluttering will help close that gap and will help you put your thoughts into action.
Assess the MessWalk through your home, room by room, with a pad, a pen, and a critical eye. Look around each room carefully and assess your living space. Make notes! When you see a problem area, write down what needs to be done on your to-do list. The big question: Is the room being utilized in the best possible way, or is it so overloaded with junk that you are not getting the full benefit of the space?
• Is your kitchen functional and well stocked? Can you find counter space to prepare a meal? Do you see cans of sugary soda, packages of chips and cookies, bags and boxes of white flour, white pasta, and what rice, and nothing remotely healthy?
• Are your dining surfaces clear? Or is your dining table covered with books, newspapers, magazines, and unpaid bills? When was the last time you could actually see the table to set it?
• Is your bedroom conducive to sleep? Or is it a home for distracting electronics like computers and TVs?
• Is there a space to exercise indoors? If you have a family room or finished basement, is there room for you to do jumping jacks or yoga there?
• Is the outdoor sports equipment handy? Or do your kids have to climb through a packed closet or garage to find their bikes, basketballs, jump ropes, and skateboards?
The next step is turning the preliminary to-do list you've made into action. Go through the list, room by room, checking off each task as you complete it. Expect that this job could take a few days, but try to get all your rooms in order before you move on to the rest of the strategies. It will make improving your lifestyle so much easier.
You can’t embark on a healthy new lifestyle if you are suffocating under the debris of the toxic old one. If you feel out of control, you will often end up doing what’s most expedient at the time—skipping your workout or grabbing junk food instead of a healthy snack—and you will not be able to sustain these positive changes.
Decluttering forces you to confront the contradictions in your life. For example, if you are trying to maintain a healthy weight, why is your refrigerator packed with so many take-out containers that you can't find your healthy snacks? If you are truly committed to using your home treadmill, why is it draped with clothes? Clearly, there is a disconnect between what your brain thinks you want and what you're actually doing. The process of de-cluttering will help close that gap and will help you put your thoughts into action.
Assess the MessWalk through your home, room by room, with a pad, a pen, and a critical eye. Look around each room carefully and assess your living space. Make notes! When you see a problem area, write down what needs to be done on your to-do list. The big question: Is the room being utilized in the best possible way, or is it so overloaded with junk that you are not getting the full benefit of the space?
• Is your kitchen functional and well stocked? Can you find counter space to prepare a meal? Do you see cans of sugary soda, packages of chips and cookies, bags and boxes of white flour, white pasta, and what rice, and nothing remotely healthy?
• Are your dining surfaces clear? Or is your dining table covered with books, newspapers, magazines, and unpaid bills? When was the last time you could actually see the table to set it?
• Is your bedroom conducive to sleep? Or is it a home for distracting electronics like computers and TVs?
• Is there a space to exercise indoors? If you have a family room or finished basement, is there room for you to do jumping jacks or yoga there?
• Is the outdoor sports equipment handy? Or do your kids have to climb through a packed closet or garage to find their bikes, basketballs, jump ropes, and skateboards?
The next step is turning the preliminary to-do list you've made into action. Go through the list, room by room, checking off each task as you complete it. Expect that this job could take a few days, but try to get all your rooms in order before you move on to the rest of the strategies. It will make improving your lifestyle so much easier.
Strategy #2: Make Every Meal Matter
The formula for healthy eating isn’t that hard to understand: Fill at least half of your plate with fruits and vegetables and the other half with grains (ideally whole grains) and protein (lean, please). Drink low-fat dairy and cut down on processed foods high in sodium, saturated fat, and sugars. Easy!
And the best part is, when you eat a satisfying, healthy diet like this, you don’t have to worry about counting grams of fat, carbs, or protein or resort to weighing or measuring your food. When you create meals focusing on nutrient- and fiber-rich carbohydrates (vegetables, fruits, whole grains), lean sources of protein, good unsaturated fats, and low-fat dairy, you will feel satisfied and have little desire to overeat. In other words, if you eat nutrient-dense foods, portion control takes care of itself. (Plus, counting, weighing, and measuring simply aren’t conducive to a pleasant and sustainable lifestyle.)
Another essential to a healthy diet (and I use “diet” here to mean a healthy way of eating, not simply a means of losing weight) is to consume three meals and at least two snacks each day. This helps prevent the drop in blood sugar that typically results when you don’t eat often enough, leading to fatigue and then cravings. It also reduces the need to reach for a sugary or starchy infusion to feel better.
