New Year, New You. Lets Get Healthy.
Its 2017, HAPPY NEW YEAR, and the resolution that most people choose is to lose a few pounds. As a gentleman we must live up to our resolutions. If you were one that decided to lose weight for a resolution or if as a gentleman you would like to just get healthier, whatever the reason to get healthy in 2017 this article will help you.
In order to be healthy it takes work in and outside of the gym. What you do outside the gym is more important to what you do inside the gym. This article will give you some tips and tricks in regards on things you have to do outside of the gym to be successful in whatever your health goals are. With this plan, you’ll keep getting results long after the “New Year, New You” bandwagon disappears.
TIP 1: CONSISTENCY BEATS EVERYTHING
Once it hits January 1, people often dive in headfirst: “From now on, I’m going to exercise every day, eat no carbs, go vegan, and stop drinking.” But that isn’t sustainable. Instead, commit to less so you can build consistency and create new habits. After you get in good habits, add more. The key is to do things that you can make a habit. If you never go the gym, going every day is not realistic, try three days a week. Get a pair of comfortable walking shoes (click here). If you drink every day, save the alcohol for the weekend. If you make consistent changes you will see consistent results.
TIP 2: EAT PROTEIN AND VEGGIES WITH EVERY MEAL
You may think that diets and meal preps are a pain in the ass, you have to buy a ton of new groceries, cook a lot, and try to make bland things taste edible—by January 10th, you’re ready for a pizza buffet. But that is not true. The goal is to eat protein and veggies with every meal ESPECIALLY BREAKFAST (more on how much protein you need). You can add fresh spinach, green peppers, mushrooms, or tomatoes to your eggs to add a quick healthy boost. This leads to our next tip.
TIP 3: FIND A FRUIT AND/OR FARMER’S MARKET TO GET YOU FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
As a man we usually shop for quickness and convenience. But taking a few more minutes can not only help us get healthy but also save money. The cost of fruits and vegetables are up to 50% more at grocery stores, and the fruit and farmer’s markets fruits and vegetables are fresher. With that being said you must use them while they are fresh due to the fact that they do not have any preservatives.
GENTLEMAN HACK
If you cannot or if there is no farmers market and fruit market near you, or you just don’t have the time but still want to add vegetables to your diet. Use frozen vegetables vs canned vegetables. Frozen vegetables are blanched (put briefly into boiling water) before freezing, and they’ll lose some nutrients but not a ton. Canned vegetables and fruit are cooked more than frozen since the producer has to make sure there isn’t any bacteria growth inside the can. The extra cooking destroys more nutrients. There’s also usually use salt, sugar and chemicals used in canning to help preserve the food.
TIP 4 REDUCE YOUR SUGAR INTAKE.
Cutting back on sugar is a gradual process and doesn’t happen overnight, but once you start to cut back on it, you’ll realize you don’t need as much of it as you once thought. And it doesn’t have to be complicated. One easy thing to do is to use honey Add spices. Coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom will naturally sweeten your foods and reduce cravings. Also, eat regularly. Eat three meals and two snacks or five small meals a day. For many people, if they don’t eat regularly, their blood sugar levels drop, they feel hungry and are more likely to crave sweet sugary snacks. Choose whole foods. The closer a food is to its original form; the less processed sugar it will contain. Food in its natural form, including fruits and vegetables, usually presents no metabolic problems for a normal body, especially when consumed in variety. AVOID HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, THIS INGREDIENT WILL DO MORE TO DERAIL YOUR DIET THAN PURE SUGAR.
GENTLEMAN HACK
Do a detox. My experience has been that when people do a proper detox, not only does it reset their appetites but it often decreases their sugar cravings. After the initial sugar cravings, which can be overwhelming, our bodies adjust and we won’t even want the sugar anymore and the desire will disappear. Also, after a detox you will see quick results and will be motivated.
TIP 5: EAT OUT LESS, DO MEAL PREP
It is quite easy especially if you are single to grab some quick meals, at a fast food restaurant or even stop at a restaurant that you may be able to squeeze out two meals from. These meals tend to be less healthy and have more fat.
GENTLEMAN HACK
Cut calories while eating out or on a date. Drink water instead of alcohol, soda pop, or sugary tea. Water with a lemon cleanses the palate and helps you enjoy the meal more. I have noticed that once I order water with a lemon, my date will also. That will cut anywhere from 4 to 20 dollars off your bill, and you don’t lose any cool points.
Around the holidays, people eat out a lot at restaurants or other people’s homes. When you’re not cooking, you have less control over what you’re actually eating, and all of these celebrations can unintentionally lead to consuming extra fat, salt, and sugar. I usually recommend making January a cook-at-home month. Make a weekly meal plan, and focus on lighter, seasonal comfort fare like bean soups and roasted vegetables, you can substitute mushrooms, and beans for meat to help change up your meals. Also, zucchini, and squash are thicker vegetables that can be used in place of meat. You could also prep supplements such as Omega 3 in your meal plan to improve your health.
