7 Habits to Kick in 2015

It is January, it is a New Year, new beginning and so words like Resolve, Change, Improve, Discipline , Reboot, Detox are  found in many articles you will be reading at this time of the year and by the way it also appears in our conversations. By March, however, when we finally put our hands on the grind and the pressures of work , family and life generally take their toll, we find ourselves gradually slipping back into old habits. Should we then forget about New Year Resolutions, not at all , my strong belief is that out of 7 or 10 proposed plans we will at least accomplish about 3 -4 which for me is good enough particularly where the resolution has to do with our health.
To kick off let’s see if you can adopt some of these easy-to-implement habits that will help you health wise in 2015:

1. Large Food Portions – If you lead a fairly sedentary life style then go very easy on your carb portions. Nigerian foods generally are high on carbs so we have to choose wisely and still enjoy our Jollof rice, Egusi soup and swallow or even EdikangIkong and swallow
First the size of swallows have to come down in 2015. Take the size of one lawn tennis ball as guide…did I hear someone laughing there .
The rice portion should go down whist the veggies increase. Well this is the way to go if you want to control the frequent upward swing of that weight. One more way to get rid of Belly Fat if you have this concern.

2. Skipping Breakfast – I hear things like “eating breakfast will make me put on weight…it will make me slow in the morning..I am used to not eating” and so on. Guess what?  If you are looking for a way to manage your calorie intake during the day then eating breakfast reduces the amount of food you eat for the rest of the day. You can keep it simple and in small portions, like my Dodo and Sausage Mede Mede or Savory Peanut Butter Sandwich or Dodo Wengele or Wheat Bread Vegetable Egg Cakes.The most important thing is to have something. Kids learn by what they see. If mummy eats breakie  then they will learn to do the same.

3. Drinking Water – Water is important for your blood, skin and general health. Drink lots of water! I am sure you have heard this before but it’s not so easy to implement or should I say we forget a lot of the time. As a habit, keep a bottle by your bed side or bathroom so you drink a bottle as soon as you wake up, even before brushing your teeth. If your urine has clear color through the day then you are drinking enough. Avoid using soft drinks as replacement for water. Occasionally trick the body by drinking very iced water. The body is forced to warm up thereby helping burn some fat.

4. Late Night Dinner – Heavy calories consumed at night may not be burnt off particularly if it is heavy on carbohydrates. Early dinner helps to burn off the calories before you go to sleep. This is another another great way to prevent and reduce Belly Fat.

 

5. High Salt Consumption – We need salt for proper body cell balance. However, high consumption can affect our blood pressure . Keep out the salt shaker from your dinning table. Avoid putting salt in your dish until you have tasted the dish.

6. No Exercise – We tend to sit most of the time , in the office and even at home in the evening. Have you registered in a gym in the past and have not had time to attend the gym and your registration has now expired? Well make the best of the space you have at home.. Get up every 2hrs in the office and take a walk. The benefit of exercising is not just about losing weight; it will help your joint mobility and energy levels. You surely need to be agile to be able to mount that 3-4 inches heels and strut down the office like a pro.

7. Heavy Fast Foods – A fast-paced lifestyle means little time for home cooked meals but with the attendant health issues, you may have to reduce every Sunday family visit to fast food outlets. Have I just made you feel guilty? Go easy on fast foods, you can make it occasional and not a habit . Home cooked meals help you to make healthy food choices and eat nutritious meals.

Do you have other habits you pledge to kick this year then share with us. Eat Healthy and Skip the Dieting. Wishing you a super healthy 2015.