20 Habits For A Healthier You
What are you doing to live a healthier life? Maybe you’ve vowed to cut down on red meat, alcohol, or social media this month. Or you’re trying to lose the ‘Covid 19’ you gained during quarantine. Perhaps you’re trying to get to bed earlier or you’re trying to cut back on that second or third cup of coffee in the afternoon. Whatever it is, I thought it might be helpful to offer a list. What kind of list? A list of healthy habits. This list is intended to be a resource, and maybe it will inspire you to make even the smallest change in your daily life. Commit to at least one and no more than three of these new habits for the next month, and please comment below and let me know how it goes!
1. Replace your “pancake syrup” with pure maple syrup.
2. Wear a pedometer like a Fitbit – or another brand – and aim for 10,000 steps a day.
3. Replace packaged cereal in the morning with oatmeal – not quick oats – and top with your favorite fruit. (My family likes bananas, chia seeds, and cinnamon.)
4. Download the My Fitness Pal app or any other calorie counting app to help you recognize how you’re consuming your daily calories.
5. Set a timer and sit in complete silence for five minutes every single day.
6. Keep a gratitude journal and write at least three things you’re grateful for every day.
7. Ditch diet soda!
8. Only eat baked goods like cake or brownies if you’ve baked them yourself… from scratch.
9. Invest in non-toxic nail polish – I like Zoya brand – and bring it to the nail salon when you get a mani/pedi.
10. Get rid of all the salad dressings in your fridge and start making it yourself. (Easy recipe: 2 parts oil, 1 part vinegar, salt, pepper, your favorite dry herb, and garlic.)
11. Replace fruit juice with eating the actual fruit. It’s much more nutritious and offers less concentrated sugar and more fiber.
12. When sitting down for a meal, put your phone on silent and remove it from the table.
13. Include a green salad in at least one meal daily.
14. Wear blue-light-blocking glasses in the evening if you must use your phone or computer.
15. Replace boxed mac and cheese with homemade. Your kids deserve better and I can tell you my recipe if you’re interested!
16. Turn off social media for a full day once a week. (You can do it!)
17. Maintain a daily journal of your thoughts and reflections.
18. Commit to buying more organic produce, specifically; apples, potatoes, leafy greens, and berries. (Google “Dirty Dozen 2020” for a list of produce tested with the most pesticides this year.)
19. Replace your canola oil with non-GMO avocado or olive oil.
20. Eat wild caught fish instead of farm raised. This distinction is written on the tiny signs in front of the fish at the grocery store, but you can also ask your fishmonger if you’re not sure.
