Happy Sunday!
I wanted to write up a blog post and give you some simple tips to follow when you're starting on your health and fitness path. It can be so easy to go ALL in for a week and then just quit when it becomes overwhelming or you have a few slip ups. If your new years resolution is to lose weight and get healthy..check out this basic tips (that you have probably heard before). So my first tip is:
Set specific/measurable/attainable/realistic/time bound goals:IE SMART
What does that mean exactly? Lets break down a goal. "I want to lose weight"
Specific: (who what when where why) I want to lose 20lbs by April 1, 2015 by doing the 21 Day Fix program
Measurable: (how will you measure your progress?)I will take pictures and measurements every Sunday
Attainable: (Am I able to attain this goal?)Yes: that is 4lbs a month
Realistic: (Am I willing and able to to work towards this goal?) Only you can decide
Time: By April 1, 2015
TIP; set short term goals: even as short as weekly goals like drinking more water, and having a health breakfast
OK now that we have that set- we can go on to the more simple tips!
DRINK WATER
Most people know water is good for you, but have no idea HOW good and how much it effects our body, mood, weight loss ect. But drinking more water is one of the easiest things TO do and also one of the easiest thing NOT to do. You should aim to drink half your weight in ounces of water. So if you weigh 140: you should be drinking 70 oz. of water a day. I know for teachers and nurses who can't hit the bathroom often, that can be difficult. So what you do is plan it around when you can and CHUG. If you are a teacher: have some on the way to work, on break, and then drink most of your water after work. If you need an actual schedule to follow to help your body adjust and get into the habit, let me know and I can message you one. One of my favorite ways to drink water is to add lemon, cucumbers and mint- which is also a natural detox!
SLEEP
Sleep is one of the most important things we can do to help our bodies function better. We all know, when we don't get enough sleep we are cranky, eat to comfort cravings, and need to drink more caffeine to help us stay alert. Well...it also effects how our body runs inside way more than we realize. Your body (like your liver which detoxifies our body from everything, including hormones between 1am-3am) is working to repair and do its job when we are in a deep sleep....it can't do that if we are only getting 4 hours of sleep. You truly need 7-8 hours of quality sleep. Also when your body is under less stress, it doesn't create as much cortisol (belly fat!).
Don't eat 3 Hours before bed
This links to the above tip. Going back to the liver example, if you are eating ice cream right before bed...its damaging to the liver when we eat late- therefore its not able to do its job. Eating before bed can also cause heartburn, It can also cause weight gain because the foods we want to munch on before bed- aren't usually the healthiest. If you find yourself wanting a snack: tell yourself that the kitchen is CLOSED and make yourself a hot green tea, or sleepy time tea. It is a hard habit to break, trust me- I'm a stay at home mom so night time is MY time and I usually want a snack when I'm doing whatever I'm doing whether its catching up on DVR or doing some Beachbody work. However, I noticed a huge difference when I stopped.
Choose a workout you enjoy
This doesn't necessarily mean you have to love to workout. But whatever workout you decide to do, you should be able to look forward to it- not put it off or even skip because you are dreading it. Whether you like cardio, weight lifting, pilates, yoga or a mixture of them all. We can talk and I can help fit you with one you can do right at home. Working out and eating healthy is NOT a one size fits all kind of thing. You have to find what works for YOU, and make it a habit. That is when your true lifestyle change happens.
Keep track of your food
You don't even have to download My Fitness Pal (unless that works for you). I'm not good at that- but I am a pencil and paper kind of girl so give me a notebook and I'll track what I'm eating. You may "think" you're eating healthy but a quick review shows your actually slipping up or eating your kids leftovers more often times than you realized. And just because you don't write it down, doesn't mean your body doesn't know. Just be honest with yourself so you can truly make changes where needs be. This also may help you realize what foods your body doesn't agree with. So if you eat something, and feel sick or bloated afterwards- write that note down next to the food.
Think Positive
It's so easy to talk negatively to ourselves and put ourselves down. Next time you find yourself doing this- stop and think, "Would I say this to my sister, daughter, mother?". If not DO not say it to yourself. You have to believe in yourself and know you are capable of reaching your goals. Stop putting yourself down. Surround yourself with people who have the same goals as yourself. Don't worry about what others think of you. Use positive affirmations and positive self talk. This definitely takes practice, and it may help to read some personal development books to help you with this. Another thing you can do is keep a gratitude journal. Every night before bed, write down what you are grateful for and even what you achieved that day. Focusing on the positive rather than the negative.
I have so many more tips. I share this kind of stuff along with nutrition, workout, and personal development information in my online challenge groups. If you would like to be apart of the next one starting January 5th, fill out the information below. I would love to help you reach your health, fitness, and wellness goals!
Fill out my online form.
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