It's 2020! This is the year you swear to --------- (fill in the blank). Did you know that 80% of resolutions don't last past March?! Focusing on optimizing your health is not a quick fix or fleeting trend, it's a lifestyle. And in the spirit of the New Year, I'd like to invite you to take the focus off resolutions, and onto a mindset of creating healthy habits. After all, it's those habits that lead to long term lifestyle changes.
Let’s take a look at what you can say NO to, and in doing so create more energy, balance, and overall good health.
SAY NO TO FAD DIETS FOR GOOD! This is the time of year where many of you make resolutions to lose weight, exercise more, cook more meals at home, and the list goes on. So maybe you sign up for fancy gym memberships and start yet another new diet only to have your best intentions fall by the wayside within a few months. It's the all or nothing mentality. Not only is it exhausting and overwhelming to try to overhaul everything at once, it rarely sticks.
HEALTHY HABIT: start small, or one simple step at a time. In other words make small changes, one a day or a week that you can implement into your life until they become rituals. Rituals then become habits. (Ex: drink more water, consider replacing a soda with a glass of water, add fruits & veggies to your meals or replace your meal at lunch with a large salad with grilled chicken, exercise 2-3 days a week instead of aiming for 6 days a week)
SAY NO TO TOXIC PEOPLE! What zaps more energy than toxic relationships? Research states we are the sum of the five people we spend the most time with. Who’s in your tribe? Are they people you admire and respect? Do they inspire you, help you grow, lift you up?
HEALTHY HABIT: No matter the relationship, whether it be a lover, friend, or co-worker, steer clear if it's toxic. Not sure how? You can start by politely distancing yourself. Return fewer calls or text messages, be unavailable for plans. Create positivity where there is negativity, and don't engage with negative people. Don’t hold onto relationships of any type that don’t serve you.
SAY NO TO TOXIC PRODUCTS & FOOD! Toxicity is everywhere! It’s lurking in your food, beauty products, cookware, cleaning products, the air, and water you drink. And it’s making you sick!
HEALTHY HABIT: Tame the Toxins.
Here’s four things which will lift a huge burden from your immune system.
1) Clean your air-get a HEPA filter.
2) Clean your water-put filters on your home taps.
3) Buy clean products (shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, moisturizer, etc) Check out the list of DIRTY 30, ewg.org for resources.
4) Eat clean food whenever possible. Buy grass-fed, pasture-raised and organic food. Eliminate processed, chemicalized foods and sugars. Eat more colorful fruits and vegetables. We get less than half of the daily recommended 7-13 servings daily. There is a plethora of produce available in the United States, and yet most adults don't eat enough fruits and vegetables. In fact, dietary intake of several nutrients found in fruits and vegetables, including potassium and dietary fiber is low enough to be a public health concern for both adults and children.
HEALTHY TIPS:
1) Keep vegetables washed and cut in your refrigerator for quick snacks.
2) Keep a bowl of fruit on your kitchen counter.
3) Choose meal options that have vegetables or fruits as a main ingredient. Try veggie stir-fry, top a pizza slice with veggies or vegetarian chili.
4) Start your day with a fruit or vegetable.
5) Add a handful of blueberries to your morning cereal, yogurt, or smoothie.
6) Sauté veggies into your scrambled eggs.
7) Drink your fruits and vegetables. But don't reach for prepared fruit juice!
Now, I'd love to know what healthy habits you're excited to create in 2020!
To a Happy & Healthy 2020!
xoxo
Amy
"Amy is fantastic. I was addicted to carbs, sugars and bad food choices. After a diagnosis of diabetes with a blood sugar of 233 and A1C of 10, I reached out to Amy for help. Together we worked out a plan that fit my busy lifestyle and would help me get healthy by making better choices, understanding how food works with the body and how even small changes and good choices can have a huge impact. Amy is a safe place where judgments do not exist. It is about open conversations and about healing with food and nutrition as the key to a better outcome. I'm just about 3 months with Amy and I have lost 20 pounds, my blood sugars are down 100 points and I feel better than I did, let's say MANY years ago. :) I highly recommend reaching out to Amy if you have questions, need assistance, encouragement, guidance and someone who is truly there to help you get in the best nutritional state of your life."
-Michael S.
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