H3 Tips and Tricks

I have always considered myself a pretty healthy person. In college, while others were eating take out every night or Top Ramen sandwiches, I was attempting vegetable chili or hoisin lettuce wraps. I never realized how much I didn’t know until going through the H3 Healthy Lifestyle Program for two weeks. Yes, you learn a lot of nutrition and fitness tips from the presenters, but the Guests have tricks of their own! Here are a few tips that have really stuck with me as I continue to try to live a healthy lifestyle:

1.         Put mustard on everything! If I ever need a quick snack, I grab my mustard and put it on a handful of pretzels or Melba Toast. I’ve also started substituting mayonnaise for mustard on sandwiches. I learned this trick from Adam, who learned it by watching extremely successful Guests. If you ever look at the back of a mustard bottle, you’ll notice that there are usually only about three ingredients—mustard seed, vinegar, water and that’s about it! Mustard is also low in calories and little can go a long way when it comes to flavor. If you’re like me, add a little heat to your favorite meals or daily snacks with spicy mustard.

2.         Shop for items with 5 ingredients or less. I never noticed how much extra STUFF was in my supposedly “healthy” foods until I learned that I didn’t need all of those extra ingredients to make my own flavorful meal. For example, now I buy plain, non-fat yogurt and add my own flavoring. I have also started buying plain oats and adding my own mix of raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of brown sugar.

3.       A little bit can go a long way. This message rings true no matter how you take it. At first, I started thinking a little bit could go a long way when it came to thermal walks. By simply taking three, 20 minute walks a day, I could burn off an extra 300 calories! Then, I started thinking a little bit could go a long way when I found myself snacking before or while cooking dinner. Those extra calories count—they’re not freebees! Or think of it this way. If I add a little bit of fruit to my high fiber cereal in the mornings, to my salad at lunch, and topped with yogurt for dessert at night, I’ve gotten in all my servings for the day—a little bit can go a long way.

4.       Is it worth it? You’ve probably heard Bob say this a thousand times, but it’s true! As you start to reach for that guilty pleasure or when you’re sitting there thinking I really want to watch this television show instead of workout, ask yourself is it worth it?

5.       There’s nothing wrong with asking for help. This one took me awhile to get. As I said before, I’ve always considered myself a healthy person, but I’ve come to realize that you may not know what you’re doing wrong until you ask for help or guidance. I have learned by watching others that it’s okay to need someone to call you once a week to check on your progress (like the H3@Home Coaching program), or to schedule a return visit in a month so you have something to work toward. It’s okay to go home and work with a personal trainer and not know EVERYTHING there is to know about health and fitness. Questions come up, and it’s important to have someone there to help steer you in the right direction.

What are some tips and tricks that you learned during your stay at H3 that have helped you stick with you healthy lifestyle?