Model Written by Kara Thompson
1. START WITH WATER The first step you can take on your journey to a healthier lifestyle is likely one that you’ve heard before, but Courtney James, a model and health coach from Los Angeles, can’t stress enough how important it is to drink a lot of water. She suggests that you start your morning off with a warm glass of water and a squeeze of lemon. “It’s one of the most simple things to implement into your life and it can really do a lot to improve your overall health.”
Healthy habits you can start today from co-authors of MODELS DO EAT
By drinking water right when you wake up, not only do you replenish your body from the hydration it needs after you sleep, but you create a mindset that it’s an important habit that should be practiced throughout the day. It can be challenging to start making changes, but try to keep a reusable water bottle with you to encourage yourself. If you’re leaving the room, bring it along with you. If you’re running errands, toss it in your tote. As long as it’s always near you, you’re on the right track. 2. EAT MINDFULLY When it comes to food it’s important to ask yourself what your body needs, and a great way to practice this is by eating mindfully. Jill de Jong, a personal trainer, health coach, and author of Models Do Eat, recommends that you pay attention to the food you put into your body every single day. Think about how a meal made you feel when it was complete. Did it give you energy or make you tired? Did you feel satisfied or bloated? Are you happy about what you ate or do you feel guilty? When you take a step back and focus on the way food makes you feel, it becomes easier to make healthier choices the next time around. Fresh vegetables are much more likely to make you feel better than a bag of chips and a hearty bowl of quinoa and chicken will keep your energy level higher than fast food will. To start making healthier choices, try cooking at home or meal prepping for the week ahead so that you can see first-hand what ingredients are going into your meals. “Working with food, like washing fruit and chopping veggies, makes me appreciate what I put into my mouth so much more. I’ll eat better quality food that’s organic and non-GMO because I source it myself,” says Jill.
36 | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
