Heathy Habits

Hey Bloggies-

Hope all is well, I'm currently in Peru, hopefully have a wonderful time! Since I'll be away for a few weeks with little internet access I've prepared a few post for my hiatus, I hope you enjoy :)

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Over the years I've made small changes to my diet and daily routine that keep me energized and going even when I'm unable to make it to the gym or out for a run. During the last few years I've been a little more lenient but hoping to bring these healthy habits back into my life.

1. Take the stairs! I try to take the stairs whenever my destination is 5 floors or less away. I also try to get up from my desk 1-2 times a day and walkup a few flight of stairs to stretch my legs and get my heart going.

2. Sip on tea right after dinner/with my dessert. In addition to aiding with digestion it also calms me and keeps me from going back for seconds. My obsession with drinking tea actually started when I was very young. My mom's mom was a huge tea drinker and had a cup with each meal. Of course I wanted to emulate her.

3. Drink water. While I don't count how many glasses I have a day, I'm sure its easily 8. I used to hate drinking water, I'm talking about when I was a kid; but one day it just clicked and it didn't seem so bad. Now for the most part the only thing I drink apart from tea/coffee and the occasional glass of wine is water.

4. Plan meals ahead of time. I used to be much better about this one, but over the last few years I just don't feel like cooking when I get home. At the same time ordering takeout never crosses my mind (I'm too frugal and it just doesn't seem like a healthy habit to form) so I often have a cereal/yogurt bowl. While this is okay occasionally, it has become more of the norm and I don't get veggies and protein into my diet.

To get back into meal planning I pick 3 easy recipes each week, write down the ingredients I'm missing in my kitchen, and pick them up at the grocery store. Working out in the morning has also helped me to get back into the habit of cooking. When I come home I no longer have to fit in exercise, dinner, and more work. I can just focus on the latter 2!

5. Eat breakfast. This is an obvious one, no? I'm still amazed at home many people skip breakfast each day. In order to get your metabolism going breakfast should be consumed 1-2 hours after waking up. I guess I've always been a morning person so breakfast was just part of my ritual. For those classmates and friends I've met over the years who roll out of bed last minute to just make it into work, I guess they don't have time? Even so, overnight oats or a PB sandwich are a great option and can be ate in minutes once they get to work/class.

6. Walk! I love walking and live in the best city for it. I've always been a walker, in part due to my dad's mom who was a walker, and again I wanted to be like my elders ;) I would spend most weekends with her and we would either walk the mall or in the summer the downtown area of Philadelphia. Sometimes she even tricked me into walking, not because I didn't want to walk, but because I was scared of passing homeless people. Thankfully I outgrew that fear!!

Once in New York I had to walk 15 minutes to and from my classes, and never really minded, even in the cold. Now I don't hesitate to walk 60 blocks downtown. A) It's a great way to clear your mind, and B) I'm usually able to time walking better than public transportation and can actually make it to my destination on time!

At first these small changes may take some work and thought to carry through, but after searching google you'll find that it takes about 21-28 days to form a habit, wether good or bad. That's not so bad right, 1 month of taking the stairs rather than the elevator and then you do so without thought! And of course taking a day off, maybe because your carry 2 extra bags, doesn't mean you have to start from square one, just make sure you opt for the steps the next time.

What bad habit do you want to break or implement?

Bisou bisou,

Nicole