Healthy Living

After I graduated college I went through a really rough time. I couldn't find a job. I broke up with my boyfriend of 2 years, and all my friends seemed to have abandoned me. I was going through a serious bout of depression. After taking some photos for an audition one day, something hit me. It was like a smack in the face. Something I had been ignoring for the past 3 years. I had gained more than 30 pounds. My BMI teetering on the edge of overweight. After months of moping around, my eyes had finally opened. I knew that if I didn't get my life on track my genetics would kick in and I would be stuck with the plagues of my family: obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. So I decided to change my life entirely. I won't say I lost weight in a completely healthy way, but I can say that over the past few years I have found a middle ground between obsessive overeating and obsessive under eating. Today I have a pretty healthy lifestyle, and I thought I would share some of my daily habits. Sometimes we don't realize we are sabotaging ourselves until we take a good hard look in the mirror. So feel free to use this as your mirror.

My Daily Dietary Habits:

• I always eat breakfast, even when I don't feel hungry.
• I eat 4-6 times a day.
• I try not to eat more than 2 servings of fruit a day. Yes fruit is good for you, but if you eat too much the sugar will be stored as fat.
• I try not to eat more than 1 "carb" a day. For me these include: rice, pasta, potatoes and bread. 
• I almost never eat white carbs such as white bread, white rice, regular potatoes, or white pasta.
• I almost never eat enriched flour. Read the ingredients! If it says enriched put it back. All that enrichment keeps our bodies from digesting properly.
• I stay away from any condiments. When I feel like I do need something I go for a reduced sugar ketchup or barbecue sauce. Serious no-no's include: mayonnaise, honey mustard, and ranch dressing. 
• I allow myself one small dessert a day. This is usually half of a cookie, 1 mini candy bar, a fruit popsicle, or rarely 1/4 cup of ice cream/frozen yogurt. Depriving yourself will just make you crave it more, but be sure not to go overboard.
• I rarely drink alcohol or soda. I might indulge once a week at the most!

My Fitness Tips:
My fitness habits have changed over the years. I've tried everything from running to body building (seriously). The goal is just to be active!

• Aim for 20-30 minutes of cardio 5-6 days a week. Here are some great calorie burners: zumba, spinning class, running, and kickboxing.
• Log your food and exercise in a journal or an app like My Fitness Pal. The app is great because it helps you set goals and holds you accountable with reminders.

My current fitness plan:

• Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Run for 20 minutes. If it's raining or I can't seem to muster the energy I do Wii Zumba or a fitness DVD.
• Tuesday and Thursday: Gym days. I do a 5-10 minute warm up on the treadmill, arms one day, and legs the other.
• Saturday or Sunday: I work in a long walk on one of these days. Whether it's walking through the theme parks (talk about a calorie burner) or just walking the dogs.

Remember to always talk to your doctor before beginning any kind of diet or fitness routine. I am not a professional. I am just sharing my experience.