If you’re like most people you probably ate too much and slacked on anything that resembled exercise over the holidays. Here are 10 simple and effective ways to get your body feeling better than ever in no time at all.
Buy a Sack of Lemons If you make only one trip off of the sofa today, make it a trip to your local health food or grocery store to buy a sack of lemons. Yes, a sack. Once you get home, squeeze the juice of half a lemon into a tall glass of water and drink immediately. This one step will help you to quickly reset your body chemistry.
Load Up on H²O Drink at least 10 more cups of water throughout the day, preferably with lemon juice added to each. Lemon juice breaks down acid waste in your body and restores your blood and tissues to slightly alkaline levels. Put simply, it means you’re flushing out toxins and excess fat — both of which are acidic — from your body!
Breathe Deeply Take a few deep breaths. Oxygen will not only energize your brain but it will quickly help to balance the chemistry of your cells — and healthier cells mean a healthier body.
Take a Walk I encourage a second trip off of the sofa. Boost your oxygen levels even further by bundling up and heading out for a brisk walk. Exercise helps to quickly oxygenate your body. More oxygen in your blood means its better equipped to nourish every organ and tissue, which increases energy, mental clarity and moods.
Turn to Peppermint Tea Instead of reaching for a caffeine jolt from coffee or cola, drink some peppermint tea. Research shows that peppermint provides a quick boost of energy and unlike caffeine, it’s isn’t addictive and won’t send your energy levels plummeting a few hours later.
Eat Your Veggies Make vegetables the focal point of your lunch and dinner meals. Okay, I know you’re probably cringing right now, but if you absolutely hate broccoli, don’t take it out on the entire veggie kingdom. Who wouldn’t enjoy some delicious mashed sweet potatoes or rich guacamole?
Take an Almond Break Snack on raw, unsalted almonds every few hours. Not only are they loaded with calcium, magnesium, protein and other important nutrients, their high fibre and protein content help to stabilize blood sugar levels. Stable blood sugar levels tell your brain that it’s okay to start breaking down fat stores to help you slim down.
Smoothie Nation Enjoy a delicious smoothie instead of a sugary snack or breakfast. Start with some almond milk instead of dairy to help rebalance your blood chemistry quickly. Add some frozen berries, half a frozen banana (peel the bananas prior to freezing and keep them on hand for a quick energy smoothie) and a heaping teaspoon of green powder like barley juice, spirulina, chlorella, wheatgrass, or any blend available from your local health food store. In addition to containing loads of vitamins and minerals, green powders contain chlorophyll, which research proves eliminates toxins from your body, protect against cancer, and even defends your genetic material against damage!
Go Greens Eat at least one large salad per day. Avoid store-bought dressings full of rancid oils, preservatives, additives, and sugar. Try my blueberry dressing– it’s fast and delicious. Add 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen), 1/3 cup of raw apple cider vinegar, a pinch of Celtic sea salt, and 6 drops of stevia or a 1/2 teaspoon of unpasteurized honey. Blend with a hand blender or cover with the lid and shake the container well. Pour over a plate of greens or grated veggies. Store the remaining dressing in the fridge.
Take a Cue from the Vegetarians Cut back on your organ-meat consumption, or eliminate all together. Choose beans, fresh fish, or raw nuts or seeds instead of acid-forming meat. While fish like wild salmon may be acid forming in your body, it provides the essential fatty acids needed for a healthy brain, immune system and overall good health. Add beans to soups, stew, chili or wraps, or make them into delicious dips for a high-fibre, high-protein, high-nutrition source of energy.
Hi, its great to read some info my a fellow nutrition and fitness enthusiast. I personally am not a fan of whey protein, I know that on paper it is very efficient. But i have always wondered of the dairy aspect. A protein straight from milk, something great for weight loss and weight gain depending on usage but in terms of some folks you may find yourself to have a low metabolic tolerance to dairy (some people find the same with wheat). I prefer to diversify and try different proteins. This is all my personal opinion of course but i find all our body’s are different and you must do your own search to find the right form of powder for you. i personally shift between promasil and myofusion with some mutant mass if i feel like bulking or even as a recovery drink after a power cardio workout (such as plyo). Try to visit http://www.squidoo.com/best-whey-protein-shakes if anybody want more info.