Like many of us, I made a resolution on January 1, 2017 to make this year my “Year of Change”. With my two best friends, I created a list of basic lifestyle do’s and don’ts to ensure that 2017 fulfills our motto: “Get FIT. Get RICH.” (Emphasis on the FIT part… the RICH part is for another article!) If you’re anything like me, you want to eat Chinese food all day and expect to wake up with Jillian Michaels’ killer bod the next morning. As a proud half-time Lazy Girl, half-time Girl Boss, I’m trying to get my life together with as little effort as possible. The following is a list of my top 10 Health Hacks for all those fellow Lazy Girls out there!
1. Jumpstart your morning: Do squats while brushing your teeth.
I am not, under any circumstance, a morning person. Similarly, I am not a gym person, either. But I found a happy medium that helps me jump-start my day! I found that doing a rep of squats from the privacy of my own bathroom every morning works perfectly for me. Honestly, just the sole hope that I might have a tight, perky butt one day makes this entire thing worthwhile for me. Since you’re all alone, you can squat at your own pace, brush as long as you’d like (dental hygiene is also one of my top priorities), and absolutely nobody can judge you! The best perk about this hack? You get full bragging rights: every day is leg day!
2. Change up your coffee order.
I know we all religiously follow the same coffee routine, which I’m sure took years to perfect. But if your grande morning kick-start requires a few pumps of mystery syrup and cream, it may be time to switch it up for a few healthier alternatives. You can make small changes, like swapping 2% milk or creamer with almond milk (game changer), or ordering only one pump of syrup instead of two or three. A little change goes a long way with this hack because coffee is an acquired taste, and with some time, you can grow to love the lower-calorie, simpler flavors.
3. Always carry a water bottle.
Doctors recommend that we drink 5-8 bottles of water each day, which seems absolutely impossible. Thankfully, there are thousands of trendy reusable bottles on the market that might make this task just a little less grueling. By carrying a bottle in your backpack, purse, or just in your hand on-the-go, you’ll hardly notice how much more you’re drinking, plus it’ll curb your appetite. My personal tip: challenge yourself to finish an entire bottle during one class period, and fill it up for your next class. These S’well Bottles (below) are a sleek and modern take on the old Camelback! And for those who hate water: Try flavored sparkling water!
4. Suck it up. Take the stairs.
The elevators are always too crowded, anyway. I’m never the one to volunteer taking the stairs over the elevator, but sometimes you have to get hard on yourself and just suck it up. The easiest way to get up the stairs is to keep silent and avoid all eye contact with people walking past. You’re on a mission. It’s hard enough getting your heart rate up right before class, let’s not add any distractions. Just please, PLEASE stay off your phone and keep your head up.
5. Forget the top bun.
My roommate and I try to have most meals together every day because we are extraordinarily clingy. Together, we made a pact to forgo the top bun of all sandwiches/burgers for the rest of the year. The moment we are handed our turkey and brie sandwiches at Hillside, we move the top slices of bread to the side. Don’t get me wrong, in the famous words of Oprah Winfrey: I LOVE BREAD. The way I see it, the top bun is just empty calories that’ll slow me down, and my sandwich is still as delicious as before! Reminder: At Hillside, you can always swap chips with a side of fresh fruit!
6. Go for turkey!
Turkey is a great, lean protein choice for any time of the day. Fun fact: Red meat usually contains more hormones than other animal meats and takes longer to digest in your body. Turkey is very low in cholesterol, easy on your GI, and overall a tasty, low-cal option. Looking for something new? Try a turkey burger over an all-beef patty and taste the difference!
7. Take advantage of the FREE gym classes. F R E E !
The Plex offers diverse classes for every fitness level for absolutely no cost to Boston College students! Some popular classes are: Zumba, Spin, X-Fit, Vinyasa Flow Yoga, and Cardio Kickboxing. No registrations are required, so there’s no attendance commitment. The only thing holding you back from taking advantage of these awesome classes… is you! Make time to hit the Plex, or if you’re like me, pencil it in your calendar a week ahead of time so you know what’s ahead of you, and it becomes a part of your regular routine. As I said before, I am NOT a gym person, so these classes are the best way for me to get a solid workout.
8. Walk with a friend to class every morning.
I love having the company of friends with me as I walk to class in the morning. Recently, I found that it is more exciting for me to leave the house when I know I have a buddy to walk with every day. Since I live off-campus, my 10-minute walk is much more pleasant with a friend by my side, chatting and catching up on our way to breakfast together. This is especially recommended for those Lazy Girls who find it hard to wake up in the morning! Use this as an incentive to finally get some fresh, morning air before class.
9. Get your beauty sleep and recharge your brain.
YOUR. BODY. NEEDS. SLEEP. I cannot emphasize this any more. If you have the glorious opportunity to go to sleep early, TAKE IT! We all know that miserable feeling the day after pulling an all-nighter, and we all know that it was never worth it. You feel groggy, you feel disconnected, and a little (or a lot) delusional. How do you expect to be on your A-Game when you’re running on 3 hours of sleep every night? People who are getting the recommended amount of sleep every night (8ish hours) wake up more refreshed, ready to conquer their day, and have noticeably less wrinkles in the long run! Do yourself a favor and listen to what your body is telling you, and let it rest when it needs it.
10. Do what makes you feel good.
Don’t let diets or peer pressure steer you away from doing or eating the things you love. Everything is good in moderation! If you do the things that make you happy, you will be more productive and more satisfied with your weeks. Rewarding yourself is healthy and constructive, and you can train your body and your mind to learn and enjoy new, healthy habits.
I hope these tips can help you take on 2017 in a positive, charged-up way! I am totally inspired to change my lifestyle for the better by following a lot of these tips every single day. Here’s to a new year, improved you!
Sources:
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https://www.realbuzz.com/articles/10-health-tips-for-lazy-people/