Get your portions under control-
Do you have a case of portion distortion? While our portions are steadily growing bigger, so are our waistlines. Measure out your food or learn what a standard portion size looks like, then use that as a guide when serving yourself meals and snacks so that you learn portion control.
Bulk up…on veggies-
Most of us want to see a full plate, so fill the majority of your plate with the foods that won’t do much damage with steamed, cooked and raw vegetables, filling in with the rest.
Keep a food journal-
There’s no greater way to track your foods than by keeping a food journal. Keep it simple by including the foods eaten, the portion you had and time you ate it. Noting your hunger level and mood when you’ve eaten is also a great way to track a habit or an emotional eating pattern.
Slow down-
It takes 20 minutes for the brain to register the feeling of fullness, so by chewing slowly, putting down your fork in between bites, or taking a sip of water between bites, you’ll eat less food by the time your body tells your brain it’s time to stop.
Sleep-
Not getting enough sleep is a recipe for weight gain because of the choices you’ll reach for in order to gain more energy (foods/snacks loaded with sugar). Also, when you’re not sleeping enough, hormones and chemicals such as cortisol, don’t have an opportunity to re-balance, which promotes fat storage over time.
Find a healthy outlet for stress-
Instead of overeating to soothe, calm numb or relax, find a healthy outlet for stress relief. Exercising, journaling, spending time with loved ones, listening to music, meditating, reading or knitting work for some but find what works best for you.
Lose the guilt-
There’s nothing positive that comes from berating yourself after a binge. Learn why it happened, create a plan to prevent it from happening again and move on. Guilt will only send you on another binge if you’re an emotional eater, so break the cycle by giving yourself some self-love and compassion.
Preplan-
You’ve heard the saying; “If you fail to plan then plan to fail” and that’s so true when it comes to weight loss. Have healthy foods available so you can make better choices, bring snacks and water along if you’ll be out for the day and be sure to eat a light snack so your judgment stays in tact to prevent you from overeating at restaurants and events.
Get moving-
By building muscle and burning fat, you’ll be sculpted and ready for the big reveal! Make sure your routine is bringing you results by keeping it challenging. For best results, try varieties of interval training where you’re inserting bursts of intensity whether from a higher intensity on a cardio machine, using weights or your own body through bursts of plyometric movements.
Celebrate success-
Reward yourself after achieving each mini goal is a way to stay motivated and on track. How about downloading a new song for your IPod playlist after every workout, some cute gym clothes or a mani-pedi? Find what works for you and remind yourself that each healthy decision is bringing you closer to the body you want.
Remember, lasting success comes from creating new, healthy habits so by trying a few of these strategies, you’ll be for the big reveal!
