Hungry Girl: My Old School Tips For Kick-Starting a Healthier Lifestyle – People Magazine

Lisa Lillien is the author of the popular Hungry Girl website and email newsletter, featuring smart, funny advice on guilt-free eating. She is also the author of eleven books, six of which debuted at number one on the New York Times Best Sellers list. Read her PEOPLE.com blog every Monday for slimmed-down celebrity recipes and more.

Chalk it up to Stranger Things — ’80s nostalgia is booming again.

Sure, cool advancements make life easier for us in 2016, but every now and then, it’s a good idea to kick it old school. These blasts from the past can help you out with a healthy lifestyle!

Brew your own coffee at home
Surely you recall a time when there wasn’t a Starbucks on every corner. Skip the high-calorie coffee drinks, and craft your own coffee before you step out the door. Pack it in a travel mug or (if you wanna go really retro) a snazzy Thermos! I like to add unsweetened vanilla almond milk and stevia for a creamy java drink that won’t break the calorie bank.

WATCH: Food Hack: Save Burnt Cookies

Talk to your coworkers in person instead of emailing or messaging
We’ve all sent instant messages, texts and emails to the person sitting across the room, likely too many times to count. Instead of typing up a tornado, get up, walk over, and have an actual conversation! You’ll burn some extra calories and probably communicate more effectively. And let’s be honest: Most of us have gotten weirdly out of the habit of talking to people face to face.

RELATED: Hungry Girl: My 106-Calorie Pumpkin Spice Muffins Are a Healthy Way to Eat the Trend

Pack a sack lunch like mom would make
You might have been bummed when your mom fixed you a healthy lunch rather than letting you eat the junk all your classmates got — “Mo-o-om, it’s pizza day!” — but she knew what she was doing. Keep it simple: a turkey sandwich with mustard on whole wheat, apple slices, and baby carrots will fill you up and feed you right. Need an added sweet treat? Check out these chocolate goodies with 100 calories or less. Much smarter than reaching for the takeout menus stashed at the reception desk.

RELATED: Hungry Girl: Take Your Favorite Summer Cocktail Into Fall With My Apple Spice Daiquiri

Ignore your cell phone
OK, I’m not suggesting you leave your primary means of communication home for the day, but stepping away from the screen from time to time is advisable, especially at night. The glow from our phones has been found to mimic daylight to the brain, throwing off the sleep cycle. More sleep = healthier you!

‘Til next time… Chew the right thing!