Do you want an easy method for learning how to eat a healthy diet? Is it sometimes hard to stay on track and make good choices? I get it. Sometimes I am tired and just want an ice cream fix. This is okay once in a while, but when it gets to be more of a daily habit it is time to look at how to make a change.
Change is difficult and getting help can make it much more doable and ensure success. One of the ways I do a reset on my own diet is by using my Wellness Tracker. I don’t use it all the time, but when I need to get back to healthy eating, I pull out my Wellness Tracker and spend a few days or weeks making sure I am doing all the things I know I need to do to support my health.
The Wellness Tracker is a good all around diet and lifestyle plan for general nutrition goals. When I work with clients, I give you a personalized wellness tracker which is customized for your body type, wellness goals, and health history. If you just want to get started, the Wellness Tracker is perfect for anyone looking to generally improve their health or do a reset on eating habits. Maybe even shed a few pounds.
I want you to feel great and live life fully so my Wellness Tracker is about adding things into your life and not taking away or restricting. You can eat anything you want, just ensure you get all of the things on the Wellness Tracker each day. I find if you do this, the rest will naturally fall into place because you will feel so good. When you are eating eight servings of vegetables a day, for some reason, the ice cream or soda just doesn’t seem as appealing. Try it – you’ll see.
There are nine categories to my Wellness Tracker. Let’s take a look at how each supports your health.
1. Protein – You should strive for 7 servings of protein a day. Each of the circles on the tracker represents one serving of protein which is 1 ounce. Protein helps to keep you full longer and stabilizes blood sugar.
2. Beans – Beans or legumes are loaded with fiber, which helps maintain a healthy digestive system and metabolism. There are lots of ways to get beans, including in dessert! I love this recipe for Black Bean Brownies. I make a batch in mini muffin tins and then freeze them to have on hand when I get a chocolate craving. One of my daughter’s favorites is a chocolate hummus spread you can find in stores or even make easily yourself.
3. Vegetables – More, more, more! My Wellness Tracker includes 8 servings of vegetables a day. This is 1 cup of leafy greens or ½ cup of other vegetables. If you want some ideas on how to get your veggies, check out my YouTube video on Wellness Tracker Vegetables.
4. Fruits – I recommend two servings of fruits a day. Just be careful with portion sizes on fruits as they can raise blood sugar more than vegetables. A serving size is generally about ½ cup.
5. Water – So important and often forgotten. Water will keep your digestive system working well. When you are getting enough water, you may find you have more energy. Sometimes we are tired because we are slightly dehydrated. A good rule of thumb is to get half your body weight in ounce of water per day. My Wellness Tracker includes ten 8 ounce servings of water per day. Make your water fun by adding in some fresh herbs or fruit slices.
6. Food Colors – The more colors we have in our fruits and vegetables, the more phytonutrients we are getting. Read my blog More Color Equals More Health and Happiness to understand more about how phytonutrients support health.
7. Exercise – Food is important, but movement is as well. Each day strive for at least 30 minutes of movement. Here it can be helpful to let go of the all or nothing mindset. Instead of saying to yourself, I don’t have time to get to the gym so I can’t get my exercise today, instead do what you can. Even a 10 minute walk is better than no movement. Just do what you can. I have a YouTube video on Strength In Under 10 Minutes you can try.
8. Sleep – Getting close to 8 hours of good sleep a night is needed to support a healthy metabolism. Not getting enough sleep can alter the hormones that affect hunger and make you more hungry.
9. Self Care – Reducing stress is important to your metabolism. When cortisol levels in the blood raise due to stress, we crave sweets and carbohydrates and tend to overeat. It is also common to self soothe using food even when we are not hungry, therefore, it is hugely important to find ways to take care of yourself and release stress that do not include food. So book yourself a massage, take a nice bath, or sit down with a hot tea.
If you are ready to get started with the Wellness Tracker, take a look at my YouTube video which will walk you through how to use it step by step. If you would like to work with me and get your own personalized Wellness Tracker, individualized nutrition plan and wellness support for making the changes, set up a free 15 minute discovery call with me so we can discuss next steps. I am looking forward to meeting.
Be well,
Deb
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