The Healthy Living Blog

Did you know that consuming just 100 calories worth of sugar each day (that's about 25 grams or 6 teaspoons of added sugars) is linked to 45 different negative health outcomes?

Let’s put that in perspective:

25 grams of sugar is about the same as what's in one can of soft drink, one cup of chocolate milk, a small glazed donut, or even just two tablespoons of honey. And that’s just for one of these items!

Now, here’s where it gets serious. High sugar intake has been connected to some pretty significant health issues like heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and even some types of cancer. It’s also been linked to conditions like depression, high blood pressure, stroke, and liver disease.

In fact, a study published in the BMJ recommends keeping your daily sugar intake under 25 grams and limiting sugary drinks to less than one a week.

So, what should you do with this information?

I get it, cutting out sugar entirely can be really tough, and for most people, it's not realistic to swear o...

Starting a new health and fitness plan is exciting, but sticking to it can be surprisingly tough. There are a few key reasons why making these changes can be so challenging.

Psychological Resistance

Our brains love routine because it’s easy and comfortable. When we try to introduce new habits, it takes a lot of mental effort, and this can be exhausting. This is why it’s so hard to break old habits and form new ones.

Biological Factors

Our bodies are also set in their ways. When we start exercising more, we might feel tired and sore, which can be discouraging. Changing our diet can lead to cravings and feelings of deprivation because our bodies miss the foods we're used to.

Lack of Immediate Results

We live in a world where we expect quick fixes, but fitness and health improvements take time. The slow pace of visible results can be frustrating and make us feel like our efforts aren't paying off.

Social and Environmental Influences

Our surroundings and the people around us have a...

There’s a trait that separates people who reach their goals from those who struggle.

It’s not talent, luck, or genetics (although those things don’t hurt).

This trait does more than just help you reach your health and fitness goals.

It also helps you do better in school, excel in sports and your career, and it also plays a role in being a better parent and/or spouse.

What is it? It’s mental toughness — aka personal responsibility and accountability — and it’s something you can get better at, over time.

FUN FACT: It might mean something different than you think.

It’s NOT about being a drill sergeant who goes on about discipline all the time.

In fact, it’s almost the OPPOSITE of that.

It’s more about being able to stay focused and determined when challenges pop up — and having the resilience and flexibility to overcome obstacles so you can keep moving toward your goals.

It pays off by helping you manage your thoughts, emotions, and actions so that you can keep a positive mindset...

I'd love you to just chuck out the scales! Seriously. They are not a good indicator of what is happening inside your body. When you weigh yourself, all you are doing is weighing your self-esteem. 

Too often I see people who weight themselves daily, focusing on that number on the scales. They benchmark their entire progress on this single metric, which means that momentum, adherence and further progress all hinges on it.

 IT'S NOT ALWAYS THE WEIGHT

One of the most effective ways to reduce the fear or apprehension toward weight change is to highlight the factors (outside of actual fat loss/gain) that can influence it. I'm going to highlight these below.

WATER RETENTION

This is definitely one of the main culprits. Often, individuals will weigh themselves on Monday morning after a busy and indulgent weekend, only to find that they have added 1-2 lbs. of weight. However, if you
did not adequately hydrate, consumed a little more sodium than usual, these can both lead to the retention ...