MAKING LIFESTYLE CHANGES

The number one question I’m asked…

Whats my diet and workout routine, and how I stay in shape while traveling. I wrote a post about it a few years ago that you can read here, but I have some new tips and “adjustments” since I wrote that article. I thought there is no better time than now than writing this article again, because I FINALLY am making the shift into a healthier lifestyle. Took only 30 years…better late than never lol!

Like I said in my previous article I wrote a few years ago, I am extremely blessed that I am not overweight with my history in how much I can eat along with my poor eating habits. I love my burgers! If you know me, you know I LOVE all food, and have pretty much been able to eat what I want my whole life (thank you mom and dad), but as I’m getting older I realized I had to do some major adjustments with my lifestyle. It’s not just about having a good body anymore, I am making these changes to be healthy for the long run.

Whats my routine? I have none…I don’t have any routine. BUT, I do have things I do to maintain a healthy weight and I stay body conscious. Below are a few of tips that I do for myself, that hopefully can help you too! It might not work for everyone but I found these work for me.

• limit your alcohol intake. I rarely drink. Only if its a really special occasion, or I enjoy a glass of wine with a good meal once in awhile. I don’t drink socially, or have a cocktail or glass of wine at the end of the day. I think not being a big drinker really helps me maintain a healthy weight, since I eat more than the average human. If I drank as much as I ate, it would be a big problem lol. Even if I drank more often, it would affect me for sure. Besides I don’t enjoy drinking as much as others, I don’t like how I feel the next day. I also don’t have cocktails when I’m on a tropical “vacation” or trip. I’ll have a virgin cocktail, coconut water, or water with mint, cucumber and lemon to stay hydrated. I swear I’m not boring, I’m still fun 🙂
• Cut down my dairy and meat intake. I recently watched the documentary on Netflix called What The Health. Although some of the facts were said to be inaccurate, I think there is also a lot of truth to that doc, and it really shifted my views on food in America. It’s so important to be knowledgable about where our food comes from and what we put in our bodies. America is the land of fake and processed food, and I realized the importance of eating organically and cutting down my meat and dairy intake and subbing it for fruits and vegetables instead. I feel less bloated and leaner since I’ve cut down my meat and dairy intake. If you have time, there are a few great health and food documentaries on Netflix to watch that can really teach you about where we get our food, and how diet is the leading cause for all major diseases.
• Stay active. I hate the gym, I dread going. It’s boring to me. I’d rather do anything else but the gym. When I am not traveling, I TRY to hit the gym sometimes, or go on hikes. I stick with 30-45 min of cardio on either the treadmill or elliptical and spend about 30 minutes on abs, stretching, squats and weights. When I’m traveling I am doing lots of walking, swimming and exploring during my days- I’m constantly moving around. I never just lay and relax, I can’t sit still anyway. I also found out that the food in places like Europe is just much healthier and less processed than the food in America. Even if I’m eating more carbs like pizza, bread or pasta, I somehow don’t gain any weight and sometimes in fact LOSE weight. This is because I’m eating real food.
• No soda. I never really drink soda. I will occasionally if I’m eating a bad meal like a burger and fries or if I’m craving a Ginger Ale on a flight, but for the most part try to cut out all soda if possible.
• Shop Organic. Buy organic food! Can’t stress how important this, which I’ve recently come to learn in the past year. Organic means not processed or filled with hormones or preservatives. Its the freshest food you can get and worth to spend a few extra bucks. Better than paying thousand of dollars of hospital bills in the long run because you have a disease.
• Cook more, eat out less. Nothing better than cooking your own meal. You can control and know what you put inside the food your eating. When you go out to eat, you have no idea what they are putting in and on the food. Most of the times restaurants use a ton of salt, butter and oil. Also, portions are way bigger when you eat at restaurants. If you really want to be healthy, then cook at home and be in control.
• Eat your veggies! Vegetables are key. You can get mostly all the nutrients you need from vegetables. They are healthy, and fill you up. Add as much vegetables as you can to your meals. Add in that spinach in your omelet, or get a side of vegetables instead of fries!
• Stay hydrated. Drink enough water, and stay away from soda and sugary drinks! I love fresher squeezed fruit juices, but stay away from those fake sugary drinks. Water is best and add some fresh squeezed lemon for a zest.
• Get quality sleep. Sleep is so important. Make sure you try and get around 7 hours of quality sleep a night. In the past few years my sleeping habits were horrendous. I was 24/7 jet-lagged with my constant traveling, and my mind would never stop. Now I sleep well and learned to shut off my brain.
• Don’t eat too late.  I try to stop eating by 7-8pm every night, and won’t eat again until 8-9am the next day. That gives my body a full 12 hours before the next meal, giving the food ample time to digest and be ready to work again.

Hope these few tips were helpful and insightful. Every body is different. We all have different metabolisms and digestive systems. These tips can be useful for anyone, but again they are what work for me specifically and may vary depending on the person. I’ve been naturally blessed and have good genes, so I am aware some people may need to work harder, eat healthier and exercise more than me. Regardless I’m sharing my personal journey of feeling my best and reaching my healthiest potential. Still got a long ways to go! Would love your feedback or suggestions.