Here are some helpful tips for feeling and looking your best in the New Year.
Eat moderate portions. Don’t limit your food options, but be mindful of the amount and quality of your food. Ensure you’re eating a colorful diet and getting adequate protein to drive cell recovery. Slow down and chew your food well. This helps you enjoy your food and gives your body time to feel full, leading to eating less.
Build your plate around plant-based foods; organic is great if it’s an option. Veggies and fruits play a major role in a healthy body because they contain vitamins and minerals that can help you process any unhealthy compounds. Eating more plant-based foods means fewer animal products, which contain additives, such as hormones.
Stay lean. Try to avoid foods with high saturated fat content, which can lead to excess calorie consumption and weight gain. Instead, focus on good sources of unsaturated fats, like avocados, olive oil and nuts.
Stay hydrated. Drink lots of water and include healthy liquids like tea instead of sugar-loaded beverages, which can negatively affect your blood sugar and overall energy levels. Water is a great way to naturally detoxify your body, so ditch the juice cleanse and stick with water.
Give your stomach a break. Allow time between dinner and breakfast. If you finished eating dinner at 7 p.m., you could eat breakfast at 7 a.m. This gives the body a 12-hour break from processing and digesting food. It might also help you sleep better, which is another factor in allowing your body to recover appropriately.
Get some vitamin D and fresh air. Not only do we synthesize vitamin D from the sun, but we can also benefit from the meditative/relaxing qualities of Mother Nature and breathing clean, fresh air.
Keep moving. If you don’t use it, you lose it. Keep your muscles and joints healthy by using and moving them regularly. Sweating is also a great way to “detox” naturally.
Limit unnecessary supplements. You should be able to get most of your necessary nutrients from food. If you are short in some areas, a basic vitamin supplement isn’t a bad idea, but in many cases, too many supplements are just another thing to be filtered and processed and can be a burden for the body.
Check your skincare products. Our skin is our largest organ and every day we use products that contain chemicals, which then enter our blood and circulate throughout the body. If you want to burden your body with fewer chemicals, check the ingredients of your products before applying. QCBN
By Nicholas Brown
Nicholas Brown is a kinesiologist and certified fitness professional as well as manager of the Touchmark Health & Fitness Club. Membership is open to anyone 50-plus years, and guest consultations are available to meet with a professional to cater a program to an individual’s needs. For more information, call 928-708-3133.
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