TIP 6 MAKE SMOOTHIES
We have all seen the commercials for the Nutri bullet and many such blenders. They do work and are worth the investments. Fruit and vegetable smoothies provide you with essential vitamins and minerals. Fruits and vegetable smoothies can be an easy way to nourish your body with essential nutrients. The best way to know the exact ingredients in your smoothie is to make them yourself. All you need is a blender, fruit and a base, such as water, milk or yogurt.
GENTLEMAN HACK
Grab some sandwich bags, put your fruit in and freeze it. You can quickly grab one, make your smoothie and have a cold smoothie at your fingertips.
When trying to lose or maintain a healthy weight, smoothies could be used as a meal replacement, not an addition. For instance, drink a dairy-based smoothie for breakfast or drink a water-based smoothie as a snack. Here is where going to the fruit and farmers market comes in. You can get so many different types of fruit, (many you would not even think of), and different types of vegetables to add to your smoothie. Another benefit of smoothies is that they help us meet the other requirements for a healthy life, for instance Drinking fruit smoothies can help you reach the recommended intake of fiber, which is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. One serving of fruit typically contains two to four grams of fiber with blackberries, pears and apples having the highest concentration of five to seven grams per serving. The soluble fiber found in fruit helps slow digestion and may help control blood sugar and lower cholesterol. A smoothie helps you get hydrated for the day, something soda and coffee won’t do. Since your body pulls water from many foods in order to stay hydrated, you won’t have to drink water when you’re sipping on a smoothie (especially a homemade one without sugar). Milk and yogurt are largely water, so if your smoothie is dairy-based, you’ll quench your thirst. In hot weather, add some ice cubes to the blender for extra water. Which leads us to our next tip.
TIP 7: DRINK PLENTY OF WATER.
It is recommended that we drink about two liters or a half gallon of water a day. If you are trying to lose weight or are exercising you should drink no less than a gallon of water a day. It can be done. There are many benefits to drinking plenty of water. If we don’t drink water, we don’t flush out waste and it collects in our body causing a myriad of problems. Also combined with fiber, water can cure constipation. Prevent headaches. Sometimes headaches can be caused by dehydration, so drinking water can prevent or alleviate that nasty head pain. Also Move over coffee—water can help fight those tired eyes too. One of the most common symptoms of dehydration is tiredness. Just another reason to go for the big gulp. Another benefit of drinking water is to help you lose weight because it makes you feel full and therefore less apt to eat. Also, it has been shown Drinking water before meals may reduce appetite in individuals. This decreases calorie intake, leading to weight loss.
I understand that drinking just water can be bland, we have now realized that the key to drinking enough water and keep it interesting and help with the sugar cravings is to infuse the water with different fruits and herbs (such as mint and cilantro). Here is how you can get the most out of infusion. Use cold or room temperature filtered water. Hot water makes produce fall apart faster and can compromise the nutrients you’re trying to coax out of the ingredients. Glass, plain and simple. You don’t need to buy those expensive infusing pitchers and containers. They are unnecessary, a waste of money, put the fruit and herbs directly in the water and use the savings to buy more fresh fruit. Softer fruits like citrus and strawberries can be sliced thick, thin, halved, or quartered. Harder fruits like apples should be sliced very thinly because they take longer to release flavors. In order to keep sipping all day long, refill your infused water container when it’s half full. It will be weaker than your first drink, but still flavorful. In order to keep track of what you are drinking, grab a water jug that has ounce markings on them. You will see how quick and easy it is once you start drinking some infused water that has a great taste to it for you to drink your gallon a day.
You can use google to find some good recipes for infused water. I prefer to just experiment using different fruits and mixing them together to a taste that is of my preference. My personal favorite is watermelon, mint leaves, grapefruit and strawberries.
TIP 8: GET EIGHT HOURS OF GOOD SLEEP EACH NIGHT
Sleep is when your body recovers and regenerates. Crappy sleep, however, kills your results, even if you exercise eight times a week and measure your food with a triple-beam scale. Fitness aside, this one tip could actually change your life. Poor sleep habits can increase the body’s energy needs. At night, movement and need for calories is reduced. But when you are sleep-deprived, your brain will release chemicals to signal hunger. This can lead to eating more, exercising less, and gaining weight. I have also noticed personally when I lack sleep I tend to get sick and nauseous.
By following the above tips, you will not fall into the well over 90 percent of people who do not keep their health and weight loss resolution. Remember once you get into the habit of doing the above things it will get easier and easier. Your body, and your circle of friends will appreciate it. As a gentleman we must set the example to those that are around us, and what better example that we can set than to live a healthy life.
Happy 2017 from Fred the classic gentleman.