What we eat is extremely important to our health. Christmas season is upon us, which means lots of parties and countless opportunities to overindulge. Having a daily healthy diet is an important and beneficial way to stay in shape especially during this time of the year. The calorie needs of individuals vary depending on age, gender, height, weight, and activity level. For instance, anyone who maintains an active lifestyle will require a greater number of calories than someone who doesn’t.
Being aware of our diet has become more and more important everyday. By affirming and recognizing that, we can say that nutrients ‘give our bodies instructions’ about how to function. As an elite athlete I have always thought of food as the best way to recover and everything I consume is always meticulously calculated in order for me to achieve maximum performance in the pool. The holiday season can be a stressful time for those who are trying to maintain their health and fitness.
In this article I want to touch on the subject of proper health and its relationship with our nutrition and how small everyday choices can make a huge impact in how we feel and perform at our jobs, sports, careers and lifestyle during the holiday season. Here are some coping mechanisms for keeping your healthy eating plans in check:
1. Set a Goal
Setting realistic small daily goals is key to longevity in terms of adopting a new habit or diet. A healthy lifestyle should not be a sprint, it should be a marathon. Also, let’s keep in mind that having a set goal or target to where you can work towards will help even more. If you’re looking to lose weight or simply having a healthier lifestyle, small changes and consistency in the new routine are the key to success.
2. Own Pre-Christmas Party Snacks
Just like it isn’t wise to cruise the grocery store on an empty stomach, you can’t show up to a holiday party feeling ravenous. Avoid this scenario by having a small meal or healthy snack before you hit the party circuit. You’ll arrive to the party less famished and more prepared to make healthy selections. Here’s a couple of examples of healthy snacks you can prepare and have ready for situations like this.
3. Extra Effort into Exercise
You shouldn’t wait until the New Year to get your exercise program on track. If you know you’ll be eating and drinking more calories than usual this time of year, double down on your workouts. Exercise is a key part of managing your weight and maintaining healthy hearts, lungs, and other bodily systems. It can assist you with discharging pressure, being innovative, and time management skills. Thinking with a clear mind, combining exercise and meditation, helps workers stay on task and focus better. You can curb weight gain by putting more emphasis on the energy expenditure side of your energy balance scale.
Start NOW!
Like I showed you above, a healthier diet can only bring benefits to our health and well being. If you have things such as “eating healthy” or “lose weight” in your New Year’s resolution list this year, I challenge you to start now, and stay consistent and focused throughout the whole year by implementing some of the tips I gave you. The most important part is to get started as soon as possible and not give up. It might seem harder at first but I guarantee it is worth it and you will adapt in the long run!
It’s also important to look for products that support your fitness and health goals. We should always remember that vitamin and minerals — particularly A, C and E, as well as zinc — play an important role in keeping the immune system strong and staying healthy. Our body also needs fluids and electrolytes to function at its best. Proper rehydration helps with recovery.
In case you are like me and like to practice sports or physical activities on a daily basis, there are electrolyte replacement products available that are low-sugar and low-calories. As a professional swimmer, majority of the products and food I consume are from a natural background with extremely low to zero sugar and I choose not to have any artificial products on them. Hydra-Guard Sports Drink has been helping me recover after my swim workouts by replenishing my electrolytes with the right quantity while keeping me away from sugar and artificial sweeteners or food dye. If you want to check out the online store, you can use the code JOAO10 for a discount on your checkout.