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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Become a healthier you with these 5 common sense tips

I have such a happy heart from all the positive feedback I received from my post yesterday. Keep them coming! I can't wait to e-mail you all back, especially those of you with questions.

As I mentioned yesterday, today I'm sharing easy things anyone can incorporate into their daily lives to become healthier.  I said I'd share recipes too, but this post ended up being longer than I thought, so I'll share recipes tomorrow.  It will just be a week of health here on The Bargain Blonde!  (FYI - Friday I will have Friday Favorites)

1. Cut out all artificial sweeteners.  I know this isn't the first time you've heard artificial sweeteners are bad for you and can even cause cancer.  I've heard it for years, but disregarded the advice.  Finally I'm listening and I've switched to using Truvia (brand of Stevia, which is a natural sweetener made from plant derivatives not chemicals) and a splash of skim milk instead of flavored coffee creamers and Splenda. I used to drink a Diet Coke or Coke Zero every afternoon, but now I have Green Tea or water and I am perfectly content. I know some of your love for diet drinks may run deeper than mine, but I promise you can give them up if you really want to. Drink carbonated water if your need the fizzle.  
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2. Drink lots of water.  Again, how many times have we heard this?  We all know water is good for our bodies, hair, skin, etc., but a lot of us don't drink enough of it.  The Tone It Up (TIU) girls recommend dividing your body weight (in pounds) in half and drinking that many ounces of water.  So if you weigh 150, you should be drinking 75 ounces of water a day. 

If you really hate drinking water, flavor it with fresh fruit or lemons.  Keep a big bottle on your desk at work and know how many bottles you need to drink to stay on track with your water intake for the day. 
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3. Have fresh fruit and veggies available always. Say bye bye to processed snack foods.  A little bit of prep can make a big difference in choosing healthy options over junk.  I've made sure I have fresh fruit and veges cut up in my fridge in the event I'm hungry but in between meals.   This way I have a smart, healthy option at my disposal.  Pre-cut fruit in your fridge is an easy snack you can grab instead of something like chips. The Tone It Up girls live by the motto, "A piece of fruit never made anyone fat."  So make the right choice!
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4. Limit starches and dairy after lunch time.  I'm not saying don't ever have them at night, but if you are trying to slim down, it's best to limit these when you can in the evenings.  On the TIU plan, your evening meal essentially consists of veges, unlimited green veges and lean protein.  I've started do this and feel so much lighter and "cleaner" in the mornings.  

5. Move your booty.  Small changes add up. Instead of taking the elevator, take the stairs. Park your car in the farthest spot from the door and walk.  Yes it's summer in Texas it is hot as HELL but a few extra steps aren't going to kill you.  You'll just burn a few extra calories.  Go for a walk with your dog/roomie/lover after dinner instead of just sitting on the couch. Wake up 30 minutes earlier than normal and walk 15 minutes away from your house, turn around and walk back.   Just be more active!  The more active you are, the less likely you are to be bored and eat out of boredom.  Win-win, right?


Whatever you do, don't give up.  Your body isn't going to change over night just like you didn't gain extra weight over night.  You have to take it one day at a time and if you slip up, it's not the end of the world. We all cheat and we should.  But if you are making smart nutrition decisions the majority of the time, you WILL feel a difference and eventually see a difference.  Trust.

How do you motivate yourself?  Have any "healthier you" tips not included in this post? Share them below!
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35 comments:

  1. I need to drink so much more water. Haha. Great tips!

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  2. Great tips! I just picked up my water cup and chugged it! :)

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  3. Great post Miss Lindsey! I've been drinking water like that for about a year now & let me just say, IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE! I can definitely tell when I don't have enough for just 1 day! My body literally starts screaming for it! & since doing the 5DSD last week, I've been bringing snacks to work everyday - it's the best snack ever! I'm never hungry & still eating good, healthy things! It's all a win-win!

    Good job on making such changes in your life! I know it's not easy but, it is SO worth it!

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  4. Thanks so much for these posts! I just started working out (like, for the first time EVER) and today was my first day of boot camp. I need all the motivation I can get to keep with it, and you are definitely inspiring me to do it!

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  5. These are great tips! To get my body moving I make it a goal to walk at least 5,000 steps a day and work out 3-4 times a week for an hour.

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  6. I've been reading about TIU and may be joining you shortly. I've noticed that when I drink out of a cute little tumbler, I tend to drink more water because there's a straw attached. Weird I know BUT I end up drinking twice as much water than normal!

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  7. Love it! Love this post yet again! You are amazing and I cant wait to follow you on your journey! You really are beautiful inside and outside.

    With my first pregnancy I didnt drink enough water at all and I had done research while pregnant with Sadie and I saw how important water is for pregnant woman AND for us all in general. Drinking water has so many benefits and since then I had bought myself a 32 oz jug of water and would always fill it up that way I knew I was drinking the right amount.

    TIL THIS DAY I DRINK OUT OF IT STILL. I cannot drink water out of cups I am strange lol. I am a pure water drinker (exception of alcohol lol) but yeah it helps a lot out of the bottle/water bottle. I can def tell when I dont have enough either and its terrible!

    I found this idea on pinterest also like above like you mentioned. I filled a lemonade pitcher up with ice and water and put strawberries and pineapple and grapes in it and let it sit in fridge for an hour and I love it had a light taste of the fruits in it! Def changing it up helps if some dont like just drinking "plain water" daily lol.

