If you are just getting started or need a "refresher", you've come to the right place! These are things that have helped me be successful on my journey!
• Meal planning is huge! I sit down each week before I going to the grocery store and plan out my meals. This helps get you focused on control.
• I don’t keep things in the house that tempt me (ex: chocolate, ice cream, chips, etc!). It’s good to have healthy, low calorie snacks on hand like grapes, carrots, or bananas. When I first started I “cleaned” out my cupboards and got rid of foods that wouldn’t help be successful on this journey. I felt bad about throwing perfectly “good” food out, so I decided to donate it! Do good for your body and the community!
• Set goals! If you don’t know where you’re headed, sometimes it’s hard to get there! Setting clear, measurable goals is a good way to track your progress. For example, I want to lose 5lbs this month, run a 5K, or work out 4 days this week.
• Tracking is HUGE! I take pictures of my food as a way of tracking. But writing your daily eats down is just as good. Those BLT’s (bites, licks, tastes) add up!
• Don’t restrict yourself too much that usually is setting you up to fail. Choose foods that are filling, but healthy like lean meats and veggies so you don’t feel deprived.
• Don’t think of this as a quick fix diet. You didn’t get to this point quickly. Think of this as a lifestyle change, not a diet. It’s ok to lose weight slowly, you’re more likely to maintain!
• Planning ahead is key. Before you go out to a restaurant look up the menu to see what options they have that will fit in your plan. It’s ok to be picky when it comes to helping you be successful.
• Exercise is a big part on this journey. Something that helps me is mixing things up. I might run one day, weight train the next, or zumba class. Another thing that helps is having a work out buddy! Accountability always works!
• I set “rewards” when I meet my goals. It’s good to feel proud of yourself and accomplishments.
• The last, but not least tip I would like to share is being committed!!! It takes motivation to get started, but it takes commitment not to quit!
