Fitting in Healthy Habits

Keeping a healthy lifestyle seems to be one of those goals that takes a constant effort.  As soon as you hit a milestone, say making yoga part of your weekly routine, you still have to keep making the effort to keep it part of that routine.  It isn't quite a simple as checking something of the to do list (say crossing the finish line of a race- although that is rewarding).  Healthy habits are always on my resolutions... But these days I am looking at those be healthy goals as a work in progress.

I am a huge fan of lists, status reports, action plans, etc.  And I blame it on being your typical Type A planner type.  What does this have to do with developing a healthy lifestyle?  Well, I have really enjoyed creating the posts for what would be on my must see list for a Chicago vacation so I want to do something similar for healthy stuff.  A round-up of sorts on the things that are working for me or that I am trying at the moment to work towards my goal of healthy living (and losing those last 6 pounds).

So... from this week I am loving

{At the gym} Combo free weight exercises. Particularly the bent leg deadlift into a shoulder press with dumbells.  Love this exercise.  Great for the hips, rear, and shoulders.  (I have seen this in those women's fitness magazines but can't find it right now- when I do I will add a link. But it is basically just as it sounds- when you come up from the deadlift go straight into a standing shoulder press in one smooth movement.)

{Wearing} Lululemon Cross Train Crop.  I tend to really dislike tight workout pants... But I love these.  And the length is perfect for this time of year... and for shorties like me. Most cropped workout pants look ridiculous on me but these work.

{Cardio} Interval training.  I am trying to work on my speed right now as well as burn off a few pounds and so am doing a lot of intervals in my runs.  I am doing .25 to .5 mile intervals and they are really lending towards a runners high.

{Eating}Minimizing processed food.  We started to cut out processed food earlier in the year and then with marathon training we cut out even more.  I refuse to cut out sugar (or use processed sugar substitutes) or carbs.  But removing processed food from our diet makes absolute sense to me.  And most of the things we would buy processed (say granola bars for example) are super easy to make... (we have started to share these homemade pantry type of things on our cooking blog.)

{Balance} Family walks.  We are shutting off all the electronics and going for a walk each evening before bedtime.  Good for the dogs, good for us.

image from Whole Living

Comments

[Stephanie]

I just started trying to do interval training. We'll see how it goes...I hope I like it and it pays off!