The New Year comes with plenty of resolutions that may inspire you to make improvements to your lifestyle. One of the most common changes we see our patients making is to their appearance, which often involves reviving their exercise routine or developing a new diet.
Although you may be excited to embark on a journey toward healthier eating habits, adjusting to changes in your diet and regular exercise can be difficult. As easy it may seem to start something new, sometimes figuring out where to begin can be challenging, but the team at Coastal Plastic Surgeons is here to help. When you want to improve your health but don’t know how to turn over a new leaf, there are some important guidelines to keep in mind.
Celebrate Small Victories
Being healthier is not a task that shows its progress overnight. Many people who decide to lose weight quickly become disappointed with the rate in which they’re dropping pounds, but it’s important to take pride in the small successes your body experiences. If you notice a spike in energy due to your intake of greens and proteins, you should be proud of your body’s improved response. Even losing one pound warrants a bit of celebration.
Additionally, transitioning from one way of eating to another is a big improvement. For example, if you’ve begun to drink water instead of soda, you should celebrate how long you’re able to maintain such a change. Reading food labels and switching up the size and quantity of your meals are also notable transitions.
Use Effective Portion Control
You might believe that cutting out a particular food group is the most efficient way to become healthier when, in fact, eating a variety of food in moderation is more important. If you think of certain foods as off limits, you are more likely to crave them, so instead, slowly cut back on unhealthy food choices. You should eat only as much as your body needs, which means slowing down when you eat and using portion control as a way to monitor what you consume.
If you’re concerned about implementing a new diet, you can make it a point to research healthy recipes and cook them at home as opposed to dining out. You should also focus less on counting calories and think more about incorporating a variety of foods into your diet. Eating an amount of fresh fruits, veggies, grains and proteins that your body can manage will ensure your improved health.
Balance What You Consume
It’s not enough to cut back on certain foods and regulate your portions. It’s also essential that your portions contain a variety of foods that have numerous health benefits. Balancing your intake of vitamins through fruits and veggies along with increasing the amount of fiber and protein you consume will ensure your body gets the nutrients it needs.
Getting the ingredients that you don’t think you need is important as well. Although many people believe that certain fats and carbohydrates are dietary “don’ts”, consuming them in moderation can actually work wonders on your energy levels throughout the day and should be a part of your regular diet.
Consult Your Surgeon for Finishing Touches
Although healthy eating habits can have an astounding impact on your lifestyle, they don’t always promise significant weight loss or changes in your body shape. If you are looking to make more dramatic enhancements to your appearance, plastic surgery may be the answer. With a consultation at Coastal Plastic Surgeons, you can determine whether procedures like breast augmentation, liposuction, tummy tuck and others are right for you.
Here’s to eating healthier in 2017!
If you would like more information about your surgical options, contact Coastal Plastic Surgeons at (858) 365-3558 and schedule a consultation.