It Starts With Preparation

In my last blog I discussed how we need to take control of our health.  The responsibilities of life can make that difficult.  Bad habits get engrained and it is difficult to visualize how things can get better.  Below are practical tools that will help you take control of your health and have a more active lifestyle.

Prepare Meals In Bulk

Photo Credit:  www.crossfitborder.com

At the beginning of the week (Sunday or Monday) set 1-2 hours aside and prepare your meals for the week.  Cooking in bulk will help you will save not only your health from avoiding all those questionable and unknown ingredients eating out.  Save you time from cooking throughout the week.  It keeps you on track with your health goals regardless of what you’re trying to accomplish.  Have plenty of tupperware and ziploc bags handy for storage to assist with organizing meals.

Here is an example:

Breakfast:  Smoothies with fruit, raw vegetables, fruit, and rolled oates.

Lunch/Dinner:  Kale or mixed green salad with fish or meat or grilled/baked meat with brown rice/sweet potatoes and vegetables.

Snacks:  Avacado, almonds, trail mix, granola and yogurt, carrots, crackers, fresh fruits and/or vegetables, .

Use an app that can track your meals and adjust your intake to your activity level and goals.

Exercise Should Be Convenient

As I’ve stated on many occasions exercise location should be convenient to your home and/or office.  If your schedule makes it difficult to get to the gym there are plenty of options at home with or without equipment.  Body weight and cardio exercises can easily be done at home such as push-ups, squats, and crunches.  Resistance bands, dumbbells, and suspension trainers can give you challenging resistance exercises that rival sophisticated gym equipment.  If you can not get to a gym have what you need at home.  There are fitness channels, apps, dvds, and many other sources of workouts designed for your home.

Consult A Health and Wellness Professional

If you have questions regarding how to go about reaching your goals get help!  It can be very frustrating to have the best intentions, but not eating and/or exercising properly to reach them.  You need to have a plan.  Professionals in the health and wellness industry will be a great asset to design one for you and teach you to properly use the resources at your disposal.

Jamaal Piper

Health and Wellness Consultant/Personal Trainer

www.piperpersonaltraining.com

202-409-8674