Spring kind of reminds me of New Years; it’s a time for fresh starts. The weather warms up, plants start to grow, and people are inspired to get outside and start living life again. I’ve seen so many people out and about in my neighbourhood lately that I haven’t seen in months! And I love seeing the people who take it one step too far; wearing shorts & a T-shirt when it’s only 14 degrees out…love the enthusiasm.
If you’re feeling inspired perhaps it’s time to make some spring resolutions. Make a list of goals that you want to accomplish, and get started now!
As a nutritionist, I’m always striving to inspire people to start living a healthy lifestyle. Here are a few healthy suggestions for your spring resolutions:
– Try a yoga class: the deep-breathing and stretching is amazing for stress relief, and regular yoga makes for a longer, leaner body shape.
– Drink more water: proper hydration is one of the keys to health. It’s good for digestion, flushes out toxins, is good for your skin, and hydrates your cells. It can also aid in weight loss. Sometimes dehydration masks itself as hunger. Feeling peckish? Drink a glass of water first – you may actually be dehyrated. And if you’re sick of plain old water; flavor it with lemon or lime, pineapple, watermelon or cucumber.
– Work out with your sweetie: apparently healthier couples are happier. You can motivate each other, work towards a common goal and exercise is more enjoyable when you can share the experience with someone else.
– Make a meal using one seasonal vegetable a week: you’ll support local farmers, and you may get in the habit of cooking your own meals, which is ALWAYS healthier than ordering in. Foodland Ontario is a great resource for learning which vegetables are in season each month.
– Make a meal plan on Saturday or Sunday, and stick to it for the week. Plan what you want to eat from Monday – Friday, and buy the groceries that you’ll need for those meals. Put the meals in your iPhone calendar to help you stick to the plan.
– Just do it: we all have that on-going ‘to do’ list of items that we never quite get around too: ie, clean behind the fridge, sign up for a self-defence class, or donate clothes to Salvation Army (yes, this is my list). Procrastinating can be a source of stress. Try and complete one item a week – it feels great!
– Give up white sugar for 1 week: white sugar has no nutritional value; it’s addictive and contributes to excess fat. Substitute with natural sweeteners like coconut sugar, honey, real maple syrup, dates and bananas. Trust me, you’ll feel happy & free once you say goodbye to the white stuff.
– Go for a walk after dinner: walking after a meal is great for healthy digestion, and distracting yourself with an activity will prevent you from mindless snacking on the couch.
– Smile and laugh more often: it’s a great stress reliever and will give you a more positive attitude overall. Try smiling at a stranger; you’ll be amazed at how good it makes you feel! Or you’ll end up with a creeper following you, but at least it will be amusing.
Good luck with your spring resolutions!
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