Tips for A Healthy (and sometimes not so healthy) Life

I go through phases where I read healthy-fitness-get-a-body-like-this magazines and websites. I learn a lot from most of the articles, but sometimes I have to laugh when I read things like: "Lose 30 pounds in 30 days without changing what you eat!", "The celery and ice cream diet", the most recent I saw, "Good news gals, beer is good for us!", and "Drink only lemon water, maple syrup and cayenne pepper to lose 10 pounds". I'm a bit embarrassed to admit I tried that last one in college. After about 36 hours of nothing but the lemon juice concoction, a numb tongue, and no energy, I not only gave into a large Craigo's pizza, but I realized I would never do anything that foolish again! I mean the diet and eating a whole pizza. I realized there is a happy medium and to live a healthy life you need balance, moderation, vegetables, and treats! The other day I read Jennifer Aniston's Fitness Plan and as great as it sounded, I don't know that I could actually follow a plan that includes 120 minute work outs each day on 500 calories (this may be slightly exaggerated). I wish I could share with you the rules I follow to live a perfectly healthy, well balanced life. I know the correct things to write, but it would be lying to say I follow all of them. Instead let me share with you what I actually do.

Jamie's Fitness Plan
*Not guaranteed to lose 10 pounds in 10 days, more likely the opposite result will take place if followed.

• I eat a cup of cereal with every meal. It's like a treat, but because it's a breakfast food it's nutritious.
• Besides cucumbers, celery (smothered in peanut butter), and edamame, there are few vegetables I like to just eat plain and cold. I try to eat soups, sandwiches, and salads bursting with yummy veggies.  
• If I walk the halls at school at least 10 times, I figure it equals at least 1.5 miles. Work out for the day? Check. Back off, it may not be the five mile runs I used to do each morning, but it's better than nothing! 
• Because I don't like to drink milk I make sure to eat not only a cup of yogurt a day, but at least one serving of ice cream or frozen yogurt. mmmmmm
• I always try making salads at home and I end up throwing everything away because all I can think about is how much better Cafe Rio's salads are. I've started adding black beans, corn, chicken and avocado to my previously wussy salads. Now they actually fill me up because I'm not pretending to be a bunny rabbit, and they're so delicious I would rather have a salad for lunch than leftover fettucini al-fat-o.  
• Always avoid white breads and flours. Unless of course it involves a donut, churro, or french toast. I eat these things pretty rarely, but when I do they just wouldn't be the same with wheat flour! 
• When in doubt, eat a wheat thin. 
• When I go grocery shopping I don't need to lift weights that day because carrying bags and bags of groceries along with Mark's Mountain Dew cases up three flights of stairs is muscle building enough. 
• I recently read that bananas are one of the least nutrient dense fruits. I don't care, I'm still counting my daily banana as a serving of fruit. 
• "An apple a day keeps the doctor away". Liars. I tried this in college and after getting a cavity and strep I realized this was a myth and started replacing my apple with a package of Starbursts. Which, I might add, are also fruity.