Tip #1:  Eat Your Carbs Earlier in the Day

Try to consume your carbs earlier in the day rather than later. I know, sometimes it’s hard because you want some sweet potato, brown rice or quinoa with your dinner, but ideally you’ll want to consume high carb foods at breakfast or lunch or for your early snacks. The human body uses carbs for energy. We are most active during the day and, therefore, you are more likely to use up the carbs then.  Unused carbs are stored as glycogen. If that glycogen doesn’t get used for activity, it gets stored as fat. This is NO BUENO people!  Also keep in mind that we’re not just talking about the carbs in pasta, bread, beans, and legumes.  Fruits and starchy veggies also have carbs.  This isn’t a rule that I stick with ALL the time.  Let’s face it, sometimes a girl needs some hot-air popped popcorn while watching a movie on a Saturday night.  Yes, yes, I live quite the exciting life and live on the edge.  ? Honestly, I wouldn’t trade it for the world!  I love my life!

Tip #2: Ditch the Table salt

Our soil has become depleted of nutrients.  Therefore, it’s difficult to get many of the minerals that we need from the foods we eat.  Our oceans and seas contain an abundance of sea salts which provide us with trace minerals. Sea salt also is a great source of electrolytes, including magnesium, sodium, calcium, and potassium.  Electrolytes help regulate your heartbeat and allow your muscles to contract thereby allowing movement.  When out of balance, the results can be deadly.

We often hear that we should limit the amount of salt we take in.  Did you know that not getting enough salt also is detrimental to your health?  Yep!  It is very important to maintain a balance of just the right amount of sodium in your body.  Too much or too little has negative consequences.

So, what makes sea salt the better choice over regular table salt?  Well… how about the fact that table salt is heavily processed which results in the obliteration of any minerals it had to begin with?  Not enough?  Okay, then how about this: table salt is heated to such a high degree that all the nutritional benefits are destroyed.  What we are consuming with table salt is sodium chloride with added anti-caking chemicals, iodine, MSG, and aluminum derivatives! ? No thank you!  I’ll take the beautiful, all-natural pink Himalayan or sea salt any day over table salt.  Here’s the one I buy:  Pink Himalayan Sea Salt.  Sometimes I get the coarse granules and grind it as needed.  Depends on my mood.  Haha!

Tip #3: Drink Organic Apple Cider Vinegar Daily

I’m not talking about just any kind of apple cider vinegar (ACV) here.  I’m referring to the organic, raw, unfiltered kind with the mother at the bottom.  The mother (the cloudy, particle-filled gunk that settles at the bottom of the bottle) is what holds the magic!  This is the one I buy: Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar.  Now, I’d be lying if I said I enjoy this stuff, but do I drink it every day?  You bet I do!  I may plug my nose as I gulp it down but the benefits of this inexpensive wonder “food” make the stench almost tolerable.  (I still recommend you plug your nose)!  Just sayin’!

Some benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar:

• Alleviates heartburn and acid reflux
• Helps stabilize cholesterol and blood sugar levels
• Works as an appetite suppressant thanks to the acetic acid
• Has antioxidants which fight free radicals
• Helps with nutrient absorption (add it to your salads)

If you’re like me and prefer to just get it over and done with, you can pour 1-2 tablespoons of ACV into a small glass dilute it with a little water, PLUG YOUR NOSE, and chug.  If you want to turn it into an affair, measure out the ACV, add it to a glass of water along with some honey and lemon juice and enjoy—kind of!

So, there you have it– 3 more of my Healthy Living Tips that I follow!  My biggest tip continues to be… FUEL UP for a FIT LIFE!!