Habits of the Fit and Healthy

Every day I get asked very specific questions about should I eat this, is this bad for me, is there a better option for this type of food, etc. but usually all those questions are getting at one point - "How do I/my family get fitter and healthier and maintain it?"  Which got me thinking about the habits of fit and healthy people.  Here are some key habits of fit and healthy people - maybe you can print the list and just work toward one or two at a time.  After all, making small changes over a period of time is much more effective in the long-run than trying to make a major change all at once.

Keep a water bottle with you at all times and drink from it often

Water should be your drink of choice and what you are consuming the majority of the time, by a large margin.  If you need to perk it up a little so you will drink enough to make it a habit, add a little lemon, lime, cucumber, or fresh berries to give it more flavor without adding significant calories.

Look at exercise as a pleasure and privilege, not a burden or chore
Just by having a positive outlook on exercise and the change that it will produce can turn one more chore into a treat each day.  Rather than obsessing about your next meal, get excited about your next workout!

Eat a well-balanced meal and remember that excess calories, even if they are from foods that are fat-free or high in protein, will turn to excess weight.  No matter what the latest fad diet says, extra calories equal extra weight!

Limit caffeine
Research has shown a little caffeine to be safe and actually boosts your metabolism, however if you over due it your body will really start to feel it.  Too much and you will start to have a difficult time concentrating and you may also find yourself eating extra calories to get rid of that jittery feeling.

Focus on short-term fitness goals with an emphasis on completing daily exercise

Keep a daily log of what you are actually eating
This includes every time you grab a handful of chips here or eat the crust of your kid's sandwich there,  and ALL of your snacking.  You don't have to keep a log for the rest of your life, but it is good to do it for a while to get a real reading on your consumption.  Mindless eating can creep in over time and this is a great way to realize and eliminate it.

Enjoy the occasional (once a week) "unhealthy" treat, but never an unhealthy week or unhealthy vacation

Enjoy contributing to the health of others by having a partner or friend to exercise with, as well as recruiting others who want to feel better and have more energy

Avoid monotony by taking up new forms of exercising, or using things that keep you motivated and inspired, like 5K's for a great cause, adventure races, new shoes, or great music

Invest in the right tools
Buy good shoes that fit really well, a portable MP3 player, fitness equipment, a personal trainer to keep it interesting and keep you challenged, etc.

Make it a goal to do some form of exercise 6 or 7 days a week
If you are eating right, exercise will fuel your energy level!

Don't compare your body to others' - work to be your personal best!

Work to take your exercise to new levels of intensity
If you don't know how, find a personal trainer that can teach you.

Create an exercise schedule the day before instead of leaving it to chance or waiting to "find" the time.  Exercise should be on your calendar or to do list and should be just as important as any other meeting on the list.  Remember - it is your treat to yourself!

Move beyond the boundaries of weight loss and into total fitness
Measure success by the way your clothes fit, not just by some number on the scale.

Stick with eating plans you can maintain indefinitely
Remember that no matter how hard you are working out, if you are consuming too many calories, you will never see the muscles that lie beneath the layers of fatty tissue.

Get enough sleep

Beyond the importance of sleep in every function of your body, people that exercise regularly fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly.


Limit alcohol intake to special occasions





Resource:  Chalene Johnson, creator of TurboFire


WHAT'S FOR DINNER?
By now you have probably searched the grocery shelves and found one or two fantastic bottled marinara sauces that can help you make a quick and healthy pasta dinner any night of the week.  I like to keep a bottle or two on hand, however I have also found tomato sauce that is very easy to make at home, makes plenty to store in the freezer, and easy to defrost later to use in any type of dish.  This sauce is not specifically Italian, so you can substitute it for the tomato sauce in any dish.  Add fresh herbs to give it more of an Italian flavor if you prefer.  Maybe you can whip this up over the weekend and have plenty of sauce ready over the next couple of months.

Tomato Sauce
Makes 10 cups

3 T olive oil
1/2 large onion, finely diced
8 cloves of garlic, minced
112 oz. fire roasted tomatoes, crushed
1 -2 cups Cabernet

Heat a 5-6 quart dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil and onion.  Cook a couple of minutes until onion is translucent.  Add the garlic and stir constantly until garlic is golden and fragrant.  Pour in the wine and the tomatoes.  Increase the heat to high to bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.  Lower the heat, partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and reduced by about 1/3.  This should take about 2 hours and 15 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and let sauce cool completely in the fridge.  Place the sauce in zip-lock bags in one and two cup portions, and place those bags inside of a one to two gallon storage bag and place in freezer.  Remove the appropriate amount of sauce from the freezer and thaw in the fridge over night.  If you need it too thaw more quickly, you can place the frozen bag of sauce in a bowl and run cool water over the bag to thaw.

Here's to fresh, fast, and fantastic food!