HIMPower Magazine HimPower September 2017

HEALTH & WELLNESS The Tools Needed for a Healthy Lifestyle by Angela Winston Hebert I n 2010 when I began my lifestyle journey to better health, my life changed for the better. I tried the things they have always told us to do: plan your meals, drink water and incorporate fitness in your daily regi- men. The process has not changed, the only thing that has changed is society’s unending appetite for quick fixes. A quick fix to weight loss without the three main components will not last in the long run. How many people do you know that have lost the weight, but did not keep it off? It is important to keep in mind that you did not gain the weight overnight, will not lose it overnight and cannot sustain your desire weight overnight. It’s a process that requires discipline and a willingness to utilize the tools that work. The holidays are creeping up slowly and are often viewed as a free pass to over indulge. Rather than looking for the obvious way to avoid taking care of your health, I challenge you to begin today incor- porating the three tools into your healthy 12 HimPower September 2017 lifestyle. You will feel better about yourself, and your body will reward you with fewer health issues. 1. MEAL PL ANNING MADE EASIER It requires both time and effort to prepare meals. However, it is worth the investment and pays short term and long term dividends. Everyone is busy trying to balance work and family—and some “me” time. I have a family of 6, so I have to be very deliberate about planning meals. What I am saying is a busy schedule shouldn’t keep you from achieving the results you want. One way to make the meal planning process more manageable is to cook larger quantities. To get you motivated, I’ve added my link https://youtu.be/NRG7RZgWNws so you can see how I manage meal planning at home. The other bonus to starting this practice now is you’re teaching your chil- dren how to develop healthy lifestyle habits that will give them a better chance at living a longer, healthier life when they are grown.

HIMPower Magazine HimPower September 2017 | Page 12