5 Flexible Healthy Habits to Implement Now (and a healthy recipe round-up)
Looking to turn a healthy page? Here are five things you should do consistently and comfortably BEFORE starting any complicated dieting protocol. These simple flexible steps will get you pretty far (depending on your goals, it might even be all you ever need - it’s really all I do on top of my rigorous(ish) training program).
Protein: aim for at least .8-1g per kg of bodyweight each day. It’s filling and helps you build muscle. I weigh 140 lbs, so that means about 50-63g protein or 200-250 calories for me. This isn’t a hard number to reach. Overall daily intake is key, but if you’re really crushing it try challenging yourself to split intake amongst meals. Make protein intake close to your workouts a priorty.
High Protein recipes I’ve posted:
Spicy Tofu (amazing!)
Cauliflower bake (sort of like a lasagna!)
I also have a couple amazing ones including healthy quiche, lentils, and poached eggs on my Instagram story highlights
Common whole food protein sources:
1 egg = 6g
1 cup quinoa = 8g (easily digestible) protein
1 cup Low-fat cottage cheese = 28 grams protein
7oz container fat free Greek yogurt = 18g
1 cup cooked lentils = 18g
1 cup green peas = 8g (high for a vegetable! Plus, you get a bunch of vitamins that green veggies contain)
5oz canned tuna = 10g protein (for 45 calories)
2/3 cup shrimp = 48g protein (200 calories)
1 cup chicken breast = 43g protein (230 calories)
1 cup turkey meat = ~36g protein (237 calories)
Water: To estimate a good water good, take your weight in pounds and divide that by two. Drink that many ounces of water per day. I recommend buying a big, easy to clean water bottle like a 32oz Nalgene. For most of us, somewhere between 2 and 4 of those per day will work well.
Vegetables: Fill your plate with veggies! You’ll get the vitamins you need, plus with all the water, vegetables AND protein, you’ll naturally feel full before before overeating. You’ll end up eating less of those unhealthy sides without even really thinking about it.
Favorite vegetable recipes!
Massaged mango kale salad (bonus - extra relevant because of the excess mangoes this year!)
Sweet spicy green beans (I make these almost every week)
I have some great vegetable recipes including roasted vegetables and sweet potatoes on my Instagram as well!
Sleep: I post so much about sleep. Sleep will help your body to recover properly form workouts you perform, curbs unhealthy cravings, balance energy levels, and more. Get 7-9 hours!
Walking: Don’t be too lazy outside of your workouts. 10,000 steps is an arbitrary goal but it’s a good, healthy place to start anyways! That’s 4-5 miles walking a day (a lot!). Taking one 20 min walk to work/the bus in the morning and evening will get you 2000 steps at least. Walking around the office and to lunch can add up if you’re intentional about getting out. I posted a while back about strategies to squeeze more activity in throughout the week if you’re interested.
Bottom line: The best dietary and lifestyle interventions are the ones we can actually adhere to!
People area always curious about new, trendy diets. It’s a new one every year (Paleo, Keto, Fasting, etc). All of these methods can be healthy and effective, but none are magic solutions. It comes down to what diet gets you to eat a reasonable amount of healthy food, leaves you feeling energized, and doesn’t feel restrictive. Long term consistency is key with a diet. You aren’t going to lose weight or gain muscle overnight. If you feel like you need a break from your diet frequently, you should probably rethink the diet you’re on.
Before thinking about any trendy diet, work to make the five habits above second nature. There’s nothing wrong with a diet that works for you, but there’s also nothing special about whatever diet all your friends are trying this year.
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