5 tips for maintaining a healthy lifestyle in 2020 ft. Adidas

This post is sponsored by Adidas USA

Hi everyone,

After my weight loss journey back in 2018, I became very anxious about my health, my weight, and mostly about not putting on the weight back again. I talked to my nutritionist and did a lot of research at the beginning of 2019. One of my goals was actually to maintain my ideal weight throughout the year and also to be more active. Not only I was able to maintain the weight, I surprisingly and happily dropped an additional 10 pounds; taking me from 125 lbs to 115 lbs. I currently weigh 113 lbs. I’m 5’1’ so my BMI is normal.

Throughout my researches, I came across a lot of options as far as how to keep your weight down, living an healthy and happy life but most of them didn’t work for me:

Intermittent Fasting: when I fast in the AM and start eating at lunch time, I actually crave a lot for unhealthy stuff all afternoon and often found myself eating the kids’ snacks: chips and Cheetos…
Keto Diet: In my personal opinion, all those red meats are too heavy and I quickly became anxious about my cholesterol level. I am not saying that this method is not good but I felt it was not for me.
I heard about the Dr. Sebi program but it was way too strict for me. I didn’t want to feel depressed because I’m so restricted all the time.

Then it came across my mind to create a regimen that will actually fit my lifestyle. So here’s what I came up with back in 2019 and I intend to follow in 2020 .

1- I eat regularly and control the portion size:

I eat 5 times a day:
Breakfast (small portion but loaded with protein);
10am snack: mostly fruits & nuts – or granola & yogurt
Lunch around noon: with protein, veggies, healthy fats and carbohydrates
4pm snacks: sugar free cookies, cereal bar etc…
Dinner which for me is more of a supper consisted mostly of vegetable broths.

Now If I am going out in the evening, I will eat just a salad at noon or skip the 4pm snack.

2- I reduced my salt and sugar intake:

A high salt intake can result in high blood pressure and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Eating homemade meals helped me to control the quantity of salt I’m taking on a daily basis.
Sugar is loaded with calories which will eventually lead to weight gain specially if you are not active enough. Furthermore, sugar will increase your blood sugar and your triglycerides, which is a risk factor for heart disease.

3- I drink plenty of water:

I drink at least between 3L to a gallon per day – sometimes more. I recently learned that your water intake varies depending of your height and weight. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, that would be 75 to 150 ounces of water a day. So I am definitely drinking way more than I actually need but it’s all fine.

4- I take Supplements:

Although I try to eat a variety of foods to ensure that I am getting all the necessary nutrients but I am no perfect. I must admit that some days or weeks, life gets over and although I am mindful of what I choose to eat it won’t necessary be well balanced. So multivitamin, antioxidant and omega-3 are always on rotation.

5- And I try to stay as active as possible :

I will be honest and admit that I was not as active as I wanted to be in 2019 but I want to make it a habit. I mostly take long walks, use the stairs instead of the elevator and make time for family weekend activities. This year, I want to hire a coach to help me with my fitness goal.

Outfit details:

Adidas tracksuit (here) | Adidas shoes (here)

So Cheers to another “new year, better self”.

What I’ve learned overall is that gradual changes in our lifestyle are easier to maintain than major changes introduced all at once. So if you want to make any improvement in your lifestyle take it slow and remember to be happy.

Thanks for stopping by.

XoXo,

Moumous

Photo Credit: Vonvonphotography

Linking up with those wonderful ladies here