"Success is the sum of small efforts repeated
day in and day out." Robert Collier
Ultimately, no matter what diet or fitness program you choose, maintaining consistency throughout your chosen program will be the deciding factor in your success. Jump start your healthy lifestyle with the following tips and learn how to stay focused, be consistent & reap the benefits!!
Plan, Plan, Plan: "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail" Most people set a mental standard in their head, "from now on I'm going to eat healthy" or "I'm going to start making healthier eating decisions" but never really make it out the gate...because they have no plan. "Winging it" in the diet world is a recipe for disaster! They're not sure how many calories they should be eating or even how often or what types of food they should eat. They're also not sure how much protein or fat they've eaten on a regular basis, or if they are getting all their daily nutrients. Instead, poor decisions are made for lack of a plan. Quick snacks & too many of them a day take the place of good nutritious meals and then we feel as though we've failed. In order to eat a well rounded diet and set yourself up for success you need to plan. We need to spend some time, sit down, and really figure out what we're going to eat from day to day.
Shop Till You Drop: This is part of your planning. Once you've got your weekly menu in place & you know what you'll be eating for the week, it's time to hit the stores. I usually sit down with all of my recipes for the week and check the pantry & refrigerator to see what I need to buy in order to make all my menu items. When you go shopping, buy ONLY the things on the list. If there isn't any bad food in my house, then I don't eat it. I even do a quick scan while standing in the checkout line..."Am I sure that everything in my cart is helping me get healthier?" If it's not...I kindly put it back. Sometimes it's painful to part with...but the weight coming off feels too good :)
Snack Away: Things don't always go as planned. A forgotten son's baseball game or a late meeting can mean disaster for your precious plan that I've been forcing you to make. So when life happens we have to be prepared. One of the top reasons people eat fast food is convenience. Not necessarily because they enjoy it or believe it is healthy, but because life has thrown them a curve ball, they are running late....and hungry! Yes, I'm the crazy lady with a load of snacks in her purse. Don't judge!! I'd rather it be healthy snacks than chicken nuggets stuffed in my cheeks!! Here are some great snacks that I keep in my house and purse/car at all times!
Almonds or Pecans
Cliff Bars
Larabars
Baby Bell Light Cheese
Yoplait 2x Greek Yogurt
Veggie Chips
Hummus
Carrot or Zucchini slices
Low Fat Veggie Dip
Fruit (apples, bananas, strawberries, oranges)
Tuna
Organic Apple Sauce
Fat Free Pudding Packs
Atkins Bars (For my sweet tooth)
Triscuit Crackers
AllBran Crackers
Planters Nutrition Heart Healthy Snack Mix
Smart Balance Light Butter Popcorn
Tea Bags (instead of coffee)
Healthy Rewards: In the past food has been everything for me. It's been my entertainment, my emotional break and lately...my reward. After really thinking about it...rewarding myself with bad food for eating so well all week is self-sabbotage. I have the hardest time on the weekends. I feel like since I was good all week I can do & eat whatever I want from Friday at 5pm to Sunday at 10pm...but that's not doing me any favors. I'm not advertising that you shouldn't ever reward yourself for good behavior, but reward yourself with good. That's right, instead of a candy bar or a piece of cake, how about a massage or an hour long uninterrupted hot bath. What about taking an afternoon to do whatever hobby you enjoy, whether it be shopping or the gun range, take time for you!! Skip the cake...it's just going to make your butt big!!
Tell me more about your biggest struggles with weight loss or eating healthy...you're not alone.
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