1. Start the Day RightBreakfast is the most important meal of the day. Why? As numerous studies now confirm, people who skip a morning meal tend to eat more poorly throughout the day than those who eat breakfast. They also exercise less. Furthermore, adults who regularly miss breakfast tend to have higher cholesterol, elevated insulin levels, and larger waist circumferences (all risk factors for heart disease). Children who miss breakfast (and some 34 percent of youngsters regularly do) tend to have weight issues and more instances of type 2 diabetes. They also have trouble concentrating, have higher absenteeism rates at school, and, not surprisingly, do worse academically.
Choose lean protein and fiber. The best breakfast consists of some lean protein and fiber. Both help stabilize your blood sugar and keep you feeling satisfied until at least midmorning, when you should enjoy your first snack of the day.
Be ready to grab and go when necessary. You don’t have to cook breakfast from scratch every morning, and you can often make the whole meal, or at least do some of the prep work, ahead of time. The night before, hard boil some eggs or start some steel-cut oats cooking in a slow cooker to be ready in the morning. Or whip up a healthy smoothie using fresh or frozen fruit, some reduced-fat milk or plain nonfat yogurt (or even silken tofu), and some flaxmeal right before you head out.
Not hungry in the morning? Eat something anyway. Start off with a light breakfast. Once you see how much better you feel and how much more energy you have, you can increase the amount of food you’re eating.
2. Snack StrategicallyThe point of snacking an hour or two before lunch and dinner is to keep your blood sugar stable throughout the morning and afternoon, which prevents hunger and cravings between meals and keeps you from overdoing it when you do sit down to eat.
The most satisfying and energizing snacks contain some fiber-rich good carbohydrates and protein. The trick is to make sure you always have snacks at the ready—in your refrigerator at home and at work, in your desk drawer, and⁄or in your backpack and car for the times when you’re out and about. You’ll also want to be able to snack within 15 minutes after a workout to keep your energy up. Make sure your kids are provided with healthy snacks as well.
3. Enjoy Dessert in ModerationOnce you have learned to make smart, healthy food choices most of the time, you can occasionally enjoy a decadent dessert in moderation. The problem in this country is that people have forgotten what the word “moderation” means, particularly when it comes to sugary confections.
Take three bites. When you are confronted with a dessert that looks too good to pass up, take three bites, savoring each wonderful mouthful. And then pass your plate to a fellow diner, or to the busboy if you’re in a restaurant.
The formula for healthy eating isn’t that hard to understand: Fill at least half of your plate with fruits and vegetables and the other half with grains (ideally whole grains) and protein (lean, please). Drink low-fat dairy and cut down on processed foods high in sodium, saturated fat, and sugars. Easy!
And the best part is, when you eat a satisfying, healthy diet like this, you don’t have to worry about counting grams of fat, carbs, or protein or resort to weighing or measuring your food. When you create meals focusing on nutrient- and fiber-rich carbohydrates (vegetables, fruits, whole grains), lean sources of protein, good unsaturated fats, and low-fat dairy, you will feel satisfied and have little desire to overeat. In other words, if you eat nutrient-dense foods, portion control takes care of itself. (Plus, counting, weighing, and measuring simply aren’t conducive to a pleasant and sustainable lifestyle.)
Another essential to a healthy diet (and I use “diet” here to mean a healthy way of eating, not simply a means of losing weight) is to consume three meals and at least two snacks each day. This helps prevent the drop in blood sugar that typically results when you don’t eat often enough, leading to fatigue and then cravings. It also reduces the need to reach for a sugary or starchy infusion to feel better.
1. Start the Day RightBreakfast is the most important meal of the day. Why? As numerous studies now confirm, people who skip a morning meal tend to eat more poorly throughout the day than those who eat breakfast. They also exercise less. Furthermore, adults who regularly miss breakfast tend to have higher cholesterol, elevated insulin levels, and larger waist circumferences (all risk factors for heart disease). Children who miss breakfast (and some 34 percent of youngsters regularly do) tend to have weight issues and more instances of type 2 diabetes. They also have trouble concentrating, have higher absenteeism rates at school, and, not surprisingly, do worse academically.
Choose lean protein and fiber. The best breakfast consists of some lean protein and fiber. Both help stabilize your blood sugar and keep you feeling satisfied until at least midmorning, when you should enjoy your first snack of the day.
