Source: University Health Center:credits-caption:

This year, I have thrown down the proverbial gauntlet and am taking no prisoners when it comes to my health.  Now that I am 36, I look back and realize I have done my body no favors by the choices I've made so far.  Although I've always remained somewhat active, there have been times that I've let that slide for too long.  My main focus this year though, centers around my diet.  Gone are the days of poor nutritional choices, for in 2013, this girl is turning over a new leaf.

Forming these new life-long habits however is not easy.  Most psychologists believe that a new habit takes up to 66 days of practice before it becomes truly automatic.  So what baby steps will I be taking this year, 66 days at a time?  Here are the living healthy goals I've set for myself, in no particular order:

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Source: Diet and I :credits-caption:

If you've been reading my blog since the New Year, you might have read a few posts concerning my try at the South Beach Diet.  I'm definitely on a quest to get healthy and completely overhaul my junk food-laden diet.  The reason I chose the South Beach Diet program to begin with is because I liked how it began with a detox portion and then slowly introduced more and more foods, eventually ending with a healthy, nutritional diet that is to be maintained for life.

The South Beach Diet Phase One though is definitely no joke and much harder than it looks.  During this phase, you are allowed no fruits, little to no dairy, no starches or carbs and even some vegetables, like carrots, are restricted.  I knew this wasn't going to be easy, but not exactly for the reasons I had originally thought.  I thought that I would be craving sugar and carbs like crazy, but was surprised when this didn't happen.

You see, I'm not the biggest fan of food and actually don't enjoy eating a lot.  I eat when I'm hungry and I like feeling full all day.  Perhaps this is why I would typically snack on starches, carbs and dairy...they always did a great job of filling me up.

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Source: Supermarket Guru :credits-caption:

By now you know which foods are healthy and which are not. Fruits and veggies should be snack staples, while Doritos and Red Bull really shouldn't be part of your daily intake. Though you have a handle on where and what to buy, your new year's resolution to eat healthier seemingly conflicts with your other goal to spend less money.

According to the USDA Economic Research Service, the average cost of fresh fruits and vegetables will increase between 3.5 and 4 percent in 2013. Not surprisingly, that's higher than the estimated increase for sugar and sweets.

Despite these projections, healthy food doesn't have to put a huge dent in your bank account. Follow these 13 strategies for smarter health food shopping on a budget.

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Woo hoo!  I'm officially into Day 3 of the South Beach Diet Phase One and I have to admit that this diet is pretty challenging for me so far.  The first full day I was a total wreck!  I tried not to drink any coffee at all (which I always begin my day with) because I also pour a ton of cream and sugar in it.  Unfortunately, this made me feel worse and so I did my best to drink a cup of coffee, black, which was pretty gross too.

Honestly though, I think I felt so bad because my body was actually detoxing from the horrible foods I've been living on for so long.  Now that I'm on Day 3, I'm beginning to feel a little better and I even have moments where I feel quite good.  The hard part for me is finding unique, yet healthy ways to feel full, without all of the cooking and preparation for each and every meal.

My go-to breakfast is definitely a veggie omelet of one kind or another and I've become quite fond of turkey wraps too for lunch.  I've also discovered that I like drinking vegetable juice cocktail, like V-8.  Honestly, I'm quite surprised that the veggie dishes I've been eating are as yummy as they are.  I've always avoided vegetables like the plague and see now just how silly I've been all these years.  They're not near as bad as I've made them out to be, which is a pleasant surprise.

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Source: Health :credits-caption:

So you overindulged during the holidays and gained a few pounds or, even more distressing, you’ve added even more weight to the weight you were trying to shed all year.

Regain the upper hand by following a simple P.L.A.N. for weight-loss success from Dr. Eudene Harry, the medical director and founder of Oasis for Optimal Health, a private practice focused on integrative, holistic wellness and empowering and educating the patient:

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First, let me start by saying this is not a product review and I've received no compensation or products pertaining to the South Beach Diet.  This post and all others soon to follow are merely descriptions of my journey towards a healthier lifestyle.  I will be turning 37 years old this year and am honestly ashamed at the foods I choose to put in my body each day.

Do you remember the kind of foods you ate when you were eighteen?  Plenty of fast food and sweets completely devoid of fruits and vegetables?  Well unfortunately, I still eat this way and I believe that it's finally caught up with me for good.  A few months ago, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease, an auto-immune disease of the thyroid.  Since then, I've been in and out of doctor's offices and hospitals getting test after test and opinion after opinion on how to proceed next.

If there's one thing I know from my days of studying Science, it's that sugar actually lowers your immune system and although Hashimoto's disease does have genetic roots, I personally believe that my high-sugar diet is to blame.  The more I contemplate and really think about what I eat each day, the more I realize that I'm probably a full blown sugar and carb addict at this point.

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