Start your day with 16 oz. of water
Water has so many benefits, that when I talk about its impact, I feel like a snake oil salesman. Perhaps its biggest impact is in brain function. Even mild hydration can cause your brain not to run at full speed and actually shrink (hello brain fog!). It is also one of those things that if you don’t get ahead of it, it is almost impossible to catch up. Start your day with 16 oz of water before food and coffee and shoot for a minimum of 2L but ideally more around 3L per day. For more water tips and benefits, check out this blog.
Have Protein at Breakfast & Snacks
The real power of protein is not in the total grams, but rather how it is spread throughout the day. Breakfast and snacks are where we tend to skip the protein and focus mainly on carbs (even the good ones like fruits or vegetables or whole grains). Adding protein at these meals can have a major impact on your cravings and total calories throughout the day. Check out this post for my favorite high protein breakfasts and this post for some great snack ideas.
Count Your Colors
One of the main reasons we eat is to get vitamins and minerals into our bodies. These nutrients help boost our immune system, keep our skin looking youthful, and increase our energy. As luck would have it, the color of the fruits and vegetables helps identify which nutrient that food contains. So, an easy way to make sure that you are getting a diversity of nutrients is to eat a diversity of colors. If you are just starting out, shoot for 3 different colors per day. If you are a veggie master, kick it up to 5.
15 Minute Factor
We tend to think of how food will feel in this instant or WAY in the future. For instance, “If I eat this now it will be sweet and deliscious! Or if I skip this now, I may lose a 1lb in a few weeks.” With those two pieces of information, you will either eat it now or feel deprived that you gave up an amazing treat for a hypothetical future.
The most powerful information you can get is 15 minutes after you stop eating. It can show you that something you thought was great made you feel sluggish or something you thought was lackluster made you feel awesome. Start checking in with yourself 15 minutes after you eat and see how you feel…and there is no right or wrong answer! This is the first step towards developing the skill of healthy eating and changing your relationship with food. Plus, you might be surprised!
