by Michael Plank
Last week, we introduced Bare Minimum Mondays – a weekly e-mail dedicated exclusively to actionable things that you can do right now to improve your health and fitness. Here’s the second installment!
Move
Once this week, take a 10-minute walk after dinner. Short walks after large meals, especially if the meal is higher in carbohydrates, significantly lower blood sugar levels. Read the study HERE.
Eat
At least 2 times this week, experiment with adding a vegetable to a meal you already like. Add chopped mushrooms to your chili, or sliced cabbage to your tacos, or bell peppers to your pasta sauce. (I’m a big fan of frozen, chopped vegetables – super inexpensive and they can be disguised pretty easily). Lots of people struggle with getting enough vegetables in because all we think about is the bland, soggy, steamed broccoli our moms made us eat when we were kids. Believe it or not, veggies can be delicious and flavorful. It just might take some trial and error to find out how. Try it twice. You might find the right one. And even if you don’t, you’ve increased your veggie intake for the week.
Sleep
During the day, take 5 minutes and come up with a pre-bedtime routine. Doing the same things every night can help cue your body to wind down and prepare for sleep. Try your routine out two nights in a row.
Manage
Try the 4-7-8 breath technique. Breathe in for a 4-count, hold for a 7-count, exhale for an 8-count. Once this week, set a timer for 2 minutes, and try it. Deep breathing can help manage systemic stress. There are lots of protocols that work, this is one. Read more HERE.