Season is Changing… Healthy Habits for Shorter Days

Healthy Habits
The last five elements have set you up with a clear understanding of where you are currently in terms of your health and identifying your motivation. Now we’ll explore how improving weight management is a byproduct of a simple approach to creating overall health and wellbeing. First, you’ll need to assess the current phase of your weight management. There are three different measurements to evaluate your current phase in your weight management: body mass index, waist circumference, and body fat.

  • Body mass index (BMI). BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. When combined with your waist circumference, it determines if you’re at a healthy weight.
  • Waist circumference. Waist circumference allows us to evaluate organ fat accumulation and indicates if extra fat poses a health challenge. To correctly measure waist circumference, stand and place a tape measure around your middle, just above your hip bone, and measure your waist after exhaling.
  • Body fat. Tracking body fat helps you determine if you are in fact losing fat and not muscle. OPTAVIA’s Programs are designed to minimize muscle loss.

The current state of your weight is exactly that—a phase that you will move through as you continue to improve your weight management. Don’t get caught up on numbers of your weight, BMI, and body fat percentage. Instead, keep these three key points in mind when working toward a healthy weight:

  1. It’s more than weight loss. Your focus should be on building health and wellbeing. These lifestyle changes will motivate you each day.
  2. Use structural tension. Use structural tension to help you transition from your current weight to your desired weight. This will determine the actions you need to take to make this a reality.
  3. Implement the Habits of Health. Your healthy weight will derive from implementing new healthy habits that will make managing your weight much easier. Unlike willpower, habits transform your old actions into new choices that support your long-term health.

Ask me, your OPTAVIA Coach, about other tips to improve your weight management on your journey to Lifelong Transformation, One Healthy Habit at a Time® and stay tuned for next week’s newsletter featuring Element 07 of Your LifeBook in the new Habits of Health Transformational System—creating a new leptogenic world.

Still need to order your NEW Habits of Health® Transformational System? Let’s connect today!
Join this week’s Habits of Health® Webinar, Your LifeBook—Element 06 on Wednesday, September 18th  at 8:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. CT/5:30 p.m. PT, hosted by Independent OPTAVIA® Coach Amber Smithson.
HOW TO CONNECT:
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://zoom.us/j/113312513

Or iPhone one-tap (US Toll):
+1(646)558.8656

Or Dial (US Toll):
+1(646)558.8656

And Enter the Pin: 113312513#

Now that the days are getting shorter, you may be tempted to stay indoors and hibernate, which can stall your progress toward reaching your health goals. Don’t let this get in the way of your transformation! Here are some ways to stay on track and maintain your healthy habits:

  • Get some sun. As the days become shorter and darker earlier, we get less time in the sun. Supplement with either Vitamin D or make sure that you spend some time outside. Vitamin D can boost your mood and immune system.
  • Prepare for flu season.  Build up your immune system by taking vitamins and stock up on hand sanitizer. Practicing healthy sleep habits can help keep the common cold away from you and your family.
  • Maintain your Habits of Motion. Just because the weather is changing that doesn’t mean that you can’t continue your healthy habits of motion. Take your habit inside or layer up and continue to stay in motion.
  • Take time for yourself. This time of the year can be hectic and overwhelming, so it’s important to take time for yourself when you can. It can be as simple as journaling for an hour each day or reading each night uninterrupted.

Ask me, your OPTAVIA Coach, about other ways to practice healthy habits this season on your journey to Lifelong Transformation, One Healthy Habit at a Time®.
PER SERVING: 1 LEANER | 3 GREEN | 1 HEALTHY FAT| 2 CONDIMENTS

YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

TOTAL TIME: 60 MINUTES
Ingredients

For Spaghetti Squash Hash Browns:

1 large spaghetti squash

1 cup chopped scallions

½ tsp garlic powder

3 eggs

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

2 tsp olive oil

4 oz shredded, low-fat cheddar cheese

For Maple Turkey Sausage Patties:

½ tsp dried sage

¼ tsp dried thyme

¼ tsp rosemary

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground pepper

2 Tbsp sugar-free maple syrup

1 lb 95-97% lean ground turkey

2 tsp olive oil

 Directions

  1. Prepare the spaghetti squash. Cut in half, and remove seeds and stringy pulp.
  2. Place each spaghetti squash half face down in a microwave-safe baking dish, and fill dish with about one inch of water. Microwave on high for 10 to 15 minutes, until middle is tender and pulls apart easily.
  3. Meanwhile, prepare turkey sausage patties. Combine all seasonings in a bowl. Mix seasonings and syrup into ground turkey with hands. Form turkey mixture into patties, and cook in skillet with olive oil, until cooked through and lightly browned.
  4. Scrape flesh of spaghetti squash with a fork to create spaghetti-like strands, and remove strands from the skin.
  5. Allow squash to cool, and then squeeze the squash strands in your hands a few times over the sink to release excess water.
  6. Combine drained squash strands, scallions, garlic powder, eggs, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
  7. Cook squash mixture in large skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.
  8. Immediately top with the cheddar cheese, and serve with maple turkey sausage patties.
Per Serving: 330 calories | 40g protein | 17g carbohydrate | 13g fat

Visit our OPTAVIA Pinterest page for an extensive assortment library of Lean & Green meals.

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