It's a tall order to change a lifetime of bad habits.
Live in the moment and SLOW down. Don't let life pass you bye. Enjoy it~ take charge~ After all YOU are the director
As a little girl I was a candy-holic. I rode my bike EVERYWHERE. We played outside. I was always on the go with friends. soaking up the sun and being a kid!
My father used to say," one day I'll find you dead in the corner with a twinky in one hand and a yoohoo in the other. LOL Today I still have a wicked sweet tooth. However, times and habits have changed!
In my later teen years/twenties I drank, smoked stayed out all night and lived off fast food. I was miserable! After years of abuse I was at the doctor with reflux/ stress/tightness in my throat and over weight. I went for multiple tests. I saw a few specialist. I was told to stop eating greasy food and quit smoking. BUT how? No one to show me or teach me? Where do I begin? how do I start? I turned to a roller coaster of diet plans. ug I tried just about ALL of them!
I was sick and tired of being sick and tired!
I quit smoking for the last time. I signed up at the local gym and never looked back. Actually,my passion for fitness skyrocketed. I wanted to learn EVERYTHING about fitness and wellness. I went back to college with 3 small children. My oldest son Brett was in elementary school. I enrolled in college. I was lucky enough to bring the 2 little one's to daycare provided on campus. My journey in Exercise Science began: I also became a Certified Personal Trainer thru AFAA. Where there is a will there is a way! It's never to late. I'm considering going back again.
No diet works. Sorry, it's the truth. Think about it? If there was a diet that worked there would only be ONE. It's a mulit billion dollar money maker. You try a diet, pill, and/or shot. End up depriving yourself, your miserable and hungry. You may lose weight but soon quit and slip back into old habits. Except this time you gain it all back plus some! Which makes you feel like a failure. YOU DIDN'T FAIL THE DIET DID. They bank on you quitting.The hardest part is keeping the weight off. Ever wonder why you can be a life time member? There is data but it's data they want you to believe and hear. Notice the fine print..".not typical results". I am here to help you figure this out. If I had to chose I would say Weight Watchers. They guide and educate you while you make your own daily choices.
You have to commit to eating healthier and cooking! Don't fear cooking. You don't have to be a gourmet chef. I have dinner with my family every night. It is so important to sit down at the table as a family and communicate. It's easier then you think! At least commit to a few nights if you have a crazy schedule.
Truth is we all now how to each right and make the right decisions. It's in our DNA. We just get sucked into a "quick fix diet".
A Healthy lifestyle takes time, commitment and patience. It's a learning journey that you will not regret! You will ultimately feel better, sleep better and be the best YOU. It does take effort and dedication. I find most people want it but don't want to work for it. It's like saying, "I'm going to buy that car without a savings or job." It won't happen.
***EAT AT THE TABLE not in front of the TV. Where you are most apt to mindlessly eat.
The first step is to re train your taste buds.This is why most "diets" have a detox or "Can't eat for a week" Your taste buds have been high jacked with the commercial processed "healthy" food on the market. The food companies only have one interest~ MONEY. They do not care about your health!
Enough about that.
A few helpful essential tips:
This is key: SHOP THE OUTER ISLES OF THE GROCERY STORE WHENEVER POSSIBLE. This is where dairy, produce, meat and vegetables are located. Mainly they all come from nature. They are NOT made in a PLANT by a chemist.
1. You must eat breakfast: break/ the/ fast. Your body has been with out food for 8 hours (ideally) repairing it self. The human body is amazing! It will work with you when you fuel it correctly.
TIP: If you wake up not hungry you may be eating to much or late the night before. If you are not hungry or feel sick eat something small. Ideally within and hour of waking up. After a week or so of eating breakfast. You will start waking up hungry. It will charge your metabolism and get the body burning.
Think of a fire..in order to keep it burning you have to fuel it or it will burn out. Or think of your body like a your car. You can't run on empty. When folks say, "I have a slow metabolism" That drives me crazy. Again, the body is amazing! It fears starvation. Therefore, holding on to the last meal. If you eat on a regular schedule it will work for you instead of against you.
Your blood sugar will remain steady and start to burn those calories. Yes, you will be hungry so be prepared. With small meals and snacks. Pretty much nothing in the vending machine is healthy.
If you fail to plan then plan to fail! You won't make poor decisions if your belly is full;)
1. Eat off smaller plates. Dinner plates are HUGE. We eat off the salad plates at dinner.
Limit your exposure to toxins. Stop eating and drinking from plastic wear. They're tiny chemicals leaching into the body messing with your hormones and natural rhythm. If you must- then look for BPA FREE plastic. If it doesn't have those words on the box put it down. This is especially important with baby bottles,sippy cups, utensils and children's dinner ware! NEVER EVER microwave plastic unless it's BPA free. Even then I would put it on a dish and then heat.
2. Eat local. Support you local farmer. I belong to a local farm. I pay a club fee of 50.00 a season. I also pay 15.00 a week for a basket filled with vibrant, rich,VINE RIPE nutrient dense foods. I look forward to going to the farm weekly and socializing with the friendly staff.
