This is a guest post by Erik Smith.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can come easy for some but can be very hard to achieve for most people. This is mainly due to peoples crazy schedules and obligations that many people find it hard to find time to workout or prepare healthy meals. For others it might be how much energy they have during the day and if their willing to be active where they cant even keep their eyes open by the end of the day. It is essential that we take notice in these things because ultimately we are the only ones who can change are habits. Are habits create what we eat, what we feel like, and more importantly, they make us who we are. So if you tend to take the easy route out and eat fast food then it will show in your mood and your overall health. But if you were to eat healthy all day with meals spread evenly thought the day then your overall mood and emotions will show it. So I guess what I’m trying to get at is maintaining a healthy lifestyle involves changing your habits, which may seem hard at first, but once you get in a rhythm you will feel better and better because you are healthy and you know it.
First lets talk about your energy levels and how to maintain them. This is crucial if you want to have a healthy lifestyle because if you have more energy you will have more motivation to choose better things to eat and will have more endurance in your workouts. It is important to acknowledge your energy levels throughout the day because if you are beginning to feel the symptoms of fatigue you must do something about it. Like for example, when the clock is about to hit 3 p.m. and you’re about to fall over and take a nap. You feel the sleepiness on every level of your body. So to prevent this you should drink a lot of water throughout the day. Drinking water has an amazing effect on our bodies. I think we all have heard that most of our bodies are composed of water, so when we in take a lot of water our bodies can function more efficiently and it makes our brain more alert. Yes, you may have to go to the bathroom every now and then, but you will have the energy levels to get through your workday, and then some.
Anther thing to talk about maintaining energy levels is choosing protein over sugar. When your body uses sugar it breaks it down fast with a result of a quick energy burst and a sudden crash, this is no secret if you ever drank an energy drink. But when your body breaks down proteins it is a slower process that will give you a more steady energy boost. Although it may be better to have sugars in the morning with your coffee, try avoiding sugars in the afternoon and defiantly stay away from sugars in the evening.
Here are some more tips that will help with your ideal energy levels
· Bring a bag of assorted nuts that have a high amount of omega-3. (Especially almonds, cashews, and walnuts) This will steer you in the right direction because you are choosing a high protein snack over a sugary one.
· Be cautious of your caffeine intake. Too much coffee will result in lower energy levels than you may have anticipated.
· Have smaller meals throughout the day. Not only will this help with your energy, it will also help maintain a healthy metabolism.
Now lets talk about your daily routines. It may seem impossible to get everything done in a day while also doing it in a healthy way. But if you set a plan in place and you follow that plan you can’t fail. What I like to do to get around my busy schedule is what they call “batching”. I do daily and sometimes weekly tasks in batches. So for example I generally prepare and cook my meals the night before the actual day that I eat them. Why? Because I know that I won’t want to make breakfast and make my lunch in the morning. If I didn’t make my meals the previous night my habit would bring me to ordering out at sub shops and I know after doing that for a while it will empty my wallet and at the same time make me unhealthy. Batching frees up my time so I can get my work done and then will free up my time to exercise. It also relives a lot of stress because I know I don’t have to cook my supper because I already know that when I get home it is already cooked and all I have to do is heat it up in the microwave.
So lets review some of the main tips that we covered:
· Know that your energy levels will keep you on track and it will be easier for you to maintain a healthy lifestyle if you are energized.
· Maintain your energy levels by drinking plenty of water, choose protein over sugars, and have smaller meals throughout the day.
· Make a plan and stick to it!
· Get creative on how you can free up your time to you can exercise for longer time periods or other various exercises.
· Try “Batching” your daily or weekly tasks.
Know that it is not impossible for you to get where your goals are just maintain a positive attitude about where you are going and track your progress. Your healthy lifestyle is waiting for you.
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