Blogtober Day 6: Healthy Changes I’ve Made To Become Healthier

I’ve been trying to lose weight for a little while now. I am doing it now from a place of wanting to be skinny, but rather wanting to be healthy. 

That said, habits take a while to form. So, I’ve been making some small changes, which I hope to become a more permanent one versus larger changes that may be harder for me to manage. I am the type of person who needs to do it gradually, so these all have helped make a difference in my health. 

No more Doordash:

DoorDash has been so helpful for me during quarantine. If I wanted Shake Shake or Five Guys, all I had to do was order it using the app. However, eating a burger and fries more than a few times a week is not healthy for you whatsoever. So, I’ve decided to stop using DoorDash for the most part. Every now and then I’ll still get it – usually as a Friday night treat or if my friend is coming over we’ll get that. Otherwise, I’m sticking to just cooking.

Using Mostly Fresh, Not Frozen:

It’s safe to say that I am not the world’s best cook. One thing that I used to love is making frozen sweet potato or regular fries. However, it’s not the healthiest. That said, I have began using fresh sweet potatoes and regular potatoes to make fries. Not only do they taste better, but they are so much healthier than the frozen. 

Grilled Chicken versus Fried:

I love Chic-Fil-A. It has become my saving grace during quarantine because my local Target happens to be located right near it. That said, I would be getting Chic-Fil-A a lot. Usually, it would be the classic deluxe sandwich. If you don’t know what that is, that’s basically just fried chicken with waffle fries. Yeah, it’s not the most healthy choice I could be making. 

Since I eat there a lot, I decided instead of giving up some of my favorite places but modify my order. For example, instead of the fried chicken, I would get a grilled chicken sandwich with medium fries versus the large. I also wouldn’t get a lemonade and stick to water. This still isn’t the healthiest, but hey. Small steps baby. 

Work Out For 30 Minutes A Day – No Questions Asked:

I did both the 30 Day Shred and the 30 Day Beginner Shred by Jillian Micheals. However, on the last day of the 30 Day Regular one, I threw my back out. This really helped me begin to think about how I approached working out.

Since then, I’ve been thinking about how I approach working out. So, I’ve been either doing a stairstepper or my workout bike for 30 minutes a day. Not only do I get to start my day with it, I usually listen to my audiobook or music as well, which is something that I also enjoy. Once my back heals, I do plan to do a combination of strength/HIIT and Cardio. I did download the Jillian Micheals app and the Jazzercise app and switch to go between the two. 

Prior to this, I really wasn’t working out. I’m just going to be honest – I was only working out for 20 minutes or less. Those workouts weren’t cutting it for me, so I think that this is a much healthier step to take. 

Being Mindful of My Treats:

I love dessert. I have a sweet tooth so it is one thing that really brings me joy. However, sometimes I would overdo it. Lately, I’ve been trying to be mindful just how much dessert I have in a night, whether that may mean just one cookie versus a cookie and a piece of chocolate. Those little steps have been helping!

Whole Grain versus White Bread:

This is something that I’ve been doing for years, but I am trying to make sure that I stick to whole grains versus white bread. I also happen to enjoy the taste of the bread as well, and it’s really healthy as well.