It’s the time of year for new resolutions. Did you keep your’s last year? A lot of resolutions are well-intentioned but can be daunting to achieve.
Here are three small but impactful changes you can make in your daily life to have a fabulous 2017.
Drink More Water
Staying properly hydrated keeps the metabolism humming, the skin happy and improves digestion. Most people are walking around chronically under hydrated. In fact, many people mistake thirst for hunger. If you’re thirsty, you’re already in the early stages of dehydration. Keep a container of water with you and drink throughout the day. If your urine is very light or translucent, you’re consuming enough water. Don’t aim for perfectly clear, it IS possible to over hydrate. Straw colored or light yellow urine is best.
Get Enough Sleep
Sleep plays a huge role in our health and not getting enough sleep increases cortisol levels, can trigger carb cravings and disrupts the delicate balance of hormones in the body, which can cause a myriad of health problems and make losing weight difficult. Turn off the gadgets one hour before bed, keep the room slightly cool and make it as dark as you can. Most of us need 7.5-8 hours of sleep per night. Getting less than six hours per night on a regular basis is asking for problems down the road.
Move!
Exercise is important in achieving a healthy heart, muscles and metabolism and lowering stress levels. Get regular exercise, a little bit every day, even if a couple of those days are just easy walking or stretching. The rest of the week, try to get in functional, body weight exercises. Just like with calories, quality over quantity is key. Short and intense sessions trump long bouts of chronic cardio. If you’re unconvinced, look at the body of a marathoner versus a sprinter. Who’s leaner and has more muscle mass? The sprinter. The marathoner may be thinner, but the goal is healthy and strong, which is where the sprinter wins the prize. Skinny fat is not a good look, so get off the treadmill and pick up the weights. Your adrenals will thank you. And remember, 80% or more of your physical appearance is about what you eat, not how much you exercise. You can’t out exercise your mouth!
Take this opportunity to allow yourself MORE of these items rather than restricting yourself. Your body and mind will thank you.