TIP: produce in the grocery store will have stickers or sign in front of the display. Look at the fine print it will tell you where the food is grown and shipped from. That food is picked weeks/months before it has matured and sprayed with chemicals to enhance color. This is why local is best and packed with vine ripened super nutrition for the body! I TRY to buy USA only. This sadly is becoming very difficult;(
TIP: Do you have to eat organic?
Sometimes it's best. There are the" dirty dozen" foods that you really should consider and pay the extra few bucks on. Apple, celery, spinach, peaches are ranked high on pesticides Here is a link of the top offenders: http://www.organic.org/articles/showarticle/article-214
3. You have to move at least 30 minutes a day. You can break it down into 10 minute increment. Brisk walk, dance, jog, elliptical, bike, walk the dog, hike, swim, take a class do whatever motivates you. Just move! TIP: Park at the other end of the lot, take the stairs, are a few examples.
4. Get a check up! so many folks are walking around with thyroid problems, diabetes, high blood pressure,cholesterol, etc. These may be hindering your weight loss and slowly killing you. If you don't feel like something is right demand more tests or get a second opinion. Listen to your body it's usually right.
I was mis diagnosed for years with anxiety. I knew they were wrong. I still took the medicine. I kept telling the doctor my symptoms are worse just prior to my menstrual. She said then here take this too;( Eventually, I requested to see a endocrinologist. This is where I learned I had hypothyroidism.It was slightly off. My primary doctor missed this. I didn't blame her. Each Doctor has there own beliefs and guidelines. I have since been on thyroid medication and anxiety free. My side effect weren't weight gain but I began to sweat more then the norm during exercise, hair loss and anxiety. Everyone's symptoms are different.
I'll never forget waiting three months to call the shrink back and tell her I"M CURED. It was my thyroid. I knew it wasn't anxiety! I wont' be visiting you again EVER;)
Plus, I was on a fast track to diabetes. My A1c was questionable. I was given a meter and told to check my blood sugar levels daily. Thankfully things only got better!
5. Learn to read labels. This is a must! Ingredients are listed in order from most to least. Avoid or limit High fructose corn syrup (HFCS). It is in everything from ketchup, dressing to breads. Companies are listening when consumers fight back in large numbers. They are removing HFCS from products. HFCS is a preservative. It's gives food an extended shelf life. Ever wonder how bread last so long vs years ago? There are a whole host of other reasons you should avoid it. I'm keeping it simple;)
6. When eating out always SHARE the appetizer or dessert. Have a few fork fulls so you don't feel deprived. Eat slowly and enjoy each bite. Don't inhale it without tasting it. Opt for a lean grilled/baked protein. smallest size oz. ask for vegetables to be steamed, opt for a healthy carb. such as sweet potato (not the fries) brown rice, or potato with add ins' on the side. Google the nutrition tab at the restaurant. Know what you want before you arrive. PLAN
*Tip: start with a clear broth soup. It will fill you prior to dinner. Or a side salad with the dressing on the side. You control the amount to use. Ideally, you should use 2 TBS. Measure if you must in the beginning to learn portion size. Another great tip is to dip your fork into the dressing prior to each fork full.
7. Don't drink your calories. Increase your water intake. It will flush the toxins out of your body!. You will stop running to the bathroom as soon as the body adapts. I promise;)
8. When you make healthy choices that fuel the body weight will just drop off without effort!
If you give your body healthy fresh wholesome food. It knows how to process and nurture/heal the body. It's when you eat boxed, bagged processed junk daily that they body goes haywire. Read the label if you can't pronounce the ingredients put it down. Most of the foods are loaded with sugar, salt and fat. It's is specially formulate and made in a LABORATORY not by a chef! They have figured out how to make a visual and palatable food to keep you addicted and wanting more. Make no mistake it is a hard cycle to break.
*NEVER BUY FAT FREE. it's is mostly chemicals and has unpronounceable ingredients. Your better off eating food in it's most natural form.
Example: If you are faced with multiple types of Greek yogurt. Grab all brands, spin them around and compare ingredient list. Fewer list ingredient the better. Best bet is to buy plain and add your own fruit. If you absolutely hate plain then vanilla with fresh fruit. Next choice is mixed fruit.Typical choice: which is a quick on the go snack. You can also find fresh made parfaits in produce dept.
Please don' t eliminate any fruit or vegetables from your diet. They are always the best option vs bagged snacks. *Unless you were told by a doctor
I had a client once tell me she wouldn't eat celery because she read it was high in sodium. REALLY I said, "however you think eating the bag of chips is better? She was stumped and realized how crazy it sounded. Opt for nature you can't go wrong!
Weight wouldn't be an issue if it wasn't' linked to so many deadly diseases. You can reduce/stop your medication possibly by losing just 5 to 10 lbs. Never stop any medication unless advised by your physician It's amazing how your energy with skyrocket and symptoms disappear. It's all about healing and putting high quality fresh foods in the body. Your mouth will burst with flavors and awaken those taste buds.
I will be going more in depth on each topic and much more!
Find a quiet space, close your eyes, take a deep breath, forgive yourself, listen and feel your heartbeat. Be thankful and grateful for you life! This just takes a few minutes but can change your thoughts for the day.
Get active and make better choices. Today's a new day. Don't dwell on the mistakes of yesterday! You are human=)
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