Healthy Habits Year-Round

Over the years, people tend to develop their own quirks and habits. Some of these habits, however, unfortunately affect our health negatively. Whether it’s a habit of drinking your calories (think sugary beverages), or not exercising regularly, we tend to fall into what’s easy and consistent with our lives.

One thing is certain though: If we continue to do the same thing over and over again, we’ll get the same results.

SO! Whether your goal is to lose 50 pounds, or exercise 3 days per week, make sure it’s something that actually is feasible in your life. We’ve compiled some options to consider to help make planning, ideas, and execution a reality!

Habit 1: Exercise

Some people believe that exercising is the idea of torturing yourself for hours a day just to lose the calories of that salad you ate. Luckily for us, it’s overall health that’s actually what should be your focus when it comes to changing habits and lifestyles.

Here are just a small piece of options you can choose from to benefit your overall health on a regular basis and even maintain it:

• Walk daily; 30 minutes 6-7 days per week will keep you on track.
• Get a standing or treadmill desk; they say sitting is the new smoking!
• Perform a challenging exercise 30-60 mins, 3-4 days per week; make it hard enough to sweat but not so difficult that you won’t want to do it again.
• Discover your own FUN habit; this can be cleaning, dancing, playing a sport, or even jumping rope.

Habit 2: Eating

Americans’ eating habits over the last 50 years have changed dramatically. The invention of the television, let alone the smart phone, have transformed how we consume – both food and media. Sitting in front of a screen, scooping in mass amounts of food and not paying attention has become the norm.

There are a few great ways to not only enjoy your food more, but experience quality time with your family (or yourself for that matter). Try these out and see how your mindset about food and mealtime can change:

• Eating slower – Typical dinner forks do not offer portion control features while eating like the Portion Forks, rather they encourage the opposite with their long tines giving the ability for continual stabbing of food and loading ability.
• Chewing more – Research over the years has increasingly shown that chewing at least 25 times has a great deal of health benefits (and consequences for not chewing enough) including better gut health.  Because of the modern designs of the Portion Forks offering smaller tines and the solid measure marker creating and encouraging smaller portions per mouth serving guidance allows for better chewing hence better breakdown of food.
• Not watching TV – Many families over recent years have discovered the bonding benefits of ensuring all screens are off during meal time. It encourages a focus on enjoying the food and quality time over inhaling it so we can get it over with.

Habit 3: Relaxation/Mindfulness

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What in the world could relaxing and mindfulness have to do with healthy habits? Well for starters, it allows you to be ‘present’ in your day. What does this mean exactly?

Have you ever been in the middle of a conversation and realized you weren’t listening? Mindfulness and being more relaxed allows you to engage with your peers better which ends up resulting in better relationships, happier days or moments, and more focus on your overall health.

Focusing on what you are currently doing and being present in your day will allow you to enjoy your food more, be more attentive and retain more information, and improve your body functions! How? Well here are a few examples of where to start:

• Sleep 8 hours – or whatever your body needs as it could be 7 or 9.
• Meditate – try using a guided meditation app.
• Know where your food comes from – be aware of what you are putting into your body.
• Yoga – moving the body like these stretches and focused movements will enable you to be more aware of how your body feels.
• Optimize your chewing with smaller portions – Begin your mindful eating with the Portion Forks.
• Spa day! It doesn’t always have to be an overtly focused activity. Relaxing also helps your body release tension.

Just Get Started!

No matter the activities you choose to participate in, continue, or get started on, do what works for YOU. Don’t let others tell you what you love or should do and just get started!