Everyone should develop at least three signature healthy habits. The beautiful thing about a habit is that you don’t even think about it–you just do it–day in and day out. No one is perfect. We will all inevitably make some not so healthy choices. So when you overdo it on sushi and martinis on Saturday night you’ll have these healthy habits in place to counteract the damage. Most fitness minded people already have these habits they probably just don’t realize it. One of my best friends is the healthy lunch girl. That was her thing. Every day at work she would open a perfectly portioned out tupperware container full of carrots, hummus, tomatoes, etc. She didn’t always eat this way though…in fact, some afternoons she was found eating cookies or drinking a frappuccino, but her body seemed to forgive her for the occasional sugar rush since she gave it so many quality nutrients every day for lunch. So try to think of three healthy habits you can commit to incorporating into your life. They can be really simple! Think: always carrying around a bottle of water, having a salad for lunch every day or doing planks and stretching every morning. These little additions will stick with you for life! Looking for more ideas? Here’s my 3 signature healthy habits:
1- I love walking
Meet Buck, he’s my sweet and overly needy rhodesian ridgeback. Taking him on long walks come rain, shine or blizzard helps me stay active and get my daily dose of vitamin D. Walking is an incredibly easy habit to add to your daily routine. Try taking a brisk walk during your lunch break or a post dinner walk with your significant other.
2- I’m a leftover queen
When I go out to eat I never finish my meal. At least half of it will go into a to-go box. Going out to eat is an event, so save the boring chicken and broccoli for dinners at home. If I go out I want to order something I don’t usually allow myself to eat. This means something along the lines of a massive bowl of creamy pasta. Mmmm that pasta would do some major damage if I ate the entire bowl so I tell myself to have a few bites now and save the rest for another time. This allows me to have a little bit of something I love without completely wrecking my diet.
3- I follow the rule of 4
Imagine a typical meal at a steakhouse: glass of wine (or 2..or 3..), appetizer, house salad, steak, baked potato, 2 sides and dessert. Did you keep count? That’s EIGHT different types of food over the course of just one meal. The more variety on our plate, the more calories we consume. Think of that miserably stuffed feeling you get after visiting a buffet or consuming a typical Thanksgiving dinner. Yuck. To avoid that, follow the rule of four. You are only allowed four different types of food at any one meal. This includes caloric beverages, entree, bread, salads, appetizers and dessert. Let’s go back to that steakhouse example…to slim this meal down I would simply limit myself to the wine, house salad, steak and baked potato. This is PLENTY of food! Keep your meals simple and you will naturally consume less.