I think most of us could say that we wish we were a wee bit more disciplined when it comes to the daily drudge of drinking, eating, and working out. Here are a few tips I've found to help keep me on track throughout the week!
Drinking More Water...
1. Drink as soon as you wake: As soon as I wake up and brush my teeth, I go ahead and drink two water bottles full of water. This comes out to be about 40 oz. Then as the day gets busy, as long as I can drink one more water bottle full before lunch, one before dinner, and one after bed, I've had at least 120 oz of water.
2. Drink from the same water bottle every day: I know it sounds crazy but if I don't have my trusty water bottle with me, I just don't drink enough. I love these you can get from target or order from amazon. They're glass but also durable because kids.
3. Drink lemon or lime in your water: Some people hate the taste of water. I happen to love it but I also love the taste that citrus fruits add to my water drinking experience. So if you're one of those people that rolls their eyes at the idea of having to drink more water, maybe this could help.
Eating Cleaner and Exercising More...
1. Incorporate Cheat Meals: I love food. Love. It. I also happen to love the typical southern diet of Chick fil a sweet tea and all the fried things. But not only do I dislike the way I feel when I eat a steady diet of this kind of food, I also don't like the way my clothes fit... or don't fit. So the way I've found to eat clean the majority of the time and enjoy the indulgences is thru a percentage system. I know it sounds funny but stick with me. If you're eating 21 meals a week and 3 of those meals are "cheat meals", then you're still eating about 85% clean. That's pretty dang good! It's not all or nothing. Enjoy the foods you love but also try giving your body more of what it needs.
2. Define "Clean": Depending on who you ask, you'll get a ton of different answers to this question! Some people stay far far far away from dairy and carbs (I see you, paleo) and other people are all about greek yogurt and whole grains. But I think there are a few things we can all agree on. The unclean foods we want to avoid most of the time would be fried foods, white flour, sugar, and processed foods (anything out of a package). Trying to stick to as many raw fruits, vegetables, and meats on a daily basis will help to keep your body healthy and fit.
3. Exercising More: So many of us struggle on the regular to get into the gym. But nowadays there are so many at home workout options available that don't take a ton of time but still offer great results. Even if you're not ready to start a consistent workout routine, just start using dead time to get moving. I found some of my daily "dead time" is while I'm making dinner so I will just drop down and plank for 30 second intervals in between stirring. I also do the same thing while I'm giving the girls a bath at night. When we're playing outside during the day, I'll invite them to play "workout with mommy" and we will do jumping jacks, burpees, and sprints. They love it and it's a great way to get my booty moving!
I have to constantly remind myself that big changes are the result of lots and lots of small changes. Do little things here and there and you'll start to see a difference!
Happy Thursday!
Laura
By Laura Godfrey
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