Healthy Aging/Hidden Sugars/Exercise

With a new year usually comes healthy living goals and resolutions. Some attainable and some not so much. But if you follow me you know I don’t believe in resolutions, in my opinion they are just too easy to give up on, but I do believe in setting goals. Little things I can do each day for a healthier life.

Full disclosure: I am not a wellness coach. These are my personal opinions and experiences.

Let’s start with breakfast:

I consider myself somewhat of a healthy eater. That is until I met with a friend who is a health and wellness coach and she explained a couple of the things that I am missing in my diet.

Smoothies are a great way to add fruit and veggies to your diet but be sure to add protein like flax seed, hemp seeds, Spirulina powder… if you don’t add too much protein you won’t even taste it but you still get the benefits.

I was eating yogurt, fruit and granola thinking what a healthy morning. But what I didn’t realize it was packed with sugar. Sugar rush then sugar coma. Now its plain greek yogurt, fruit and flax seeds.

Avocado toast, is this a California thing or universal? Avocado toast on its own is yummy but add and egg and boom! there is your protein for energy.

I have noticed that after just one week of being consistently aware of adding protein to my morning routine I do have a substantial change in my energy level throughout the day not just the morning.

Exercise:

This one is easy for me, I am a dog owner and outdoor girl. During the week I combine walking my dogs, weight lifting for strength training and stretching for flexibility and balance.

Even if you are not a fan of exercise start with 10 minutes a day and after several weeks you WILL see results. (read The Slight Edge, simple steps every day lead to huge success)

From WebMD

“Every bit of movement counts. If you’re too busy for a regular workout, look for other ways to be in motion. Research shows that all those extra steps you take during the day add up to big health benefits.  Exercise also lowers your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Plus, it helps control weight and melts belly fat. The effects of exercise are so potent that it influences every physiological system in the body for the better.”

Hidden sugars:

Is it me or does it seem like the conversation around hidden sugars has grown the past couple of years. And to be perfectly honest I wasn’t even sure what hidden sugars we should be looking out for were. So here is a list I compiled from an online search.

Breakfast cereal

Just because it says “whole grain” or “fortified with vitamins and minerals” doesn’t mean there’s no sugar.

Health tip: Try to choose a cereal with 10–12 grams or less of sugar per serving.

Other hidden sugars

• Agave nectar
• Condiments-barbecue sauce, ketchup, mustard
• Dried fruit
• Fruit juice
• Pre-made soups
• Pre-made smoothies
• Protein bars
• Spaghetti sauce
• Sports drinks

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