Written by Life Columnist Tina Specht
Everyone wants to have better health. Most people just don’t know how to get there. First things first — you have to decide what you are wanting to accomplish. What does “being healthy” look like to you? At first, for me, it was all about the scale. Now I am at the next phase and I want to be fit.
I say that being healthy all begins with the fork. If you can master what goes into your mouth, you can master losing weight. No matter what diet you do, if you do it 100%, it works. Most people can do a health plan until they lose the desired weight. The key to long-term success is what you do after you reach your goal.
I feel if you start with macro habits. Macro Habits are choices that are essential for mastering that area of transformation. Once you get these down, the habits of health actions that support you will help you reach your desired outcome. I’ll explain more about macro habits in future columns.
Some people can start small to change their lifestyle. I could not. I had to jump all in. I focused on fueling my body instead of merely feeding it, and the outcome was amazing. The first step is to eat smaller portions at mealtime. We all know, when we go out to eat, they give us way too much food. We could take half of the food they give us and put it in a to-go box for another meal. Maybe your first step is to control your environment and not go out to eat as much. This could be a win-win for you — you save money and can control what goes into your mouth.
My husband and I had to do this for about a month when we started changing our habits. We were not strong enough to eat at some restaurants and manage things at first.
Another step is to drink water before and during your meal. It does help you feel fuller faster.
Making changes can be hard, I get it. I am a food addict and I love food. However, one of my main goals is to be around for my family. I couldn’t do that eating the way I used to.
On the fitness side of things, did you know that you should take 10,000 steps per day? Yes, that is true Well, at least 10,000 steps. I do not do this every day, so I plan to be intentional about this and make it one of my goals.
So, my goal for you is to start small, get your water (100 ounces per day) eat and smaller portions. Don’t forget to get your steps in.
Being consistent in whatever you do will get you to where you want to go. Check back in with me next week when I talk with you about how important your sleep is in losing weight
Strawberry Feta Salad Recipe
Ingredients:
4 cups Spinach
1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 T Balsamic Vinegar
1/8 t Black Pepper
2 cups Strawberries, sliced
1 cup Walnuts
1/2 cup Feta Cheese
Instructions:
Put spinach, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and pepper in a large salad bowl. Toss to combine.
Add strawberries and walnuts. Toss again.
Add feta and toss gently.