BY DANA REYNOLDS – STAFF WRITER
Just a few swaps in your lifestyle can create a healthier and happier life for yourself! There are several to choose from including:
Food/Diet
- Black Coffee for Latte. You’ll drink less coffee, spend less money, and consume less calories. This is one I know I could work on as well!
- Cinnamon for Sugar. Adding cinnamon to beverages, such as coffee, will give you a sweet taste with less calories
- Popcorn for Chips.
- Whole Wheat Toast for Bagel. Do you usually eat five slices of toast? Well, that is how much toast is in a bagel!
- Pan-fried for Deep-fired. Use vegetable oil in a pan to give your meals a crispy taste, while deep-fried foods should be eaten in moderation.
- Raw Spinach for Iceberg Lettuce. Iceberg lettuce is mostly water and does not give you a lot of nutrients. Spinach is filled with vitamin K, vitamin, A, calcium, and iron.
- Brown Rice for White Rice. Many essential nutrients, such as fiber, are not in white rice. Brown rice fills you up and contains more nutrients.
- Oatmeal for Sugary Cereal. One bowl of cereal usually has a lot of sugar, and it can be hard to only limit yourself to one bowl. Try switching it out for heart healthy oatmeal.
- Eating at the table for eating in front of the TV. Proven fact ,you eat more while watching TV,. Skip the Netflix binge next time you dine.
- Sparkling water for Soda. Get rid of soda, but still have carbonated drinks! Try fun sparkling water flavors such as lemon-lime or vanilla.
Routine
- Eating Breakfast for Hitting Snooze (Again). Having breakfast will energize you and prepare you for the long day ahead! You’ll be much less likely to bob your head during your 8 a.m.!
- Gratitude for Complaining. Complaining is easy to do and everyone is guilty of it. However, showing gratitude for the people and things around you will make you happier!
- Planning for Procrastination. There is nothing worse than feeling overwhelmed. Get a calendar, write things down, and get it done.
- Saying No for Overcommitting. If you focus on few small things that you love, you will be much happier and not feel so overwhelmed.
- Being upfront for acting passive aggressive. Don’t let frustration build. Be nice, but let people know when they are doing something that is bothering you!
- Color for Drab. Wearing color will build your self-esteem and confidence!
- Calling for Texting. Having a phone conversion is much more meaningful. Stop writing text messages and give someone you care about a call.
- Smiling for Frowning. Smiling, whether real or fake, will make you happier. Smile even when you are not feeling your best.
Exercise
- Planks for Crunches. Surprisingly, crunches won’t get you abs. Holding planks works your whole core. Try to hold it for a minute straight!
- Incline for Flat Treadmill. When you run outside, nothing is completely flat. It shouldn’t be like that on your treadmill either. Adding hills, no matter how hard they may be, boosts your workout.
- Interval Running for Relaxed Run. Running for a long time is hard, but doing sprints can really add to your workout.
- Exercising with someone for Exercising alone. Having an exercise partner will push you to work harder.
- Free weights for Machines. Instead of sitting on a nasty, sweaty machine…use free weights! They allow you to move around more!
- Pull Ups for Bicep Curls. Doing pull ups is super challenging. However, when you can, you are working many more muscles.
- Active Date for Dinner Date. Instead of a dinner date, do something active! You’ll get to know the person you care about on a new level.
- Gym for Napping. Going to the gym will wake you up and give you the push you need to get back to studying.
It is not realistic to make so many changes at one time, so adopt a few, make the switch, and be happier!