Welcome To The Healthy Corner of Patch

Hey y’all! I’m Christina, a Mount Pleasant resident and lover of all things food and fitness. Follow me as I review local restaurants as well as stir things up in my own kitchen. In my column you can find tidbits on anything related to healthy eating, exercise, or what’s new in the world of food.

As the writer of a healthy living blog, I find myself constantly daydreaming about food. Some people eat to live, but I live to eat. As much as I enjoy filling my tummy with tasty treats, I know that I can’t indulge all the time. I firmly believe that living a healthy lifestyle means finding the balance between exercising and savoring the occasional cookie. You have to enjoy life, right? The motto I follow is, “I balance running and cookies.” And my friends, that is exactly what I do. I eat a lot. So what? I run a lot too. It all evens out in the end, and not only is my heart healthy, but my stomach is too.

Seems easy right? Well, it wasn’t always easy for me. After my sophomore year of college, I finally decided it was time to lose some extra weight that I had gained over the years. I lost fifty pounds! People constantly asked how I did it. Fad diets? No. Extreme exercising? No. Diet pills? Never! A few simple changes became a lifestyle. With this being my introductory post, I thought it would be perfect to share my favorite healthy living tips.

1. Water is your friend. Make it your best friend. Water detoxifies, helps our organs to absorb nutrients, and increases our metabolism. It’s great for your skin, too!
2. Exercise. Well this is a no-brainer, right? I recommend strenuous cardio at least three times a week. Strength training is a must! Muscles are hot! More muscle tone equals increased metabolism. And ladies—do not be afraid of bulking up. You won’t! Trust me on that one.
3. Eat 5-6 regular-sized meals, rather than 3 big ones. Eating often keeps your metabolism boosted and you are less likely to overeat in a single sitting. Always eat breakfast, as it is the most important meal of the day.
4. For your main meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), be sure to have a mixture of protein, fiber,  and healthy fats. The combination of the three will keep you satisfied.
5. Get some sleep. Lack of zzz’s leads to overeating to make up for the body’s low energy levels.  So fluff that pillow and get in bed a bit earlier! You’ll feel so much better in the morning.
6. Treat yourself. Resisting sweets entirely will only lead you to overindulge later. That’s just depressing. Want a cookie? Have a cookie. Stop at 1 and smile that you’ve satisfied your sweet tooth without going overboard.
7. Chew sugar-free gum. I know this sounds silly, but sometimes your body just wants to be chewing on something. Pop a stick of gum in your mouth and you’ll be surprised to find that you weren’t that hungry in the first place.
8. Watch your labels. Just because a product claims that is “low fat” or “light” doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Many foods that have been reduced in fat have more sugar or salt than the regular product to make up for flavor.
9. Increase your fruit and vegetable intake. Fruit is great, veggies are better! They are packed with necessary vitamins that your body craves and will fill you up more than processed goods. Embrace nature’s goodness and your body will thank you.
10. Read. Healthy eating and fitness advice can be found everywhere you look. Check out books at the library, subscribe to a healthy eating magazine, seek advice from trainers at the gym, or email me with questions. Knowledge is power!

Please note that I have had no formal training in nutrition or exercise. The majority of my knowledge comes from a lot of reading, time spent in the gym, and simply what has worked for me. I hope you find this advice helpful. Please feel free to email me any questions, on any subject matter, and I will be glad to try my best to answer them. Have something you’d like to see featured in my column? Let me know!

Christina Orso works for local software development firm but in her spare time she's a foodie and is dedicated to living a healthy liftestyle. She maintains the award-winning blog, Hungry Meets Healthy.