5 Tips and Tools for a Nutritious Day

March is National Nutrition Month. So what better way to celebrate than to implement little steps that have lasting results all year long? Combined with a few tools to help you stay on course, you are on your way to successful 2017. Let's get right to it.

1. Drink your water. I will always talk about water because it so under rated. Yet dehydration is the number one culprit for most headaches, acne, weakness, confusion and more. Try one of the Top Five Drinking Water Apps today.

2. Eat your breakfast. I know it sounds so simple, but many people do not eat breakfast. I was one of them for a LONG time. Consequently it aided in my weight gain over time because I was starving my body. If you have a crazy busy life, like most, plan something simple ahead of time that is Grab-N-Go. This can take your health goals to a new level. Check out these 5 Free Meal Planning Apps for a little help.

3. Grab that fruit. Speaking of Grab-N-Go, don’t forget your fruit on the way out the door. I LOVE apples. So I just get a huge sac of them and throw one or two in my bag as I’m leaving the house. I also love grapefruits. They are so filling and have great benefits including its powerful combination of fiber, potassium, lycopene, vitamin C and choline that leads to a healthy heart. According to the American Heart Association, the recommended serving of fruit is 4 servings each day. And the same for vegetables. That’s 8 servings altogether. Don’t forget to grab yours on the next grocery run. And you can use one of these Free Meal Planning Apps I gave you in #2 to keep track of your grocery list.

4. Increase your Fiber. Yep. This will save your life, literally. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate. It adds bulk to your diet. This is great because it make you feel full faster. Think of oatmeal. The kind you make on the stove – Whole Oats. This helps to control weight. Fiber also helps prevent constipation. An unhealthy digestive tract leads to many health issues. Fiber is often the #1 factor in maintaining gut health and weight loss. Here is a list of 30 High-Fiber Foods. You can also track your fiber intake with the My Fitness Pal App by selecting fiber a nutrient you want to track.

5. Watch that sugar intake. This is the ultimate game changer! Lessen your sugar intake. While this sounds real simple, added sugar is in so many food items that we take in more than we would ever need. Sugar is a simple carbohydrate that is only useful for immediate energy. And when that energy goes unused, it becomes stored energy. This is also known as fat. Grab That Sugar App to keep track of your daily sugar intake. Your goal should be about 25 grams of sugar a day or 6 teaspoons, according to the American Heart Association. Start slowly decreasing your sugar intake to see lasting results.

Have you been making little changes with lasting results? I would love to hear from you.