Your body
deserves the best!
Often we
feel bogged down at the thought of change, of doing the things we know are good
for us yet seem to include a huge commitment.
How about a
week of thinking and doing the ‘change for the better’ challenge a bit
differently? What if we just do something very small in the right direction. A
tweak instead of a leap, if you will.
Recent
science shows that small lifestyle changes (and a little fun doing them) are
all it takes to improve your health drastically.
Day 1: AVOID THINKING OF EXERCISE AS EXERCISE
Starting
today for 10 days, go for a scenic and fun walk. Lunchtime is a great time for
this. Walk for about ½ mile and come back. Notice how being outside and moving
relaxes your mind. This is your personal time, your reward, a celebration of
life. If the sun is out, you get the additional advantage of increased Vitamin
D production.
Day 2: A HANDFUL OF VEGGIES
When
vegetables are in the company of other foods, they often go untouched. To get that
handful of veggies, eat them before putting any other foods on your plate. This
often leads to consuming fewer calories total, which is a win-win situation!
Or, if you have to have a pizza, throw your handful of veggies on top before
pushing it into the oven. I get my veggies by making a big pot of vegetables,
coconut milk and Indian spices. Nummy!
Today, and
the next 10 days, pick out the veggies you are going to enjoy today. Figure out
ingenious ways to get them onto the menu. If you want to eat more, please feel
free to do so!
Day 3: BEET IT
Drinking a
cup of nitrate-rich beetroot juice each day significantly lowers blood pressure
in people with hypertension, according to a new report. Why? The body converts
nitrate to nitric oxide, which relaxes the arteries and improves blood flow.
Today, and
the next 10 days, drink a cup of beet juice, alone or mixed in a smoothie. You
can drink small amounts at different times during the day.
Day 4: SNOOZE YOUR WAY SLIM
Most of us
suffer from a chronic sleep deficit. A little more sleep may help ease your
reliance on high-calorie snacks for energy. A small study in the journal
Appetite found that when people who normally slept less than six and a half
hours a night got an extra 96 minutes, they were 62% less likely to crave junk
food and reported feeling less hungry overall.
Data on how
sleep affects the heart suggests that lack of adequate sleep (less than 6-7
hours) can increase risk of cardiac problems like heart attack and stroke.
Today, and
for the next 10 days, go to bed 5 minutes earlier than the night before. Even
if you don’t fall asleep immediately, remind yourself that this time is all
yours to savor. Enjoy.
Day 5: BREATHE!
Breath is
the power behind your life. Your breath doesn’t know how old, how rich, how
successful you are; it doesn’t know what you can’t or are afraid to do. It
takes care of you without you even having to work on it!
Today and
for the next 10 days, take a few minutes to mindfully watch your breath come
and go. Feel the cool air flow in through your nostrils and your chest expand to
take it all in. Notice the body relaxing when you breathe out slowly and
comfortably.
Have a nice
weekend. You are still in the middle of your 10-Day-Tweak-Challenge so have a
great time with it.
