11 Ways To Accomplish #LittleWins Throughout The Day

There comes a time in everyone's life when they grow up and realize... Mom was right. Mom was [...]

There comes a time in everyone's life when they grow up and realize... Mom was right. Mom was right when she said it's best to tell the truth, she was right when she said it's easier to catch flies with honey than vinegar, and she was definitely right when she said it's the little things that make life wonderful. Sometimes we get so caught up in life's daily struggles that we give into temptation, skipping a workout here, eating a handful of tasty candy there. That's OK if we're meant to enjoy the "little things," right? Wrong! We found a few ways to enjoy the #LittleWins of every day while still leading a healthy lifestyle. Soon these #LittleWins will add up into a wildly successful day. Check them out!

1. When craving an unhealthy snack, grab a ZonePerfect nutrition bar. If that vending machine filled with delicious candy bars down the hall is sounding a little too tempting, avoid a snacking accident and grab a ZonePerfect bar instead! The flavor choices are endless (our favorites are chocolate mint, dark chocolate almond, strawberry yogurt and salted caramel brownie) and each bar boasts an impressive amount of protein, making it a smarter choice than a candy bar full of empty calories. (And honestly, these bars taste just as good as your favorite candy bar - not dry and flavorless like many nutrition bars out there!)

ZonePerfect bar with weights and tank

2. Get crafty to stay hydrated. If you have a trusted water bottle you take everywhere you go (not unlike your child's blankie), consider a DIY project! Draw hash marks that correlate with times of day and challenge yourself to drink to (or past) the line to meet every deadline. It'll feel great knowing you've achieved your goals and you'll have a visual reminder to hold you accountable.

3. When you crave a bottle of soda, chug a glass of water. Next time you feel a Dr. Pepper or Diet Coke craving coming on, reach for that water bottle instead. Chug a glass of cold water, smack your lips together and get back to business.

4. Get active after every meal. Force your body to move after every meal. Park in the farthest parking spot at the office after eating breakfast (and then take the stairs!), take a lap around the building after lunch, go for a walk with the kids and pup after dinner. Whatever you decide to do, move your body!

5. When cooking dinner, make enough leftovers for tomorrow's lunch. Instead of defaulting to the sandwich shop across the street for lunch again, pack the leftovers from last night's healthy dinner! For ideas on easy, healthy dinner recipes, click here.

brooke griffin meal prep

6. Add 2 extra minutes to your workout. We know the feeling of counting down the seconds of your workout until you can lie on the floor and catch your breath. Next time, though, add an extra minute or two, knowing you pushed your body harder than it's used to, and therefore burned more fat and calories than usual!

7. Make a killer pump-up playlist. Spend some time crafting a killer playlist that will blast through your headphones, encouraging you to pedal faster, jump higher and kick swifter. If Queen Bey can't amp up your workout, nothing can! Click here to see our favorite Beyoncé workout playlist.

8. Avoid unhealthy snacking by keeping healthy snacks in your purse, gym bag, car, desk drawer, etc. So you're driving past Wendy's and start rationalizing why it's OK to roll through the drive-thru just this once. Stop! Reach for your purse or console and pull out a nutrition bar or other nutritious snack. ZonePerfect bars are a great source of yummy protein and are perfect for storing in your gym bag or desk drawer for when hunger sneaks up on you. Pick up some ZonePerfect bars in the pharmacy section at Walmart or click here to buy online!

ZonePerfect bars poking out of gym bag

9. Happy hour blues? Next time you're out with the girls, don't let the call of a vodka soda with lime set back all your progress! Order a sparkling water with a fresh garnish like a lemon. It will be as pretty as a cocktail and save you the empty calories!

10. Try a new healthy food with every meal, whether a veggie, spice, herb, etc. It can completely transform a bland meal into a delicious and healthy one! Ever tried rosemary? Try it in our Skinny Rosemary Chicken and Brown Rice recipe!

11. Make a weekly fitness routine. Pencil in your workouts like you would a meeting or doctor's appointment, and stick to it! Enjoy the #LittleWins, knowing you stuck to your guns and worked hard!

All these #LittleWins will add up into a wildly successful day, but you'll be too busy enjoying them to think of it as extra work. Keep track of your #LittleWins in a food or fitness journal to stay motivated, and reward yourself after meeting a certain amount. Keep up the good work!


Editor's note: ZonePerfect® compensated SkinnyMom.com for this post.

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