It’s that time of year when we start seeing exercise gear and diet drinks everywhere we look; we’re even bombarded with this all over social media. But why does a New Year’s resolution need to be associated with weight loss or a certain body image? Weight loss, especially quick weight loss, doesn’t necessarily equate to a healthy, nourished body. What we need to focus on in 2017 is a resolution to nourish our bodies with healthy, nutrient-rich foods. Let’s stop focusing so much on what the scale says or what society says, and feed our bodies with lifestyle modifications and long-lasting results.
If you’re a person with a full schedule with a hundred tasks on your to-do list, you’ll want to focus on incorporating nutritious snacks and quick meals into your daily life. While whole fruits and vegetables are best, consider some of these items on your next grocery shopping trip:
● H-E-B Ready, Fresh, Go!: Make it easy on yourself to include more fruits and vegetables in your day. Try out these items for a variety of whole fruit and vegetable snacks that are sure to satisfy.
● H-E-B Fiber Cereal: Add some almonds and a few dark chocolate chips and you’ve made yourself a fiber-rich trail mix. It can be stored easily in your desk or your purse and is perfect for on-the-go snacking!
● Central Market Sea Salt Popcorn: Try this flavorful snack with a generous portion size (nearly 4 cups!).
● Oatmega Dark Chocolate Peanut Bar: This high-fiber, high-protein snack is bound to keep you full as you hustle through meetings, running errands, working out, grocery shopping, making dinner and on and on.
● Halo Top Ice Cream: A creamy indulgent dessert for only 60 calories per serving? Yes, please! And 5 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein make it a better option for your craving for sweets.
For quick meals, visit www.heb.com/recipes and you’ll find nearly 600 recipes that can be made in 30 minutes or less! Look to the left of each recipe and you’ll also find the corresponding nutrition facts — remember, you’re looking for recipes that have at least 4 grams of fiber and 20 grams of protein.
Although diet is a major component of a healthy lifestyle, we can’t forget about the exercise component. Exercising doesn’t necessarily need to take place in the typical gym setting — get outside or try a new activity and make it a resolution to find something you love to do. A healthy fitness routine involves a moderately intense activity sustained for about 60 minutes. Try out this routine for three days a week and work your way up to five days a week.
Let’s make 2017 a year we support each other to be better to ourselves. Oftentimes, we can be our worst enemy and harshest critic, but that’s not going to help us be our best. Our bodies will function at their best and show us those results as long as we nourish them with everything they need: a healthy diet, daily physical activity and self-love. Appreciate your body for what it is and be thankful that it allows you to wake up and conquer all the tasks you put on your plate every day.
For more healthy snack and meal ideas, visit www.HEB.com.
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