You take pride in your health, you avoid fried foods, get 8 hours of sleep…hell you even floss. Still, while you may have the obvious corners covered you can find yourself falling prey to some of those unexpected health mistakes. The following mistakes happen to most of us, especially thanks to conflicting advice and health trends changing every week. So, just try and avoid the following 5 habits, listen to your body, and love yourself fiercely…you’ll be fine.
1. You’re taking your coffee too early.
Source: Zip Trials
I can feel the dirty looks from here. Don’t worry, you can release your death lock grip on your coffee mug, no one is saying no morning coffee…just have it a bit later. By waiting just one hour after waking up, your caffeine fix will be combined with your bodies natural release of cortisol, which will help you feel more alert and energized. Have your coffee any earlier than that and the caffeine can actually block the effects of cortisol leaving you feeling pretty crummy.
Where do you normally get your coffee? Regardless, make sure you check our Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, and Peet's Coffee coupon pages to help you save money on your caffeine. You can also read our blog post about 10 Ways to Save Money on Your Morning Cup of Coffee.
2. You’re overcooking your veggies.
Think choosing the menu items stacked with vegetables is Always the healthiest choice? Not always the case. When vegetables are baked, fried, or barbecued at extremely high temperature drains them of their nutrients and can even trigger the formation of toxic compounds. In addition to the effects of the heat, cooked vegetable dishes found in restaurants are usually covered in salt or drenched in sugary marinades. Opt to have your vegetables raw and if you absolutely have no other choice, choose to have them steamed or boiled rather than sautéed or fried.
3. Your form is wrong.
Sometimes watching that Youtube video isn’t enough. Major weight loss program dvd’s often incorporate exercises that target large muscle groups. Calories are burned when your muscles are used, expand, and therefore need the calories in order to sustain themselves. However, if you aren’t performing these work outs with the proper form, and engaging the correct muscles, you could find that you’re wasting your time and possibly even hindering your progress. Try checking your form with a personal trainer or health savvy friend, there are also a number of sites and videos dedicated to teaching the proper form of specific exercise moves. Finally, be sure to always stop if you are feeling any kind of joint pain or discomfort, this is a fairly clear indication that your form is off.
4. You’re eating "diet" food.
Source: Houston Methodist
Marketers aren’t stupid, and they know slapping words like “lean”, “low-fat,” and “farm fresh” in swirly green font will make you believe their product is actually good for you, when in fact it’s among the worst. These products are loaded with fake artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and insane amounts of sodium. The combination may equal a lower calorie count on the label, but those sneaky ingredients can do major damage to your health. The only “key words” you should be looking for is in the ingredients section. If the box contains a bunch of ingredients you can barely pronounce, best to just put it back and head to the produce aisle. Remember, for healthy eating always stick to the outer perimeters of your grocery store.
Are you a Trader Joe's, Safeway, or Whole Foods fan? Make sure to visit their coupon pages before you shop to get the best value for your groceries.
5. You’re not eating enough.
Source: Abnehmen.net
You heard us, especially if youare following a strict workout routine. Your body needs a steady flow of calories throughout the day to keep your metabolism going strong. So while this may not mean that you need larger portions, you may want to consider eating more meals than average. Just follow the simple rhyme “6 to 8 to lose the weight, 3 to 4 to put on more. You also want to make sure that you are not by any circumstance starving yourself or going below your recommended calorie intake. Aim for foods that are high in proteins and healthy fats (like avocado, cold water fish, or olive oil) to make sure you are getting the right kind of calories.
