In 2002, I was living in Dallas. After my first child, I wanted to lose the pregnancy weight I had gained. So, I tried various diet systems. Luckily, it worked for me. I lost weight and felt so good. But unfortunately, it lasted for a short time; once I stepped into my regular habit of eating, I regained my weight. Then I realized that I must address the underlying problems, i.e., to move toward a healthy lifestyle. There are no shortcuts.

1. Drinking plain water saved money.

I used to drink orange juice for breakfast. Sugar acts as a preservative for orange juice. But it was one of the culprits for my weight gain. So, I started buying fresh fruits instead of fruit juices. That saved so much money. My grandparents drink two cups of water after brushing their teeth. Therefore, I started drinking plain water on an empty stomach, which cleansed my intestines. Our body is made up of 60% of water; research has proven that. These are the suggested amounts:

• About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men
• About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women

Therefore, I plan to drink at least 2 liters of water daily. Water could be in one of the following forms: milk, homemade fresh fruit juices, or soups. All of them count as water.

Goal action

1. Write down if you drink soda/juice/flavored water.
2. If yes, how much per day, and start a plan on how to reduce them.
3. Create an action plan to include more water and reduce the consumption of soda/juice/flavored water daily, weekly, and monthly.

2. Every day, I invite loved ones to eat with me.

I cooked something more convenient or skipped meals when I cooked for myself. I got frustrated at how unhealthy that was and gained so much weight. Then I thought about my grandparents and how they were aging healthily. What did they eat? A lot of vegetables, pulses, fruits, and millet. The secret sauce is the traditional food. Long story short, I started to cook as if I were inviting my grandparents and great-grandparents for lunch. Would they eat what is on my plate? Ultimately, this question made me turn back to my roots and cook traditional dishes with the zest of modernization.

Before eating, ask yourself:

• What is on my plate?
• Will my grandparents and great-grandparents eat this food?

3. Experience the taste of food with my taste buds.

There is a famous saying, “Do not munch while watching television, reading, or multitasking.” Let me share a story that happened in my family. When I was a young kid, my mom told me to sit in a crisscross position, bend, and eat. So, I leaned toward the plate, ate the food, and sat straight only after completing the entire meal. Focus and concentrate on the food’s texture, savor, and flavor. It is a fact that we have to focus on food; the act is eating mindfully.

While eating, ask yourself:

• What is the texture?
• How is the flavor?
• What is the aroma?

4. Increase my energy level. 

So far, I have taken care of what to drink, what to eat, and how to eat. Here is another aspect I focused on to lose weight: Converting all the food into energy. I started moving more and sweating more throughout the day. Here are some things I started doing: taking the stairs instead of hopping on the elevator, walking with my dog daily, breathing exercises in the morning, playing jump rope, moving from my desk between meetings, and more – at least one of these a day. If nothing else, I would dance for 20 minutes a day.

In 2021, I started the stayFit4life free platform which motivates women and gals to invest in yourselves and move 15 minutes daily. In addition, I send health tips in a newsletter every 48 days. So, enroll in a 48-day challenge and benefit from it. The words of 2022 that we follow in this platform are CONSISTENCY and REPETITION.

Ask yourself:

• Did I move today?

Whatever your fitness goal is, the above fruitful four habits are vital to leading a healthy lifestyle.

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