10 NUTRITION & MOVEMENT TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH
1. Create an environment that makes eating nutritious food convenient. Anything in your house or readily available will be eaten so protect your space. Preparing protein, carbohydrate sources, and vegetables in bulk for the week will help create readily available nutritious options during a busy time. Keeping snacks that are nutritious & easy to grab will also help. These include: popcorn, fruit (dried or regular), and veggies & dips (hummus, tzaziki, etc.).
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2. Find a way to be consistent with movement. You do not have to do the same thing everyday but moving everyday is one of the most impactful things you can do for your body. Movement has important internal physical and psychological benefits even if you just go for a walk.
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3. Be mindful of hydration. Did you know your body can mistake thirst cues for hunger cues? You could be overeating because you're not hydrated. The old information still rings true that 8 glasses of water a day is the suggested amount to consume. Add more if you're working out that day.
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4. Make sure to have a warm up and cool down routine for your workouts. This will not only help prevent injury but prepare your muscles and allow for more range of motion if done correctly. Dynamic stretching at the beginning and static stretching at the end will help improve your flexibility and mobility which will help improve your movement in your everyday life.
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5. Check in with your hunger levels throughout the day. Take a moment to take a deep breath and see how you feel. Sometimes we can be so focused on work that we lose touch with how our body feels and we skip meals.
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6. Take enough rest days. This will not only prevent you from overtraining psychologically so you can keep moving consistently but physically by helping your muscles recover and not get damaged.
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7. Make sure to get enough sleep. The average amount that people need to function optimally is 8 hours but your body could need more or less so figure out what is right for you. Your brain recovers from the day while you sleep as well as your muscles.
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8. Start with a small change. If you don't workout at all, start with building a 5 minute walk into your daily routine. You don't need to start with a HIIT class 5 days a week. If you are trying to build nutrition habits, start with eating a vegetable everyday. Trying to insert too many habits at once can be overwhelming and lead to failure which can be psychologically damaging for your process.
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9. Plan. Plan your workouts for the week, plan your rest days and plan your meals. If you aren't working with a nutrition or movement coach, this will at least help you hold yourself accountable. Creating a grocery list and meal plan for your week will help make eating in a healthy way convenient.
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10. Enjoy the process! Find forms of movement that you enjoy and build them into your routine even if they don't efficiently get you to your goals. Find nutritious foods that you enjoy eating instead of forcing yourself to eat ones you don't like. Focusing on health & wellness should be sustainable and is always a process so finding a way to enjoy it is important. If you ever need help, I'm here for you!