Hi Guys! It's been awhile since I've talked weight loss. Honestly, I've been thinking about it a lot lately. I gained 5 pounds from my foot injury and it's been frustrating to lose them. Most would think losing 5 measly pounds would be easy. Think again. Five pounds is so much harder to lose than 20.
So I've gone back to the rules I put in place for myself during my 80 pound weight-loss four years ago to help me shed those 5 pesky pounds. Anyone can use these to help them refocus their health and meet their goal weight. Please note you should always check with a doctor before starting your weight loss.
Eat When You Are Hungry
Not when you’re bored, tired or feeling depressed. Emotional eating is the reason why many people struggle with weight-loss. Find an activity to channel your emotions - i.e. go for a brisk walk, take a bike ride, swim, dance. Activity will distract you and ward off hunger.
Meal Prep
Organize your kitchen and pantry. Create weekly meal plans. Then write a shopping list and stick to it. Prep meals, produce and snacks weekly to last through the week.
Plan Exercise
Exercise is like a dentist appointment. You schedule it and plan for it. If you re-schedule within 24 hours, you will be fined. Plan exercise and make it a priority.
Get Enough Sleep
Most people need 6-8 hours a sleep every night. Not getting enough sleep can lead to increased ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite which can lead to eating more when in fact, you need more zzz's.
Drink Water, Lots of Water
Hunger is most often confused with dehydration. When you think you're hungry, drink a glass of water then wait awhile then ask yourself again if you are truly hungry. Drink water often and aim to get 8 glasses of water daily.
Identify Your Food Weakness
Take an honest look at what you eat and identify your weaknesses. Maybe it's a bag of chips, ice cream or candy. Remove that food from your kitchen. Making 1 single change in your diet, can make a significant difference in you weight-loss. Instead of buying a bag of chips or container of ice cream, buy individual serving sizes instead. This way you will not feel deprived and will still get your food fix.
Eat Clean
Stop eating foods that are processed, high in saturated fat, sodium and sugar. Eat clean by incorporating plenty of vegetables, fresh fruit, beans, lean protein and grains in your diet.
Eat Less
No getting around this one guys. Weight-loss is all about the amount of calories you eat. You have to eat smaller portions and less food daily to drop pounds.
Take note though, not all calories are created equal. Fill your daily calories with healthy well-balanced foods. Your dinner plate should consist of a lean protein, carbohydrate & vegetable. Half your plate should be vegetable(s), the other quarters are your protein & carbohydrate (i.e. rice).
Eat More Protein
Protein keeps you fuller longer. You will feel less hungry and be more successful at eating less daily calories by increasing the amount of lean protein in your diet. Some examples - chicken breast, turkey, fish, eggs, nuts, beans.
Same here with sleep. Too often not enough.
My biggest problem is getting enough sleep. Time to nap now.
Me too!
Ice cream.... without a doubt, ice cream is my biggest foodie weakness, especially now that the weather is getting so gorgeous. Ugh. Worth it though 😆 And for what it's worth, you look fabulous girl... so don't stress too much about those 5 lbs <3
Aww thanks! I'm feeling enormous these days. 🙁