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Five Weeks to a New You
Give Yourself a Makeover By Teri Brown
Most women have been on at least one diet. For the next five weeks try something new. Try thinking of yourself as a person worth making the best nutritional choices for.
In her book, Fit from Within: 101 Simple Secrets to Change Your Body and Your Life (McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Books, 2003), Victoria Moran outlines simple and sane strategies for making permanent changes to your eating habits. They include the following:
- Shop the produce section first. Make it a priority. She believes we need to rediscover produce, not as diet food, but as food that makes people light, healthy and full of life.
- If you must eat dessert, share it. This is a romantic thing to do. Plus, it's half the calories and you are exerting control over yourself.
- Have some breakfast. Moran believes a simple breakfast is important, such as a banana or a bagel. You don't want to head out into the world vulnerable to every donut or pastry shop on your way to work.
- Make the best possible choice from those available. If fast food is the only option, make the best decision for your body. Trya salad or have a grilled chicken sandwich. If the fridge is bare and you only have a yogurtand a bag of chips, choose the yogurt and then go grocery shopping!
- Have plenty of healthful food choices around. A bowl of fruit is a healthful fast food alternative, as are slices of cheese or a handful of nuts. Try to wash and cut up your vegetables as soon as you get the groceries home.
Focus on Fitness
Physical exercise is crucial to a personal makeover. Nothing will make you feel as good about yourself as reaching a physical fitness goal, and nothing reduces stress as much as an aerobic workout or yoga. To make a real impact on your life, try getting 30 minutes of aerobic exercise four or five times a week. Mixing that up with some power yoga or Pilates will build strength and flexibility.