Category: Healthy Living

Baby Steps Lead To Permanent Weight Loss

Don’t Let Overwhelm Sabotage Your Weight Loss Goals

 

Losing weight can seem overwhelming when you’re first getting started. Dropping pounds and keeping them off for good requires lifestyle changes. It takes time to create new habits and discover what works for you.

I recommend starting off with baby steps. Avoid biting off more than you can chew as  this can result in failure and lead to depression.

Five Tips to Banish Weight-loss Overwhelm:

 

1)  Get Started! Pick one thing you know you can implement right away. For example, one of my relatives set a goal to stop eating at fast food restaurants. She lost 20 pounds without exercise!

Research is showing that being consistent with one healthy habit creates a desire to do more healthy things for our bodies. This creates a snowball effect. Before you know it, you’ve lost weight without even trying!

The most important thing to do is to choose one healthy goal and stick to it.

It’s also important to be realistic about your time when choosing what your healthy goal will be. Pick something you know you can do 5 to 6 days per week. You’re more likely to create a long term habit by walking 15 minutes per day six days a week, than if you walk for an hour two times per week.

3)  Pick things you enjoy. It’s much easier to stick to something you like. If you like to get outside, try going for a walk very day.  Like to cook?  Start replacing your traditional fare with the lower calorie version of the recipe. Do you eat out often? Get a free calorie counting app to start tracking the food in the restaurants you frequent to help make lower calorie choices.

4)  Be committed. Once you’ve determined your new goal, stick to it! It takes a minimum of 21 days to create a habit. However, after being a fitness trainer for over 22 years I’ve learned it takes about six months for it to become second nature.

Don’t be alarmed if you fall off track from time to time. It means you’re human. The trick is to get right back up again and start over! Over time your healthy habit will strengthen and falling off track will become rare.

If you find you’re continually falling off track, you may need to readjust. Ask yourself questions like:

  • Is it too lofty of a goal for this time in my life?
  • Do I like the exercise I chose?
  • Has something changed in my life?

This is a great way to evaluate the need for a goal change.  Permanent weight loss is a journey not a sprint.

The most important thing I want you to remember is to find healthy habits you can stick to. If you have to change goals it doesn’t mean you’ve failed.  It means you are being realistic!

5)  Don’t compare. This one can be tough! You are on your own personal weight loss journey. Avoid comparing yourself to others that are losing weight quicker than you. They could be using an unhealthy fad diet, using an exercise routine that’s not right for you, or simply have more time to commit to their exercise routine.

There’s no harm in asking what their secret is. But before you add anything new to your health and fitness lifestyle, make sure it’s compatible with your own personal goals and desires. Don’t allow anyone (including the media) to pressure you into how you should live and what you should look like.

We are all at different places in our journey of health and fitness. The most important thing is long term success! Slow and steady wins the race to permanent weight loss. Stick to your baby steps and you will be amazed at how far you will go!

Have a question or like to share an idea? Please leave a comment below! It’s great to hear from you!

Blessings!

Jennifer

 

 

Boost Your Immune System to Fight Off Colds and Flu!

2 Comments

Stay well this Fall and Winter!

Fall is officially here and that also means “cold and flu” season is approaching as well.  Nobody likes being sick, and I’m sure you don’t have the time for it either. You can fight off catching a cold or flu by taking some simple steps to boost your immune system.

The words immune boosting  have been used so often for mass marketing that it’s hard to know what really works. The tips I’m sharing below are not theory. They are my own personal immune boosting secrets. My clients can vouch for me when I tell you it’s very rare for me to even catch a cold.

Use these proven tips to build your immune system!

1)  Vitamin D.  Researches believe that one of the reasons we catch colds during the winter months is a lack of Vitamin D.  Make sure you are getting outside when the weather allows.  Ask your doctor to check your Vitamin D levels. Your doctor may recommend that you take a Vitamin D supplement to help boost your immune system.

