Small Steps For a Healthier You

So many people try to make drastic changes to their diets and or exercise routines all at once. While it's great to have big goals and high expectations of yourself it is important to realize that it is much easier to stick with small changes. A smart approach is to make small changes and turn those into habits. As you continue your newly formed habits you can then focus on bigger goals. This will increase the likely hood that you will reach your long term goals. Here are a few small changes your can make to get the ball rolling. rnSome people have switched from using sugar to using sugar substitutes. On the surface this may seem like a good idea. Unfortunately these very sugar substitutes have been proven to cause other serious health problems such as cancer. Rather than using these sugar substitutes simply reduce your sugar intake. Without vitamin C you can expect the following health problems. Soft gums, skin hemorrhages, brittle teeth and nails, anemia, slow healing wounds and eventually scurvy. Unfortunately our bodies can't produce or even store vitamin C. Because of this it is important to get it daily through our diet. Eat citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons and limes. Eating out may not seem totally unhealthy but cooking your own meals whenever possible is a much better alternative. By doing so you can keep track of the calories in your dish as well as track the amount of fat and salt that are in each meal. Cooking your own meal also enables you to swap out less healthy ingredients with healthier alternatives. It's easy to say that we have poor eating habits is due to the culture we live in but the reality is we as individuals have control of what we put in our mouths. It is important to be aware of the cultural influences that can cause us to over eat or eat unhealthy foods so that we can then consciously make better decisions. If you live with someone with poor nutrition habits there are several changes you can start making to help out. Try gradually working your way down to skim milk. Buy whole wheat bread rather than white. Buy sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes. Cook brown rice rather than white. Cook with whole wheat pastas. I'm sure you can think of other healthier alternatives as well. Brainstorm and start making small changes then turn those changes into permanent habits.