Stay-Healthy Tips for Busy People

salad, water bottle, food journalMany of us are just too busy to overhaul our diet and exercise routine in order to live well. That’s okay! Use these tips to stay healthy. One simple tweak can do the trick!

In fact, it’s possible for relatively small changes to have an even clearer impact on your weight, health, and fitness than changing around your entire workout regimen and/or diet. Consider picking one suggestion below and commit to it for a month. We suspect you’ll be glad you did.

1. Drink water before and between every meal

Not only does drinking more water ensure you’re hydrated and not quietly thirsty (did you know thirst can mask as hunger?), water intake can cause you to eat fewer calories. This is because water takes up space in your stomach, which means you won’t need to eat as much to feel full.

Of course, sipping water throughout your meal is a great alternative to any higher-calorie beverage you may otherwise choose, and it aids your digestion, too. Bonus: hydrating can minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles as it plumps up your skin and helps it glow.

2. Eat Leafy Greens Every Day

If you can make one change to your diet, you might consider adding leafy greens to one meal (or smoothie) per day. Working on fat loss? Greens are packed with nutrients, are naturally low in calories and high in fiber. Greens also contain nitrites, which have been associated with “browning” fat cells, which means converting fat-storing white cells into fat-burning brown cells.

Wish you could turn back the clock? Consuming higher amounts of dark green leafy vegetables, and the high vitamin K, folate, beta-carotene and lutein they contain, may have an anti-aging effect. The anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory nutrients in leafy greens can help protect your brain, support your cells, with essential fatty acid content like ALA omega-3.

3. Turn One Meal Each Day Into a Spa Meal

So simple: focus on swapping out one of your regular meals each day for something clean and healthy. For example, change up your lunches at work. It’s bound to be a lot more manageable—and that ease can be a key to your success.

Each evening you could pack yourself a bunch of veggies or base salad, a serving of protein, and a serving of healthy fat. Here’s how this tip might look: an arugula salad with a cubed chicken breast, a drizzle of walnut oil, fresh lemon, and sprinkle of walnut pieces. Or a can of tuna, a handful of veggie sticks, plus a small avocado smashed smooth with seasonings to dip veggies.

4. Keep a Journal for Better Understanding

Writing down your thoughts down every day is a habit that can help you sort through your mental clutter, focus on what’s most important to you, and bring new understanding to your feelings and experiences.

A journal is a practical tool to remember your fitness goals, track your nutrition, or visualize the steps you need to take toward your goals, or a tool of self-expression to record travel adventures, gratitude or creative ideas. Journaling can be a quick add to your morning and evening schedule, starting with your intentions for the day and ending it by noting something you are grateful for.

5. Make Regular Sleep Habits a Priority

Not only can proper sleep cure your under-eye circles and boost your energy, it can improve your memory, curb inflammation, sharpen your attention, help you maintain a healthy weight, and lower your stress levels, or at least, help you manage stress steadier the next day.

Sleep also helps us consolidate memories, process information, and increase our energy levels to face the challenges of our days. It’s no surprise to learn world class athletes are trained to honor the importance of rest and regular sleep habits to perform at their best. Make your sleep a priority too. Go to bed earlier and use more energy during the day to help you be tired.