I am so so excited that my lifestyle change is yielding good results, namely 27 pounds lost! That means I’m halfway to my goal. Woo hoo! I have been keeping to being more active, but still haven’t gotten into regular strength training and I should. More muscle helps burn more calories plus it’s important to build core strength to maintain posture, bone density, etc. What has been working for me? Here are my five top tips:
1. Drink more water. It helps flush toxins and can help you feel fuller so you don’t overeat.
2. Eat slower. I’ve always been a fast eater and now I am taking smaller bites and being mindful as I chew and swallow.
3. Be more active. I’ve been doing a daily walk in the a.m. and also 45 minutes on the elliptical in the afternoon.
4. Eat healthier. Eating way more fruits and vegetables. It’s been fun mixing them into my traditional recipes for things like pasta or frittatas.
5. Keep track of calories. I use my Fitbit app to track what I’m eating and make sure I’m sticking to my roughly 1200 daily calories.
One other thing that I do is to not deprive myself of a nighttime treat or sweet or carbs as a whole for that matter. I’ve done the whole no carb thing and it just creates a vicious rebound for me. So I am eating carbs, but limiting them. As for the treat, I think that if you’re too restrictive that only makes you resent what you’re doing and because of that, you eventually give up on it. Also, if you learn what is an acceptable treat, namely a small cookie or two, versus what isn’t, like an entire box, it will create a mindset that you can maintain for the future.
