Healthy Living in 5 Easy Steps

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias®  and ConAgra Foods.

I don’t have enough fingers and toes to show you how many times I have said I’m going to lay off the junk food, exercise more and stress less.  I’ll give myself a pep talk, do great for a week or two and then BAM. Life gets a little too busy and I’m back to my old habits of hitting up the drive thru and ditching the gym.  I’ve realized that healthy living doesn’t have to be complicated, all it takes is these 5 easy steps to get back on track in no time.

Step 1: Drink More Water

Last winter I gave up diet pop for 90 days.  It originally started out as a 30-day challenge but as more time passed, the less I felt I needed to drink a diet pop.  Don’t get me wrong, the first week was rough. I had headaches, cravings and was outright cranky. But after a week, my body adjusted. Instead of reaching for a diet pop, I drank water and green tea.  And even more amazing to me, I didn’t feel as sluggish or bloated.  Not a fan of water? Add some citrus slices (my favorite is lime) to spiff it up.

Step 2: Sleep More

I often reminisce about the days where I used to sleep until 11:00 am.  I’d go out with my friends the night before, fall asleep when I was tired and then wake up when I had enough rest. No alarm clocks, no early morning meetings. These days I’m lucky if I get 6 hours of sleep and going to bed before midnight maybe happens when there is a full moon. Sleep is such an important part of being healthy yet so many of us take it for granted.

Step 3: Stress Less

Some people might say I have control issues. I tend to agree with them. While I’ve gotten better with things being out of my control, it’s still hard to shut my mind off at night (one of the reasons Step 2 is so difficult). Stressing less is definitely something that I need to work on.  Whether it’s brief moments of meditation or even taking a break and doing something you love to do, finding ways to de-stress is a critical part of healthy living.

Step 4: Exercise More

This is a hard one for moms. We barely have enough time to get the kids ready for school, clean the house, pay the bills, cook the meals, etc., how in the heck are we going to find time to exercise? Instead of looking for big blocks of time, break your exercise routine into 10-15 minute increments. Do power squats while you read over your child’s homework. Park further away from the entrance to the grocery store so you have to walk a few steps more. Hide your remote (but remember where you put it). Get up to change the channel on that TV!

Step 5: Eat Healthier

I know how easy it is to turn the car into the parking lot of your favorite fast food restaurant (been there, done that) but I also know it’s just as easy to pick up some Healthy Choice® frozen meals at your local Walmart so you don’t have to blow your daily caloric intake in one setting.  While a #3 super mega sized meal might sound good, eating them every other day isn’t good for your waistline or your wallet.

Frozen meals have come a long way. I remember as a child eating TV dinners (do they even call them that anymore?) with your basic chicken, mashed potatoes, corn and a dessert of some sort.  We would actually cook them in the oven as they came in a foil tray.  It would take 45 minutes too cook them and they would taste like cardboard. Those old TV dinners don’t stand a chance to all the fun flavors in the Healthy Choice® Top Chef Cafe Steamers line. Right now my absolute favorite is the Crustless Chicken Pot Pie. With crisp pieces of carrot, corn and peas and juicy chicken, what’s not to love? I was especially surprised to find little dumplings in there. After all, it can’t be a chicken pot pie without a little bread. This meal only has 300 calories so that means I can indulge with a little dessert.

Luckily for me, Healthy Choice® also makes a 100 calorie frozen Greek yogurt that, get this, is right next to the frozen meals! That means I don’t have to go down the frozen dessert aisle and get tempted by all other other high calorie frozen treats. There are several flavors to choose from but my favorite has to be the Dark Fudge Swirl. The tartness of the Greek yogurt and the sweetness of the fudge hits the spot when you want something sweet. Take the advice on the box and let it sit out a few minutes before eating it. Your Greek yogurt will be nice and creamy.

If you follow these five easy steps, you’ll be on the right path to healthy living. I promise you’ll feel better, have more energy and probably save a little money (if you’ve been going through the drive-thru like I have)!  And if you want to save even more, make sure to print off the Healthy Choice coupons in the right side bar of this post!  You can save a dollar (that’s a HIGH value coupon) on any Healthy Choice® Top Chef Steamers AND a dollar on any Healthy Choice® Greek Frozen Yogurt!

What’s your favorite healthy living tip to share?

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias®  and ConAgra Foods. Regardless all statements are my own and yours may differ. #cbias #SocialFabric