The weekend approaches, and for many the panic of having to slip into your swimsuit or get dressed for that special event sets in. All week you’ve promised yourself that today would be the day you would give up sugar, stop drinking those lattes, or end those carb fests before bed. You get to Thursday and decide in a panic you probably should give up carbs altogether and live on coffee in order to slim down fast! Wrong! Skipping meals and not giving the body the proper nutrition it needs will set you back far more. So instead of depriving the body of food, let’s focus on creating new habits that will help you reach those goals.
How to make a change:
- Keep it simple. Often when we are staring a new fitness goal, we try to take on too much too soon. Focus on small changes that will give you lasting results. Here are a few ways to change your daily routines that will affect your week positively
- Write your goals down. Keep a simple reminder somewhere that you’re going to look every day. Reminding yourself daily of where you’re going, why you are going there, and what you want to get out of your journey will keep you focused and motivated.
- Meal Plan. Even if you start with something as simple as planning your snacks or making your lunch instead of buying it, these little changes will create positive effects on your food consumption every week. Plus, this teaches the body to crave nutritious food instead of packaged items.
- Start your day right. Getting in enough water every day can be a challenge, so telling a client who drinks 1 glass of water to drink 8 can seem overwhelming or plain annoying. So let’s start small! Aim to start every day with a big glass of water—get your digestive system moving in the positive before you throw coffee or breakfast into that stomach. Then aim for a big glass 20 minutes before every meal. Keeping a water bottle with you at all times is also a great way to keep sipping and avoid snacking when you want to reach for something.
- Squeeze in your workouts. One of the best ways to help you stay motivated when it comes to making more positive food choices is getting the body moving. Sweating releases positive, happy endorphins, which help us to feel more positive about ourselves and our days. When our minds our clearer and our moods more positive, we tend to make healthier choices when it comes to our menu choices. Like with our food choices, the key is starting off small. Can you squeeze in 10 minutes of cardio, walk to work, or hit up the stairs on your lunch break? Like your food changes, small changes make lasting and positive results.
What do you eat?
Having simple options when planning your food can be huge factor in your success. Here are some great options when planning out your week.
Breakfast:
Protein Smoothie. Mix non-dairy milk, 1/3 cup gluten-free quick oats, a protein powder (I prefer plant based protein), and ½ cup of fruit, and throw in some greens of choice.
- Bowl of oatmeal: Add 1 Tbsp almond butter, some fresh berries, and some non-dairy milk.
- Fresh coconut bread topped with almond butter
- Dailyroutinefitness breakfast cereal
- Dailyroutinefitness pancakes
Snack options:
- Power balls
- PowerBars
- Fudgsicles
- Pumpkin raisin cookies
Lunch or dinner options:
- Yam fries with vegan cheese
- Pad Thai
- Vegan Mexican quinoa
- Spaghetti dinner
The workouts:
If the workout is laid out there, is no excuse to skip out, right? These workouts are simple, quick, and a great place to start in getting your fitness back on track.
Always start with a brief warm-up to get the body moving and warm before jumping into exercises.
Monday:
- 15 minutes of cardio. Pick 5 moves and repeat them 3 times, 1 minute each.
- Fast football feet
- Jumping jacks
- High knees
- Squat or squat jump (depending on your fitness level)
- Skaters
Tuesday:
- Bodyweight workout –
- Set your timer for 30 seconds each exercise, getting as many rounds in for 15 minutes.
- Body weight push up
- Body weight squat
- Plank
- Walking lunges
Wednesday:
- Lunch hour walk or jog
Thursday:
- Repeat Tuesday
Friday:
- Abs- Do each movement for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Repeat for 10 minutes.
- Plank
- Bicycles
- Boat pose (modified if needed)
- Reverse crunch
By Rachel Doell | Daily Routine Fitness
