3 tips to keep your body healthy

By Angela Young

Losing weight can be tough, but when it's time to maintain finding that balance requires a learning curve all over again. Here we offer three easy tips to keep your body healthy. It's important to remember it takes an average of 21-30 days for your brain and body to learn new habits. Stick with it and you feel, look and be healthier. 

1. Map out Your Meals

This is a great strategy to help you stay on track with healthy eating and healthy calories. There are a variety of tasty options where putting together a healthy menu. These examples are just a couple of them and an easy shopping list to keep your house stocked with whole foods instead of harmful processed ones. Here's an example you can use any day of the week:

Breakfast: Egg whites and oatmeal

Morning Snack: Smoothie

Lunch: Shrimp, salad and brown rice

Afternoon Snack: Almonds and raisins

Dinner: salmon, green beans and sweet potato

Create your shopping list of these items exclusively. When you shop from a pre-written list you are more likely to pass by the junk items and even avoid those aisles. When you have the items you need on hand for the meals you've planned there's no stopping at the store on the way home from work. When you shop hungry and without a list you will usually purchase more and poorer quality food than intended.

2. Create Your Servings in Advance

Portion control is one of the biggest problems with weight control. Even portions that seem the right size can be too much. Pay close attention to serving sizes vs. portion control because they can also vary greatly. One great way to keep your portions under control is to prep portions in advance. When you get home from the store separate out your proteins in accurate portions and freeze them individually. It makes meal prep easier too because you have a weekly menu and separate portions, you can look at your menu for the day and take out that portion in the morning to defrost. 

By portioning ahead you've avoided the waste of leftovers and by planning ahead you've avoided the calories and cost of takeout. 

3. Make Your Workouts #1

Your life is hectic and everyone needs something from you, but when you don't make your workouts #1 they will never get done. You need to take care of you in order to take care of everyone else. Make your workout information specific and assign it a spot in your calendar. Something like "Walk at 7 am on Wednesday with Pam" is going to be more effective than "Walk Wednesday morning."

If you're meeting with a friend or trainer you are less likely to blow it off. Remember to set realistic workout dates with yourself. Don't shoot for two hour workout sessions when you know it won't happen. You'll stress yourself and end up quitting altogether.