Your world can be trampled with people throwing their ideas of what “healthy living” looks like. Cluttered with fad diets, extreme exercises and even diets consisting of only cookies, finding a healthy way of life can be, well, confusing.
It can be difficult to sustain a healthy balance. Good news is, here at the Y we are all advocates of maintaining a healthy lifestyle! Here are a few tips and tricks from the Y’s personal trainer Kevin Morgan to follow in order to help you stay on track all year long.
“Fad diets may seem to be working great the first month, but ask yourself – is this really maintainable?” states Morgan. “After all, the word diet is derived from the Latin word dieta which means ‘way of living’. Instead, here are some ideas to help you maintain a healthy way of life in more realistic ways.”
- “Before putting groceries away, take 10 minutes to prep snacks. Chop carrots, peel cucumbers, dice bell peppers, core and slice apples, cut oranges into wedges and put everything into clear storage containers. In the fridge, make sure to keep healthy snacks at eye level and not in the produce drawers…it’s the easiest place for them to be forgotten!”
- “Try a salad bar for your next social gathering. You can provide a variety of lettuces, a few proteins, and even some homemade salad dressings. Ask your guests bring 3-5 toppings each. Kids will love making a plate with all the different ‘fixings’ and the adults can be satisfied with a big, hearty salad as a meal.”
- “Always have a backup plan! Keep canned wild albacore tuna on hand to easily make tuna salad or a quick tuna burger. Frozen wild fish can be found at some grocers individually wrapped and are easy to defrost for a quick sauté in a time crunch. Frozen bags of edamame are always a favorite side dish.”