In last week’s article, we talked about how challenging it can be when we feel as if we have to start over on our health journey. There can be many reasons why we may feel this way, and regardless of the reason, it is always difficult. When it’s in our best interest to simplify our routines and health focuses, our nutrition can be one of the most challenging, but most impactful places to start. Today we will discuss different ways we can prioritize what we put in our body without adding too much stress to our day. 

  One of the first things I always focus on when I am rebuilding my health habits is my water intake. This is usually the first place I start because it’s always the first thing to suffer when I am going through a season of stress.

 Another reason I prioritize drinking more water is because it helps me feel better almost immediately. Increasing our water intake can help us regulate our digestive system and increase our energy levels, and water has many other important roles in the health of our bodies. 

  There are many different strategies we can use to increase our water intake each day. Some of my favorites include filling a water bottle I enjoy using and carrying it with me throughout the day, and aiming to drink at least 8 more ounces of water than I did the day before. I will continue this pattern until I reach my goal of ounces per day, which is usually somewhere between 90 ounces and 100 ounces, because that’s how much water helps me feel my best. Another strategy I enjoy using to help increase my water intake include adding sugar-free electrolytes to my water. Find a few simple strategies that work for you and stick to them. 

  The next nutrition habit I focus on when I am rebuilding my health habits is increasing vegetable and protein intake. Ideally, I’d like to eat at least one serving of vegetables and one serving of protein at each meal, but this isn’t always realistic. Thinking about the goal of one serving of each at every meal helps me plan my meals more mindfully and increase my vegetable and protein intake without feeling overwhelmed with meal prepping or counting the grams of macronutrients I’m eating at each meal.

  Once you feel satisfied with your initial improvement, you can move on to more complex nutritional strategies to help you reach your goals. 

  Lastly, I like to prioritize decreasing my consumption of refined carbohydrates. Refined carbohydrates, or simple carbohydrates, include foods such as white bread, pasta, and sugars. These foods are low in nutritional value and are absorbed at rapid rates by the body, causing large spikes and dips in blood sugar.

 Decreasing consumption of these foods and instead focusing on complex carbohydrates and whole foods helps me feel better, and can be done without too much planning. Even replacing one serving of refined carbohydrates per day with a complex carbohydrate or whole food will make a big impact on how you feel. 

You’ve probably noticed that I’ve mentioned that I prioritize these strategies because they help me feel better. Focusing on healthy habits that help us feel our best is one of the most important places to start when we are in a rebuilding phase. Your strategies may look different from mine, and that is okay.    

  Take some time to think of a few things that help you feel your best and start including them into your day. Before you know it, you’ll be right back in the swing of things.