Healthy foods for weight loss
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7 Simple Habits That Will Keep You Healthy

We all want to be healthier, but knowing how can be challenging. There is too much conflicting advice out there, and too many fads, miracle cures, and wellness trends to keep track of. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there is a lot of health advice that simply boils down to “eat well and work out” without much focus on how to incorporate these things into a daily routine.

Below, I have gathered simple habits that will keep you healthy. These are easy to fit into everyday life, and when combined, they will allow you to feel healthier, happier, and more energetic.

hemp seeds for bariatric patients and for a healthy diet1. Add Hemp Seeds To Your Diet

Hemp seeds are nothing new, but these cannabis-derived nutritional powerhouses have received tons of attention since several states legalized marijuana. Hemp seeds are a healthy inclusion to your diet (and, contrary to popular belief, won’t affect a drug test). Protein, unsaturated fats, fiber, and a smorgasbord of vitamins and minerals work together in hemp seeds to boost heart health, protect the brain, and reduce systemic inflammation.

2. Get Your Vitamins

Planning a diet around macronutrients like carbs, protein, and fat is not too complicated, but getting all your vitamins can be hard. As long as you eat a varied diet rich in fruits and vegetables, you should be covered. But as bariatric patients, we know that surgeries can alter your nutrient absorption. So it is important to take all your recommended vitamins after surgery.

3. Move More

Regular exercise is crucial to a healthy lifestyle, but it isn’t enough. Building physical activity naturally into your day should also be a big focus. Reader’s Digest has a great list of suggestions on how to do this, from going on a 15-minute walk at lunchtime to doing small, easy strength exercises during daily tasks.

4. Look Good, Feel Good

Exercise not only improves your physical condition, it also helps you look your best. Take this a step further by making time to do things that make you feel beautiful inside and out. If you like makeup or enjoy painting your nails, do it. When you look your best, you are more confident, and confidence can give you the boost you need to be your best all day, every day.

5. Improve Your Sleep

When it comes to sleeping, not only do digital screens produce blue light, which tricks our bodies into thinking it’s daytime, but they also provide us with endless distractions that keep us awake late into the night. We know it’s hard, but just try keeping tech out of the bedroom for a week and see how it feels. Chances are, you’ll sleep faster, better, and for longer.

If you’re having sleeping issues, consider the age and state of your mattress. If your mattress is seven to ten years old (or older), it may be time for a new one. Some mattresses are specifically made for a single sleep type while others, such as a Purple mattress, work well for back, side, stomach, and combo sleepers (read more on that here). Just remember not all mattresses are created equally, so read up before you make any purchases.

Guide to Better Sleep
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6. Do Breathing Exercises

If you don’t have the time (or the inclination) to get into mindfulness meditation, you can still reap many of the benefits by doing regular breathing exercises. There are several techniques you can use, such as “abdominal breathing” where you inflate your diaphragm with as much air as possible, or the pretty self-explanatory “alternate nostril breathing.” Try a few for 10 minutes a day to see which one works best, and use this to fight stress and feel better.

7. Declutter

According to the Huffington Post, a growing body of research is pointing to the negative effects of clutter on mental health. Having too much stuff can trigger a stress response in the body, and living in such an environment means being constantly reminded of it.

So, do a deep-decluttering session to get rid of the things you don’t want or need. If this sounds too overwhelming, try creative and fun ways to do this, like getting rid of one thing a day or setting yourself a challenge like wearing only 33 pieces of clothing in three months.

Being healthier doesn’t have to mean a dramatic overhaul of your current habits. There are many small, manageable additions you can make to daily life that will have awesome consequences for your well-being. Take it slow, don’t beat yourself up when you forget to do them, and you will find that healthy habits build themselves naturally into your life.


This article was written by Jennifer McGregor.

Casey Blaney
Casey is the Chief Operating Officer of Bariatric Centers of America, where she oversees client relations and manages the bariatric playbook for program acceleration. Casey graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a major in Business Operations and built her career in marketing and business management. Within her career, she has had the opportunity to accelerate bariatric programs through technology-driven services and solutions. She brings an innovative approach to scaling bariatric programs and providing valuable resources in the field of weight loss surgery and weight management.
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