5 Tips for Getting Healthier + My New Year Goals

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This blog post was sponsored by Coca-Cola but the opinions are completely my own based on my experience. #StartSmart2016

I threw out new year resolutions several years ago. I never stuck with them and my goals of losing weight were met with a few weeks of trips to the gym and then like many others I would stop going. Instead I’ve started making goals that I want to accomplish during the year and I stick with those a lot better. Simple things like increasing water intake, walking more, getting organized, and a variety of other simple things. This year is about taking care of ME. With 4 kids, 3 of them being little and needing me 24/7, means I’ve put myself last for far too long. My days are long, tired, and fueled by bad eating, but this year I finally want to take care of me more and that means simple, easy fixes to getting healthier so I can make sure I’m in the best shape for my family and myself.

Being a parent is a lot of work and it can be hard to accomplish the things you want, but I’m here to share some tips that work for me in getting healthier this year and I hope they can work for you!

Get Organized – I’ve found that getting organized plays a key role in keeping our life on track and also helps with getting healthier. For starters I meal plan and make a grocery list. I browse some of my favorite blogs, pinterest, and the internet for recipes and pin them for later use. When I’m ready to meal plan for the week I pull up my pinterest board and pick a few meals. I then create a grocery list for the week and include healthy snacks like fruit, veggies, yogurt, and Odwalla Smoothie drinks for my weekly trip to Safeway and I stick to what’s on my list. 

Stay Hydrated – One of the key things to getting healthier is staying hydrated. Drinking enough water does wonders for the body and this year one of my major goals is to increase my water intake and cut out soda. Flavored water is a great way to stay hydrated and I often add fruit or lemon to my water to give it a healthy dose of flavor. Fill up a reusable water bottle and keep it in your purse for while you’re out. You’ll be less likely to stop and grab a soda or another not so good for you drink.

Eat – Eating is hard for me. I get busy with the kids and end up realizing I’m halfway through the day and I haven’t eaten. I’m then starving and grab whatever I see first to eat and it’s usually junk food or a drive through. I’m making sure to eat a breakfast packed full of protein like oatmeal made with Fairlife Milk and fruit to get my day going. I also meal prep so that I have quick meals I can grab for lunch or snacks, so I’m not left grabbing junk food for something quick to eat. Meal prep on the weekends and portion out healthier snacks and lunches so that when you’re busy during the week you have a quick meal at your finger tips. If you’re out choose healthier options like grilled chicken and salads and skip the greasy/fried foods.

Get Active – I started using a Misfit device to keep track of my steps. One of my goals is to get active this year. I don’t really have time for the gym and I generally don’t have someone to watch the kids so I’m doing little things to help increase my movement like parking further away from the entrance in the parking lot, getting up and walking around the house, walking the aisles of the store while shopping, Parking down the street from our daughters school and walking in, and on nice days we hit up the park where the kids can ride their bikes while I walk behind them. Those little steps add up and before I know it I’ve met my daily goal. Walking is also a great way to de-stress and the fresh air is great.

Rest – Take some time to unwind. Some of my favorites are coloring, reading a book, and taking a nap. Relaxing your body and mind helps keep you balanced, calm, and reduces stress levels.

2016 is the year for taking more time for me. I hope you’ll join me!

Coca-Cola wants to help you Start Smart. Stay Active. Keep Fit. You can enter for your chance to win a Misfit Shine™ Fitness + Sleep Monitor to help with your goals of making 2016 the healthier year for YOU.

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