30 Jul The HealthStyle File- Little Habits-BIG IMPACT!

What: We are all very busy. Most of us can’t even consider adding one more task on our ever growing to-do list. But most of us would love to feel better and get more accomplished during our day. Is it possible to increase your energy and health without adding another task on your schedule? Yes!

Why: Most of us just chug along, buying the same food, ordering the same items off the menu, and wonder if it’s possible to feel better than we do right now.  It’s time to try a few new habits that can create a big impact in your body.  The following tips can help to increase your energy, help you to lose weight and help prevent colds and the flu.  What do you have to lose?  None of these will take more than a minute or two to incorporate into your routine.

How:

1. Always eat lunch! Skipping it will set you up to be starving all after­noon, which will make you give into your sugar cravings. This will cause the afternoon doldrums to hit, which will make you want to take a nap.
2. Eat all day. Spreading your calories throughout the day prompts your body to burn more calories. Every time you eat, you raise your body temperature, which is, in essence, your metabolism. People who eat five to six times per day burn more calories and lose more weight than people who eat only one or two meals a day.
3. Eat the majority of your calories during the day, when you need the most energy. If your biggest meal of the day is right before bed, your body has no opportunity to burn off those calories through activity.
4. Walk more. An extra 10 minutes of walking each day will burn almost 5 pounds of fat a year. It really does pay to park your car in the farthest space from the store!
5. Drink alcohol in moderation. Alcohol is a relaxant, and studies have shown that you may eat up to 30 percent more calories during a meal because you are so “relaxed.”
6. Avoid processed foods. They are low in fiber, and the less fiber you eat, the more fat you store on your body.
7. Drink plenty of water (beer doesn’t count!) or other non-caffeinated beverages. Caffein­ated beverages will dehydrate you and could increase your risk of heat illnesses.
8. Increase your laughter each day. Laughing more can increase immunity and help us fight off colds and diseases such as cancer and heart disease. It will also increase endorphin levels, keeping our moods steady. In fact, the endorphins released from one minute of laughing are equal to that released from 10 minutes of strenuous rowing.