10 Tips for an Improved You in 2013 (::Giveaway Post::)

Happy 2013! What are your resolutions this year? Do you have a plan to execute them? So many people make resolutions each year to get healthier, work out more, or lose weight. But resolutions only last if you make a plan to stick with them. Whether your goal is to lose weight or just be healthier, here are some tips to help you get there:

1. Eat (or Drink) Your Vegetables

It's really no secret that vegetables are good for you. Your mother was probably always telling you the same thing. The produce section holds a veritable plethora of vital nutrients and antioxidants that your body needs in order to stay healthy. Ideally, vegetables should be the foundation of a healthy diet. If you aren't much of a vegetable eater, maybe challenge yourself to try some new ones this year. If you love vegetables, try juicing. A great way to ensure you get all those good nutrients is to take a Greens supplement. It Works offers a great product, simply called Greens, packed with your daily dose of veggies.

2. Drink Your Water

Of all the things you can do for your health, drinking water is one of the best! Did you know that ideally you should be drinking half your body weight in ounces of water everyday? As an example, I weigh 130 pounds. That means my daily water goal is 65 ounces. That's about eight 8 ounce servings, or about 4 standard size plastic water bottles. Also, try to stay away from adding flavors, sweeteners, etc. Drink mostly what you are made of!

3. Take a Multivitamin

I wrote awhile back about the importance of a multivitamin. To sum it up, you are probably not getting everything you need (nutrient wise) out of the foods you are eating. A multivitamin is a great way to make sure you get all the good stuff you need. Of course, we have a great one: It's Vital provides all that goodness to help keep your body healthy.


4. Get Plenty of Rest

Due to our fast-paced society, the internet, and all sorts of entertainment sources available to us these days, our society is not getting enough sleep. This CNN article reports that Americans are getting an average of 6.7 hours of sleep, and the numbers of those who sleep 8 hours or more are dwindling. Sleep is so important to our physical and mental health. If you aren't getting enough sleep at night, try going to bed an hour early every night. Your body will thank you. 

5. Essential Amino Acids

Essential amino acids come from healthy fats. They help our bodies build complex protein structures, regenerate our cells, and help us build lean muscle. Getting plenty of amino acids can help nail and hair growth and muscle production. It can also help other little things like sleep quality (see number 4), memory recall, and eyesight. If you aren't getting enough amino acids in your diet, try a supplement. New You 3.0 is a great product that provides essential and semi-essential amino acids to help you look and feel your best!

6. Ditch the Sweeteners

So far, my tips have been about adding to your current lifestyle. In fact, I think it's wise to mostly just add good stuff to your diet, and eventually your body will stop wanting the bad. But if and when you are ready to give something up, I highly suggest giving up sweeteners, particularly the refined (sugar, high fructose corn syrup) and artificial kind (sucralose, sucrose, splenda, aspartame, etc.) . This is a tough one, I know! I haven't even been able to completely kick sugar (although I'm close). When I do use sweeteners, I strive for the natural variety; honey, mostly. But in a perfect world, all sweeteners would fall under the little to none category. All sweeteners, natural or not, affect your blood sugar. A healthy person has a mostly stable blood sugar. The average American consumes something like 150 pounds of sugar every year. Eek! Give it up if you want to gain superior health!

7. Move Around

Find someway to get active. Whether it's playing with your kids, training for a <insert running terminology here>, jumping rope, doing squats while you brush your teeth, or whatever. Find someway that is convenient and doable for you to get some exercise. If health is the goal, some physical activity is necessary. It doesn't have to involve the gym. The internet is a great tool to get ideas of how to get moving without a bunch of expensive equipment or a personal trainer.

8. Be Kind to Yourself

Even the most disciplined people sometimes get off track. If you have a bad day or mess up a little, don't beat yourself up. Brush off and get back on track the next day. You always have a new chance to keep trying. No good comes of mentally flogging yourself, so just move forward and don't let a little slip turn into a slide downhill!

9. Create a Dream Board 

What do you want to achieve? Is it a certain pair of jeans you want back into? Want to have your high school physique back? Are you trying to overcome the symptoms of a chronic disease? Health and nutrition can help you meet these goals - but your mind is a huge tool to harness in this journey. Know your goals, visualize the outcomes, and create something tangible to help remind you every day. Your dream board can be made of anything (mine is a 8x10 photo frame on my makeup table). Be creative! Take a moment everyday to really imagine what it will feel like when you reach your goal. Let that feeling inspire you to keep moving towards your goals. You can do it! 

10. Do What You Like

The path to great health is not the same for everyone.  So maybe you aren't a gym rat (me either!). Find your own path! There are so many ways to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. If you tried one way and it's just not for you, try something else! Don't like tomatoes? Don't eat them - try broccoli instead! We are lucky to have access to so many fresh vegetables, world-class supplements, instant information! Find something you like and can do, and do it. Whatever you do, just don't give up. Your life and your health are worth it!


Happy New Year, readers! Here's a giveaway to ring in the New Year! Enter to win an Ultimate Body Applicator (aka Skinny Wrap). Daily entry for all you "tweeters." Contest ends 1/31/13. Good luck!



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