Have a Fit Week

I’ve said before that it’s always the little things in life that count. Well, here are a few more life-style changes you can make that will impact your health for the better.

Eat your fruit, don’t drink it: Did you know there are about 95 calories in an apple but 120 in a small glass of apple juice? An orange has about 60 calories while a glass of orange juice is double that at 112. Plus, if you eat the fruit, you are getting lots of fiber and vitamins that don’t exist in the juice and avoiding preservatives and extra processing chemicals. The fiber in fruit not only give you more bang for your calorie buck, but also balances the natural sugar and keep it from going straight to your bloodstream and shooting your insulin up. All in all, a whole piece of fruit is a much better choice than a glass of fruit juice.

Walk more: Yeah, yeah, everyone says this. Well, it is true. Build time in your day to go for a 10 minute walk after dinner. Park farther away from the store than is needed so you will walk more. Pace while talking on the phone instead of lounging on the sofa.

Veggies are your friend: Everyone knows vegetables are the key, and a lot of people dread them. But vegetables can be incorporated into your meals in so many ways. Love sandwiches? Pick spinach or dark green lettuce instead of the nutrient-deficient iceburg and use more than one thin piece. Put a couple slices of tomato and even some sprouts and onions. Grill some onions, peppers and squash with your chicken or steak. Vegetables are not hard to prepare, are incredibly forgiving in recipes, and as long as you go light on the oils and dressings that accompany them, they’ll change your life.

Train your taste buds: Any talk of vegetables tends to make people nervous because there are always those veggies you don’t like. Here’s a secret: you can learn to like them. If you avoid all things green as a rule, I would not suggest you start out with green smoothies. Bad idea. But you can start finding ways to prepare food that is healthier that you do like and before you know it, you’ll be eating it raw and unaltered and loving it. Our taste buds love what we teach them to love. This goes beyond veggies too. Try using a touch of olive oil instead of butter when you sauté and pretty soon you’ll love the freshness it brings. Use half whole wheat flour and half white when baking until suddenly you realize how bland refined flour is. Slowly wean your tastes and preferences until they love things that are actually good for you.

Lower calorie count: Alongside the idea of weaning your tastes is weaning your mind to think of things in smaller portions and healthier ingredients. Try using milk instead of half-and-half in your coffee or tea. Get smaller sized prepackaged foods and only take one with you to work.  Get stick cheese as a snack instead of block cheese so your quantity is controlled. Get baked chips instead of regular potato chips. Get the smaller popcorn at the movies and put parmesan on it instead of the chemical butter/salt. Ignore the “great deal” that a large drink is only 10 cents more than a small, and just buy the small drink and don’t go for refills. People have this feeling that they are being cheated if they don’t go back for that free refill. But the only one suffering from that second drink is you. The calories add up.

Pick your treats wisely: You should never make your body feel like you are depriving it. That will trigger all sorts of emotions and body chemicals that will defeat your purpose and just result in you bingeing later. Instead, make controlled, smart choices. Use half the sugar in your afternoon coffee. Pick an angel food cake instead of the denser, more caloric, pound cake. Take a piece of dark chocolate and savor it as it melts in your mouth, instead of going for the candy bar or cookie. Enjoy the treats of life, but don’t let them control you.

Get up at commercials:  Sure you just want to relax in the evening, but everyone complains about how many commercials there are anyway. So why not get up and move about for a few minutes (avoiding the kitchen!) and take a turn around the house? Take the dog for a quick walk out back, get a drink of water, take a few seconds to dust the bookshelf. Make a habit of moving around when there’s a break and soon it won’t be forced and you’ll do it throughout your day too.

Stretch: Finally, stretch more throughout the day to keep your blood flowing and your metabolism going. When you’re waiting in line, stand evenly on both feet, clasp your hands behind your back and squeeze you shoulder blades together to open your chest. Do some calf raises and stretches while waiting at the gas pump. Every little bit makes a difference. If you get your body used to moving, it will remind you and not allow you to stay dormant for long periods of time.