There's more to a healthy lifestyle than just what you put in your mouth! Today, we're shouting out smart habits that can even boost your weight loss… and they don't involve dieting!
Managing Stress Levels
While some people get stressed out and lose their appetite, the opposite is also common. Some of us feel that stress kick in, and the high levels of the hormone cortisol messes with our blood sugar and triggers emotional cravings for junk food. And let’s face it: Stress is everywhere these days. So how can you combat it? Meditation is a great practice to relax your mind and body (have you tried
the Calm app?), and exercise has also been found to release endorphins (brain chemicals that make you feel good).
Click here for more tips to help you outsmart emotional eating.
Increasing Movement Throughout the Day
We're not just talking about official workouts. The day is long, and the more active you can be just going about your daily life, the better. If you work at a job that requires you to sit for most of the day, make sure you take walk breaks -- set a timer that reminds you to get up from your chair every so often. Even if you’re spending more time at home these days, there are ways to step up your step game: Enter
HOUSEWALKING!
Getting 7 - 8 Hours of Sleep
Not getting enough sleep can leave us cranky and lacking energy. And that can set us up to make less-than-ideal decisions. Your impulse control lowers and your brain's reward centers kick up, looking for anything to make you feel better, i.e. excess food. So get those Zzzs!
Download the Slumber app to help you drift off, and consider a weighted blanket:
This one has over 17,000 Amazon reviews and 4 1/2 stars!
Drinking Enough Water
Yup, there’s a clear connection between water intake and food intake. When you're dehydrated, you might think you're hungry when you’re really just thirsty. So if you're watching your calorie intake, drinking plenty of water is one of the easiest ways to set yourself up for success. Struggle to get enough H2O each day?
Check out these tips, tricks, and Amazon picks!
Getting Some Sunshine
While this can go hand in hand with increasing your movement,
some studies have found links between getting more sunlight (especially in the morning) and lower BMI levels.
Other studies show that overweight people with vitamin-D deficiencies can have greater weight-loss success if they increase their vitamin D -- and why not get an extra boost from the sun? Just don’t forget the sunscreen!
Having a Support Network
When you hit those “why bother?” moments in your health journey, that's when you need support. So if you’re feeling defeated or lacking motivation, connect with a supportive friend or family member. One of our favorite sources of support these days is the
Hungry Girl Community: What’s Chewin’? group on Facebook. It's full of members who share inspiration, success strategies, and overall encouragement. Hope to see you there!
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