Be ready to grab and go when necessary. You don’t have to cook breakfast from scratch every morning, and you can often make the whole meal, or at least do some of the prep work, ahead of time. The night before, hard boil some eggs or start some steel-cut oats cooking in a slow cooker to be ready in the morning. Or whip up a healthy smoothie using fresh or frozen fruit, some reduced-fat milk or plain nonfat yogurt (or even silken tofu), and some flaxmeal right before you head out.
Not hungry in the morning? Eat something anyway. Start off with a light breakfast. Once you see how much better you feel and how much more energy you have, you can increase the amount of food you’re eating.
2. Snack StrategicallyThe point of snacking an hour or two before lunch and dinner is to keep your blood sugar stable throughout the morning and afternoon, which prevents hunger and cravings between meals and keeps you from overdoing it when you do sit down to eat.
The most satisfying and energizing snacks contain some fiber-rich good carbohydrates and protein. The trick is to make sure you always have snacks at the ready—in your refrigerator at home and at work, in your desk drawer, and⁄or in your backpack and car for the times when you’re out and about. You’ll also want to be able to snack within 15 minutes after a workout to keep your energy up. Make sure your kids are provided with healthy snacks as well.
3. Enjoy Dessert in ModerationOnce you have learned to make smart, healthy food choices most of the time, you can occasionally enjoy a decadent dessert in moderation. The problem in this country is that people have forgotten what the word “moderation” means, particularly when it comes to sugary confections.
Take three bites. When you are confronted with a dessert that looks too good to pass up, take three bites, savoring each wonderful mouthful. And then pass your plate to a fellow diner, or to the busboy if you’re in a restaurant.
Strategy #3: Shop Right!
Whether you’re eating at home on your own, dining with your family, filling a child’s lunch box, or nibbling food from a brown bag at your desk, it helps to plan your menus and shop ahead so you always have the makings for healthy breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks.
Shop smart by implementing these strategies:
Make a weekly meal plan and grocery list to match. No busy home cook wants to be running in and out of the market every day for lack of planning. That’s why creating menus for the week (building in a night out for fun), and a shopping list to match, saves time (and money). Before heading out to the supermarket, farmers’ market, or food co-op, review your meal plan for the week and make a grocery list that includes all the ingredients for each meal. A list is essential for efficient shopping, for figuring out expenses ahead of time, and for keeping unhealthy impulse items out of your shopping cart.
Consider everyone’s schedule. Plan your meals around your own and your family’s weekly schedule as much as possible. Do you or your spouse (or other family members) come home later on some nights than others (or not at all if someone is traveling or working nights)? If that’s the case, prepare a big meal and package the leftovers for those who can’t make the original dinnertime. Or cook ahead and refrigerate or freeze individual portions.
Consider a “meatless weekday” or two. A meatless meal reduces the amount of saturated fat in your diet and are often more economical.
Plan for leftovers. Recycling leftovers into next-day meals and snacks not only saves you cooking time, it also helps keep your food budget in check.
Whether you’re eating at home on your own, dining with your family, filling a child’s lunch box, or nibbling food from a brown bag at your desk, it helps to plan your menus and shop ahead so you always have the makings for healthy breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks.
Shop smart by implementing these strategies:
Make a weekly meal plan and grocery list to match. No busy home cook wants to be running in and out of the market every day for lack of planning. That’s why creating menus for the week (building in a night out for fun), and a shopping list to match, saves time (and money). Before heading out to the supermarket, farmers’ market, or food co-op, review your meal plan for the week and make a grocery list that includes all the ingredients for each meal. A list is essential for efficient shopping, for figuring out expenses ahead of time, and for keeping unhealthy impulse items out of your shopping cart.
Consider everyone’s schedule. Plan your meals around your own and your family’s weekly schedule as much as possible. Do you or your spouse (or other family members) come home later on some nights than others (or not at all if someone is traveling or working nights)? If that’s the case, prepare a big meal and package the leftovers for those who can’t make the original dinnertime. Or cook ahead and refrigerate or freeze individual portions.
Consider a “meatless weekday” or two. A meatless meal reduces the amount of saturated fat in your diet and are often more economical.
Plan for leftovers. Recycling leftovers into next-day meals and snacks not only saves you cooking time, it also helps keep your food budget in check.
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