10 Simple Ways to Make 2017 Your Healthiest Year Yet

Are you ready to look and feel your best? Learn how to make 2017 your healthiest year yet with these 10 simple lifestyle changes. These tips will help power up your mind and body. Remember to start small. Even if you only try one of these this year, you are making progress and moving in the right direction!

1. Drink a cup of hot water with lemon, first thing, every morning.

   Adding a lemon to your water will help with detoxification, digestion and aid in losing belly fat. It also boosts your energy!

2. Heal your gut with bone broth.

   Bone broth will heal your gut, replenish your skin, and aid in digestion. It is super easy to use and tastes great. Plus, clean-up is a breeze! I use Dr. Axe’s vanilla bone broth protein. I like to cook and bake with it. This liquid gold is also a great protein powder for your food and drinks. Try blending one scoop of bone broth protein into 12 ounces of almond milk to make a healthy cup of hot chocolate!

3. Juice it up!

   Drinking veggie-heavy green juices are helpful for metabolism, energy, and detoxification. Opt for those lower in sugar. For example, use more greens and berries instead of fruits that have a high glycemic index. My favorite recipe is “Green Lemonade,” which is made with lemons, limes, granny smith apples, cucumbers, and spinach. It’s loaded with antioxidants and tastes amazing!

4. Learn the basics of reading nutrition labels.

   Don’t think too much into this one. Be less concerned with the “Nutrition Facts” and more concerned with the ingredients. If you see a long label with lengthy ingredients that you can’t pronounce, simply put it back. Hint: anything ending in “OSE” is sugar. Look for shorter lists and words you can pronounce. For example, many products and foods contain Propylene Glycol, an ingredient used in ANTIFREEZE! I don’t know about you, but I don’t exactly feel comfortable ingesting anything in the antifreeze department. Fight the battle in the grocery store, not the pantry.

5. Fix Your Fats

   This is going to sound very shocking but certain fats are good for you and assist in weight loss. Good fats include nuts, avocados, wild caught salmon, and grass-fed butter. Using grass-fed, organic butter or Ghee, provides necessary vitamins and nutrients for your body.

6. Switch Your Sugars

   Did you know sugar is proven to be addictive? This is a big one for most people. Start to slowly replace your sugar with Stevia. The liquid form is better for cooking and baking.

7. Opt for grass-fed, organic, or cage free meats.

   If there is one thing you do from this list, it should be this one. This option is a bit pricier, but well worth it. You are what you eat, literally. If a cow was given hormones and antibiotics to fatten them up, chances are, it may do the same to you! At minimum, try to cook with hormone/antibiotic free meats.

8. Try adding burst training to your exercise routine.

   Are you having trouble losing weight and looking for more energy? Try high intensity, short circuit workouts in the comfort of your home. It’s free and you can find tons of videos online. It only takes 12 minutes a day, 3 times a week. You can’t beat that! It is a great way to lose weight and get much needed oxygen to the brain.

9. Try a cup of “bulletproof coffee” to assist in weight loss.

   Amp up your morning cup of joe with 1 Tbsp. of grass-fed butter and 1 Tbsp. of coconut oil. If you need to, you can use a blender or handheld frother.

10. Quiet your mind with meditation, quiet moments or deep breathing.

    Start with 10 minutes a day in a quiet, peaceful spot. Try a deep breathing technique, meditation, or even read a devotional. Studies show meditation has healing benefits for overall health and stress.

Regardless of where you start today, know that you are moving in the right direction. Many small steps lead to huge progress over time.

“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with one step.”
-Chinese proverb