2)  Eat immune boosting foods! Yes, there are foods that help boost your immune system. Broccoli, almonds, cabbage, watermelon, garlic, spinach, sweet potatoes, button mushrooms, oysters, yoghurt, wheat germ, acai berry, elderberry, and grapefruit are all considered to be immune boosting foods.  Incorporate these foods into your daily diet. Look for recipes that include them and get creative with snack choices.

Variety is important when choosing foods for their nutritional value. Each food offers its own unique benefit. Avoid buying into the marketing hype around one magic food that can do it all.

3)  Get enough sleep! Per WebMD, the average adult needs 7 to 8.5 hours of sleep per night. Lack of sleep can compromise your immune system, making you more vulnerable to colds, flu, and other more serious illnesses.

4)  Exercise! Moderate exercise is proven to boost the immune system. Studies have also shown that thirty minutes of moderate exercise can improve your sleep as well.

5)  Hit the coffee shop! Coffee and tea are both rich in antioxidants. Studies have shown that they can fight off illnesses when consumed in moderation. Too much caffeine can interrupt sleep and cause your body more harm than good. It seems that some people metabolize caffeine quicker than others. If you know it keeps you up at night, you may want to limit consumption to the morning hours.

Years ago I heard the words of a very wise nutrition expert Dr. Peter Levy.  They were so powerful! He said,  “60% of all symptoms in people could be easily reversed with proper nutrition and exercise.”  I believe with all of  my heart that he’s right.

Have any immune boosting tips you’d like to share? Please comment below! I really love hearing from you!

To a healthy Fall and Winter season!

Jennifer

 

Lose Weight With Easy Low Calorie Recipes!

Eat at Home for Weight Loss

One of the easiest ways to lose weight without dieting is to make meal planning and eating at home a regular habit. Preparing meals at home not only helps you lose weight, it ensure that you are putting healthy food in your body. When you control the calories and the ingredients in your food, your chances of successful weight loss and good health are much higher.

If you are used to eating out often, the idea of cooking at home can seem a bit overwhelming. Other commitments like after school sports, exercise, business engagements or deadlines, and homework can leave little time for cooking meals.  At the end of a hectic day, the take out window looks pretty appealing.

Keeping it Simple!

So how do you accomplish cooking healthy, low calorie,  great tasting food without adding another project to your day? The trick is to keep it simple!

The first thing to consider when planning meals for the week is what your calendar looks like. How long will your chosen recipes take to prepare? Choosing recipes that take no more than 20 minutes will allow you to eat healthy and lose weight without feeling totally overwhelmed.

Five Steps for Quick and Easy Home Cooking

1)  Plan your meals for the week.  Choose quick low calorie recipes for each night you plan on cooking. I recommend Cooking Light’s Super Fast Recipe Selection. These recipes are 20 minutes or less and they are delicious! Add a salad as a side to your meals to feel more full, and get extra fruits and veggies in your diet.

2)  Make a shopping list. Make a list of all the ingredients you will need before heading out to the store. This will eliminate last minute trips to the store which can suck up your time or tempt you to opt for take out.

3)  Make extra! Make extra servings that can be used for lunch or dinner the next day.

4)  Have a back up! Keep healthy frozen meals in the freezer for the days that do not go as planned. I keep frozen organic pizzas, wild caught fish sticks, frozen vegetables, and french fries on hand at all times.

Pick a few staples that appeal to you for your own freezer. Or, freeze leftovers to keep on hand for a last minute meal.  Make a salad while the meal is heating in the oven, and you’ll have a healthy meal to keep your weight loss efforts on track.

5)  It’s okay to cheat. Buy pre-made items that will save you time. Things like organic pasta sauces, jarred salsas, and sauces are great time savers when recipes call for making these sauces from scratch. Avoid buying anything with partially hydrogenated oils or high fructose corn syrup in it. It’s best when you recognize everything on the label.

You don’t need to spend a lot of time in the kitchen to eat healthy. And, you do not have to be a master chef either. Keep it simple and you will lose the weight without adding the overwhelm.

Have a quick and easy low calorie recipe you’d like to share?  Please comment below! I would love to hear from you!

Blessings to you and yours!

Jennifer