Easy Health Tips for Lazy People

Are you kind of lazy by nature? Would you rather read, write, play video games then go to the gym? I mean, I love working out, but I am also lazy by nature. So let's start small and come up with some easy health tips for us lazy people! (or busy people, you count too!)

It is the new year. Most people want to get healthy, lose weight, and make these crazy resolutions that are unrealistic. They dive headlong into a life they are not ready for, get motivated then exhausted faster then they can say Quiddich, quit, and end up worse than they started at the beginning of the  year. Step 1 of keeping "resolutions" or as I like to call them, "goals", is to not overload yourself beyond what you are realistically capable of. Know what your true limits are. I am not saying just skate by, but know yourself. If you get anxious in public places, don't dive into a gym membership at a GLOBOGYM. If you absolutely hate running, don't make weight loss goals based on the fact that you will become a world class runner. What do you like? How can you make that work for you? Read on...

Seems simple enough, right? Eat a breakfast with a little bit of carbs, fat, and protein. It doesn't have to be a full course meal, but something small in your stomach breaks the fast you fall in for 6 to 10 hours of no eating. When you don't eat, your metabolism slows down. When you eat, it speeds up. You have now added fuel to your system and it can work more efficiently now.  Now many people are thinking, "But I am not hungry in the morning. I should not eat if I am not hungry, right?" WRONG. Not being hungry is actually a bad sign. When you wake up hungry, your body is saying, "I have used up all the great stuff you gave me and I am ready for more! Because I burn it fast because I am an efficient machine!" The goal is to be able to eat more, and burn it off. Breakfast helps with that. It does not happen overnight, but by eating breakfast, you can help jump-start that metabolism. It will also give you energy throughout the day. An easy health tip to a better, more efficient you!

So much of our quick/easy/lazy food is lacking in essential nutrients, especially if you grab and go. Chances are you are losing some vital micronutrients. With your breakfast (that you are all going to start eating, right?), pop a few vitamins. At least a multivitamin. If you really want to know what to take, get a blood panel from your doctor. They usually do them with yearly checkups. Some of the ones I like ar vitamin C, D (I stay out of the sun as much as I can, and if you are like many people today, you might too, so supplement with it), vitamin B (liver, bone health and energy), Fish Oil (Omega 3, not 6 and 9), Calcium/Magnesium (bones/muscle health). Those are just a few I like, but check with your doctor. If you are dieting or have a restricted diet of any kind (low carb, paleo, gluten free, vegan) you might be missing some essentials.

Ever get stiff and sore, and your first thought is "but I have not done anything!" Well, that could be the problem. If you find yourself at a desk job for the majority of the day (or video gaming, or reading, or writing, or art, or anything where you are stationary and sedentary) then you need to move. Moving increases blood flow, which lubricates joints and prevents stiffness. In fact, if you have arthritis, it is suggested that you move or stretch multiple times per day! It is not good for your muscles to be in the same position all the time (like sitting). Some muscles will get shortened due to being in a position for a prolonged period of time. When you sit, your hip flexors get shortened, tightened, and underactive (this causes a variety of problems, namely back problems), but it also causes your glute and hamstring muscles to lengthen and also be underactive (now you still have back problems, but also knee problems, and your muscles don't activate properly when you do normal activities of daily living.) So make a promise to yourself, set an alarm, or get one of those fun and fancy fitness watches that beeps every hour. Take 5 minutes every hour and just stand, stretch, lengthen those muscles, and feel good. Then get back to kicking ass and taking names.

Or work, watch TV, veg, etc...Why? People can consume a TON of calories absentmindedly snacking. You might think that you are taking a handful of chips (yea right, who can eat just a handful?) or a small scoop of nuts (1 tablespoon of nuts is approximately 200 calories).  Unless your snacking on celery or iceberg lettuce, then it does not really matter how healthy your snacking is. Anything in excess will cause weight gain. Beware of salty/sugary goods too, those will catch up on you and are highly addictive. A solution? Take a break (to stretch, remember?), get up, get moving, have a measured snack ready, (yes, measured!), then get back too it! But keep the cheese puffs or trail mix off your desk, it will lead to sabotage. (Trust me, I have put down an entire bag of Costco kettle corn in one sitting. A WHOLE BAG. That is literally the size of a human's torso and head!) Beware the evil snacking!

Even the laziest and busiest of people can accomplish this easy health tip! Fill up a water bottle, drink it, refil. I sometimes put a sticky note on the side of my water bottles and tally how many times I fill it. Yes, yes, you will have the side effect of peeing more, but that's actually good for you! Get it all out. Drinking more water can help with weight loss by actually ridding your body of excess water. See, we humans are generally bad at drinking, and most of us live in slight dehydration, which causes our bodies to store some extra water just in case of emergency. However, when you drink more water, your body is like, cool dude, youre getting enough! No need to hold onto this baggage! And out it comes! Proper hydration also helps with muscle/joint soreness, can clear your skin, and give you more energy. Do go ahead, ignore the satire warning labels about the dangers of dihydrogen monoxide and drink up! For some good reading, go here > http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html

This is kind of a duh one, but needs to be mentioned. Thanks to technology, sedentary jobs, and awesome games, we are a more sedentary generation. Some of the gracefully aged might say "Well, back in my day we walked 47 miles in the snow uphill both ways to school and back!" Ok, be that as it may, there is some truth to be said about being on your feet. It combats the constant sitting epidemic, it gets your heart pumping a bit more, and standing burns almost 2x as many calories as sitting! I mean, why wouldn't you want to stand all day then? Since a lot of problems with weight gain and health issues in current society has to do with inactivity, then doing simple things like walking more can help. Baby steps, first walk, then we can talk about the Mt. Kilimanjaro climb. Park farther, window shop, take the stairs, get a desk that converts to standing, do manual labor around your house/yard, get a dog, family walks, pace at work or while you are on the phone. Get a pedometer or one of those smart watches and count those steps. Get moving!

Ah the laziest of lazy cooking and I love it! Just put a bunch of crap in a pot and forget about it! What could be better? You can get probably five to ten meals out of a crock pot. Throw in some protein (chicken, shrimp, steak, lean beef, turkey) and some veggies, maybe some beans or rice, and you have a healthy concoction. For simplicity, you can put about 8 frozen chicken breasts and some salt in a crock pot and let it do its thing, Each meal you can then dress up individually with its own spices and sides. Bloody Brilliant, and sets you up for success. 

Unless you are into that kinky stuff. No judgement here! But seriously, unless you are in a roommate/dorm situation (which is totally understandable), then try and keep your computers, tablets, work desks out of your sleeping space. I know, I want to constantly fall asleep playing Clash of Lords on my tablet, or reading my Kindle (guilty, I won't lie), but you will get better quality sleep if you disassociate your work/gaming with your bedroom. 

Lets face it, sometimes healthy food has a stigma of being bland and boring. But there are so many amazing spices out there that don't add calories, but do provide health benefits. Adding cinnamon to oatmeal, protein shakes, fruit can lower blood sugar and curb sweet cravings. Turmeric has curcumin which has powerful antioxidant effects and ant-inflammatory effects. Cayenne has capsicum which can boost metabolism and prevent blood clots. Even iodized salt in moderation, and combined with an active lifestyle, has health benefits in boosting hormonal production and aiding in thyroid function. So spice up and get some flavor.