By: Natalie Logan, RD LD, Fresh ‘N Fit Cuisine
Finding balance can be tough these days with so many demands from work, home, and family to name a few. We’re not getting any younger and we all know that things definitely don’t get any easier! Taking charge of your health is a big part of how you feel, perform, sleep and move whether you realize it or not.
Have you ever sat at your desk for hours on end and felt more tired when your work day was over even though you didn’t move that much? Maybe you went out for lunch and had a burger with fries and a soda and so felt miserable afterwards that all you wanted to do is take a nap?
What you do consistently day in and out will add up to how you feel from the inside out. Good news is that it’s never too late to take charge of your health and start to feel great immediately by moving a little more and making healthier food choices.
Here are some suggestions to help you move in the right direction to be a more productive person at work, home and in life!
- Get moving! It’s easy to track your steps and challenge yourself with a Fitbit, Garmin watch, Apple watch, Apps on your phone. Aim for 10,000 steps or more each day! Make sure to get up every hour at the desk even if only to stretch your legs.
- Portion Distortion! Did you know that most people consume 3 or 4 times bigger a portion than what they really need. Just because it fits on your plate doesn’t mean you have to eat it all. Time to do a hunger check– are you satiated after eating only half the plate? Is your plate filled with half a plate of veggies, a palm or two of lean protein and some fruit?
- What are you drinking? Ideally you want to shoot for ½ your body weight in ounces of water at a minimum to give your body what it needs. Watch out for the sugary coffee drinks, sweet teas, juices and sodas as that can lead to unwanted weight gain and make you feel not your stellar self!
- Make YOU a priority! Plan out your meals during the weekend for the week (go to grocery, prep meals, be ready!) When can you exercise? Getting at least 7 or more hours of sleep each night? Reducing your stress?
These are just a few things that will help to keep you on track to being the best you can be as a parent, spouse, friend, worker and so much more!