I have mentioned before that I am currently attempting to lose weight, in my first year of uni my weight crept slowly up (as it does with most people) and I was left feeling pretty unhappy about myself. Anyway, little changes and tweaks here and there have all helped towards my total 15.6 lbs loss (so far!). I know you would have probably heard all these before but I still thought I would chuck my 2 cents in. I would just like to say that I am doing this as a life-style change, and this is just what has worked for me, please be healthy and happy!
Alternatives and substitutes
Choosing alternatives, such as the low fat cheese, low cal sweetner or reduced salt soups etc is a really good change to make towards healthy eating without giving up the stuff you love. Also choosing whole grain bread/pasta/rice is great too. Substituting, like swapping that pack of walkers for some home made kale crisps, that mid-day coffee for a detox tea or that 3rd day of red meat for some lean chicken or fish is also very good for a healthy life style change.
Water, water and more water!
I literally cannot say just how much I used to (and still kinda do) hate drinking water. I would much prefer to mix it with sugary squash or something fizzy. I also never drank enough in general, you would be surprised how much liquid you actually need in a day! I know carry around a big sports water bottle that I try to sip from all the time, sometimes I add some lemon or some sugar free squash to help it go down easier. I find by having it constantly near me I am always sipping and drinking a lot more than I ever would otherwise. I definitely think drinking more water has helped me feel a lot healthier and energised as well as loosing weight (though that's probably because I spend more time weeing than I do eating!)
Shop online
This is a new one for me, I normally amble down to my local sainsburys to pick up some basics, or wait until the boyf is here with is car to do a big shop. Obviously this is a major test of willpower as you have to walk past the freshly baked cakes and amazing offers on sweets and chocolate and everything that you should not be eating. However, if you shop online, you can search for 'low fat' or 'reduced salt' etc and, hey presto! You can only see the good options, the temptation has been removed and makes for a much healthier shop.
Don't do it alone!
I find that I have the most success when someone in my house is also trying to eat healthily. You can share your scrummy, healthy meals (this cuts costs too!), give each other encouragement when you get off track and the celebratory glass of low cal vino when things go well. Sharing the cooking has also been brilliant for me, if I have had a long day then as soon as I come home I just want something easy and quick (and diet ruin-ingly bad) but when a friend is along for the ride, and she has had a less hectic day, I come home to a freshly cooked healthy, home made meal. Quick and easy but good too! (this works both ways of course)
Exercise
Another one of my arch enemies (along with water) I am most definitely not an 'exercise person' I don't particularly enjoy getting out of breath (having a bad asthma type chest doesn't help) having a stitch or being all smelly after some planned work out. Yet I do enjoy a long walk taking pictures or chatting to friends, an impromptu and energetic dance off with my house mate, saving pennies by walking instead of getting a taxi and spending the whole day strutting around town window shopping. And all these things add up! I am also hoping to perhaps start Zumba class soon with the help of a friend, it can't be too different from the dance-offs right??
Treat yourself
I don't anyone needs reminding to treat them selves, but seriously, do! Use those few squares of chocolate (bonus points if it's dark) at the end of the evening to get through the day. Drink your water because you know that at that party tomorrow night, you will be swapping it for cocktails. Though not just food, buy those jeans or dress you were lusting after, as your others just aren't as fitted any more, get that lipstick, as a bold lip goes so well with your new slimmer figure, right??
Last of all, GOOD LUCK! you can reach me on twitter if you want to share your milestones, let me know of a healthy recipe or that you managed to resist the gooey chocolate cake at work! @emmiegeeblog
P.S It was bought to my attention on twitter that a lot of low fat alternatives have lots of sugar which our body cannot handle, I am going to be more aware of this from now on and you should too :)
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