    Yes oh and my Sadie keeps me on the go otherwise I think I would be ten times heavier than I am now! lol My main goal is to TONE and get more veggies in! :)

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  8. Great great tips girlie!!!!

    Don't forget, GET ENOUGH SLEEP!!! Your body needs time to recover so going to bed at the CORRECT time is essential!

    gonna chug 8 oz of water now.

    :)

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  9. Water? Fruit? Movement? Whaaa?!?!?!

    All of my favorite bloggers are blogging about being/getting healthier. And I'm sitting at my desk. Eating an ice cream cookie sandwich.

    *hangs head in shame*

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  10. I am going to do this. I need to do this.

    Thank you for the tips!

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  11. These all make total sense. I'm with you on the artificial sweeteners. They scare me. I used to drink Coke Zero like it was going out of style, but I switched to mineral water & now I only have a Coke Zero occasionally (like when I'm on my period, ha).

    Matt "does not like water" and I do not understand how a person can "not like water."

    I think so much of this is a mindset. If I'm really hungry, sometimes I think "fruit won't fill me up," but actually, it can. Granted, I might be hungry again sooner, but that's okay.

    The hardest part for me is the whole lean protein thing given that I don't eat meat. I need to research some alternatives.

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  12. This is perfect! I'm trying to be more healthy but it's so hard.

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  13. I'm switching to Truvia, too - especially in my morning coffee, which I can't live without!!

    I started a little "Fitness Friday Link Up" over at my blog...mainly, I just decided to hold myself accountable (thought not as much as the girl on your post yesterday) and keep myself motivated... I don't really care who "links up" but it's just a little get-together where I thought ladies could find motivation, tips, and tricks!

    Thanks for sharing yours! I think all 4 people who linked up with me last Friday (haha) will love your tips! :)

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  14. Just wait till you see how awesome your skin looks once you keep up with water, fruit, and veggie consumption! Congrats on your new healthy lifestyle!

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  15. heey! your blog is adorable ;)

    lets follow each other!

    xxo!

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  16. great tips!! I definitely need to drink more water, and be better about what I'm eating at night and not eat so late. Im excited to see your progress, I've been getting back into working out after having my baby and these posts help me stay motivated!

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  17. The water is a hard one for me, but I definitely focus on it. I have been limiting my diet drinks to just one per day, but I know I need to cut them out. I've been thinking about buying some Truvia, but it's just so expensive compared to the aspertame ones!

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  18. I LOVE that last image, and it's definitely true. I'm at the 4 week point and certainly notice a difference. Keep it up girls!!!!!!!!

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  19. I follow most of these tips and guidelines which excites me! I use truvia and skim milk in the mornings and have a huge tumbler that I drink water from daily - I also do the half your body weight as my guide! I eat veggies and fruit every single day to and hardly ever touch a carbonated drink!

    Living healthy can be so easy and rewarding! Kudos to you for making the switch!

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  20. Great tips! I need to slowly convert to all of these :) Sweets might be my weakness!

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  21. know what else makes you lose weight fast?

    coke.

    and not that kind.

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  22. I try to drink the water I need, but I'll be honest that is a hard one!

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  23. Good luck girl. I am despising the taste of water lately which is not ok. I have to practically force myself to drink it.

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  24. Great tips, lady! And good luck with your plan!

    My tip: don't drink any calories, unless it's booze.... Workout and do lots of core! :)

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  25. One of my "stay healthy" tips is choosing what to eat when we go out to restaurants. When I am looking at the menu I ask myself "is this fried?" if it is, I don't order it. I stick with baked or grilled... And obviously fruits and veggies! Yum!

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  26. I really need to try this truvia! I have heard great things about it and love the healthy option. Your last point about being patient is what I'm struggling with- I feel like I've been trying so hard for 2 months now and still not seeing results! However, Im going to stick with it... I'm feeling great so hopefully the results will come next :)

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  27. Great tips! Another one I've found helpful was to learn how much a serving of whatever I'm eating really is, most of the time I was overestimating

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  28. Great tips! Another one I've found helpful was to learn how much a serving of whatever I'm eating really is, most of the time I was overestimating

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  29. Just by cutting out sugar and using truvia and using fat free cream in my coffee, I lost 10 pounds in two months. I used to drink my coffee with extra cream and extra sugar until my nutritionist friend told me that was the equivalent of eating a large cheese pizza! Ugh!

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  30. I have way more of an issue with food than I do with working out or drinking water (water is pretty much all I drink and I work out 5-6 days a week). Thankfully the water and the work outs help combat my non-diet...at the same time, I don't eat fast food and most of what I *do* eat is fairly healthy...my motivation being a ton of weight I gained about 7 years ago and how hard it was to lose said weight, haha.

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  31. gosh.. I know I need to part ways with diet coke. thanks for the reminder

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  32. Great tips, I definitely need to drink more water! Now Following

    http://allthingsalisamarie.blogspot.com

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  33. I keep wanting to buy Truvia when I see it at the store but it is sooooo expensive. I need to just bite the bullet. The money I save isn't gonna make me a skinny minny! damnit

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  34. i love that idea of putting time goals on water bottles, i'm going to have to copy that. i have such a hard time drinking water, i've been putting a couple of slice of cucumber in my water at work and that helps a lot. i also drink a lot of cold passion tazo tea either plain or w a natural sweetener.

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