Most of us try to live a healthy lifestyle. We think we make the right choices, yet quite often not seeing any results w want. Here are a few things you might not realize are derailing you:
1. You put others first.
We often see clients sacrificing their own health and well-being to prioritize their children, careers or other obligations. But to be the best parent or provider, there must be a commitment to an overall healthy lifestyle, getting enough sleep, eating the right amounts of healthy foods and getting regular exercise.
2. Bad posture.
Back pain is the most common cause of disability in aging populations around the world, and is often caused by poor posture habits. Here are three tips for maintaining a healthy back as you grow older:
• Vary your movement: Transition from seated to standing positions often throughout the day to realign your spine and relieve pressure in the neck or back.
• Find your perfect seated posture: For ideal alignment of your head and spine, imagine that your head is being pulled straight up by a string, lift your chest and draw in your abdominals.
• Stretch and strengthen: Exercises, especially weight training will help your muscles build strength and resistance against poor posture.
3. Not taking a multivitamin.
If you eat healthy, you don’t need to worry about taking vitamins, right? That’s not necessarily true. Most of us fall short on certain nutrients. Our food supply isn’t as nutritious as it once was due to soil demineralization. In the name of eating healthier, we’re consuming less red meat, leaving many of us iron deficient. To fill in the gaps, we recommend taking a personalized multivitamin tailored to your diet, lifestyle and health concerns.
4. Relying on fad diets.
We see a lot of people attempt to “diet away” the extra belly fat that tends to appear especially as we age. There’s only one proper formula to fix that: proper diet and exercise. When people turn to fad diets, they often miss out on key nutrients that are important for preserving bone density and muscle mass.
Remember, being healthy and fit isn’t a trend. It’s a lifestyle.
5. Underestimating protein needs.
Most people tend to underestimate their protein needs. A protein deficiency can lead to fatigue, a weakened immune system, unclear thinking and even weight gain. Protein is essential for building and repairing tissues, while also helping to curb appetite. For a typical female, 40-50 grams per day, which equates to five to eight ounces of chicken breast, is common. However, an active woman requires more. We recommend multiplying your bodyweight in kilograms by 1.5 to find your daily minimum protein requirement. Then divide that amount into 5 or 6 equal meals evenly spaced out throughout your day.
6. Not enough home-cooked meals.
As you juggle kids, work, career and house chores, cooking is often replaced by restaurant food. This adds industrial fats and extra salt and additives, not to mention too many calories. Cooking is the best prevention. Agree to a maximum number of restaurant meals per week and stick to it. Check out some of our great recipes:
7. Thinking you don’t need accountability. (this is a huge one)
Life has a way of messing up the best of intentions. To keep you on the right path, we recommend using a program designed to help you reach your weight loss, nutrition and exercise goals while addressing your feelings, frustrations and questions. Whether you try one of our Better Body Exchange group fitness classes or 1 on 1 personal training, we will provide you with the tools you need for success.
