Sweep into Fall and Positively Impact your Health
There is a coolness to the air that lets us know the dog days of summer are numbered. The kids have returned to school so time is freeing up for most of us. Now seems to be the perfect time to sweep into fall and make a positive impact on your health and wellness.
The purpose of sweeping into fall is to gradually move to incorporate more healthy options into your day-to-day life.
Going completely sugar-free can be a shock to the system and throw your mind into a tailspin when meal planning. I hope that with a gradual approach over the next several months, the transition to Sugar Free January will be a breeze.
The bonus is that you will already have a framework to slip right back into at the conclusion of January to keep your health momentum going.
So let’s clean up some bad habits that may have crept into our lives.
Nutrition and Activity Levels
Listed below are three levels of nutrition and activity with multiple suggestions listed under each.
If you are at the beginning of your health journey, choose a nutrition option from level 1.
Already have a few Sugar Free Januarys under your belt? Feel free to jump right on into level 3.
Click here if you need help with which foods are the best low-carb options.
Level 1
Nutrition (select one)
- Add a green salad or 1 low-carb vegetable with every dinner
- Eat only low-carb foods at breakfast
Level 2
Nutrition (select one)
- Add a green salad (at least 2 cups) and a low-carb vegetable at every dinner
- Add one cup each of 2 low carb vegetables with every dinner
- Eat only low-carb food including protein, vegetable, and/or salad at breakfast and lunch
Level 3
Nutrition (select one)
- Add a green salad (at least 2 cups) and 2 low-carb vegetables (1 cup each) with every dinner
- Consume a salad (2 cups) before dinner and include 2 low-carb vegetables (1 cup each) at dinner
- Eat only low-carb food including protein, vegetables, and salad at all meals
Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com
Exercise not only helps you build muscle but it burns glucose. Certainly a winning combination! So make sure to incorporate some sort of activity and try to build intensity and duration little by little.
Level 1 Activity – 15 minutes 3 times a week
Walk
Swim, bike or cardio of your choice
Resistance training (band or body weight)
Level 2 Activity – 30 minutes 3 times a week or 15 minutes every day
Walk
Swim, bike or cardio of your choice
Walk and add in 30-second sprints with 30-second recovery (start with 1 sprint per week and add on week by week)
Resistance training (bands or body weight)
Level 3 Activity – 1 hour 3 times a week or 30 minutes every day
Walk
Walk with 4 to 5 30-second sprint intervals
Cardio of your choice
Resistance training (bands or body weight) 45 minutes 3 times a week or 20 minutes every day
Bonus options
- Test your glucose and insulin levels – order through Ulta Lab Tests (always check the Ulta Lab Tests home page for discount codes)
- No juice or sugar-sweetened beverages (those sneaky ones like margaritas will get you!)
- No snacks between meals
- No bread
- No pasta
Remember that each step you take to improvingyour health is a step in the right direction!
DISCLAIMER: This website is for informational purposes. I am not a health practitioner and no information should be construed as personal medical advice or diagnosis.
