Today, I’m sharing a simple yet powerful post with you, inspired by the Sara Lee® 45 Delightful People Program. When asked to share my personal story that helped me fuel a transformation, it gave me an opportunity to really evaluate how small changes can make a big difference. Interested, then read on!
After my second pregnancy, I found it very hard to get fit again, and the extra flab on my body looked really bad; I looked into the mirror and felt ugly, and there times I cried and wished to get my old body back again! I felt more tired than before, seemed to have less energy than before, and suffered from more aches & pains than before. That’s when I decided to take a step to restore my health. I knew it wasn’t going to magically happen over night. I would have to put in some serious effort and make some significant lifestyle changes to get fit again. I needed to be healthy, both emotionally and physically, and gain back the strength and momentum that was necessary to be able to take care of myself and my family! I needed to lose weight to get back into my old clothes, and I needed to reach a pain-free state of body. So I started reading books and articles on how I could achieve what I wanted to, without any elaborate setup or change. After all, with two kids clamoring for your time, I didn’t have the luxury of going out for long workouts every day!
So here’ are some simple lifestyle changes that I started with, and I can confidently say that they are helping me achieve my dream. And while I still have a long way to go, I am happy that I’ve made these changes, and I feel I’m no on the right path!
Drink a cup of warm lemon water first thing in the morning
I think most of us know that Dehydration does a lot more harm to your body than you think. It can cause digestive disorders, fatigue, asthma, allergies, joint stiffness, and high cholesterol. So I make it a point to start my day with a cup of warm water with some freshly squeezed lemon juice and a pinch of cayenne pepper (or black pepper) mixed with it. This not only prevents dehydration, but it also helps to maintain the Ph levels of your body, promotes weight-loss, relieves constipation, cleanses your body of toxins, and gives a boost to your immune system.
Swap white bread for whole grain bread
We all know the importance of whole grains in our diet. I used to love buttermilk bread, still do, but I made a conscious choice of switching to Sara Lee® Delightful 100% Whole Wheat Bread. Made with real honey and with just 45 calories per slice, it has a delicious taste and a lovely texture that is perfect for my morning toast, or a quick veggie sandwich. And I am itching to try their new Oatmeal flavor! I love a sandwich with Whole wheat bread, fresh tomatoes, avocados and sprouts – keeps me full for a solid 4 hours. This prevents my binge-snacking and keeps me on track for my weight-loss goal.
Swap white rice for brown rice
We all know that brown rice is better than white rice, but a few of us know why. Let me tell you why – it is high in fiber and protein, rich in anti-oxidants, has a high content of selenium which helps lower the risk of arthritis or heart disease. Plus, it’s slow-releasing sugar content helps keep your blood sugar under control. So if you haven’t made the switch yet, it’s time to do so now, especially if you are like me who eats rice at least 3-4 times a week. I made the change, and I feel so much better. I eat half the quantity of rice I ate before because I get full faster, which in turn helps control my total calorie intake during the day.
Do Moderate Weights Cardio or Yoga 20 minutes a day
This was one of the hardest things for me to achieve, just because being a Mom and working full-time, I had to make an honest effort to prioritize this over my other chores. I wake up 15 minutes early every day, drink my lemon water and immediately get to my Yoga routine. Some days my little one wakes up with me, making it hard to get to my Yoga, but I try to engage him in some activity, or switch to weights while trying to feed him, so i don’t lose those 15 minutes and get moderate exercise out of it. On days that I have more time on my hands, I do a longer workout to make up, and also do some meditation which has helped me be more relaxed and mindful of my life.
Add More Protein To Your Diet
As a life-long vegetarian, I know that it can sometimes get hard to get all your protein intake for the day unless you set your mind to it. Vegetarians typically get their protein in the form of legumes or lentils, but that can get boring after some time. So I made it a point to include more Tofu in my diet whenever possible. I try to cook Dal three times a week, but I also cook recipes like Tofu Scramble more regularly, my kids love it too, so we all can stay healthy at the same time:) Proteins help increase your metabolism, they also help you build muscle, which help burn more fat and make you leaner and stronger in the long run.
These were some changes that have made my life more Delightful recently. What are some of your favorite ways to keep yourself healthy? DO you have a story about healthy Transformation that you’d like to share? Please share your story with the Sara Lee® 45 Delightful People program. Everyone who enters gets a FREE T-shirt, and the top 45 Delightful people have a chance to win upto $4500 bucks! Not to mention you’d be inspiring several others to make a healthy transformation themselves! Interested, then check out program details and share your story.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sara Lee®. The opinions and text expressed herein are my own.
