We're big believers that fad diets aren't for us, so we're just doing the good ol' reliable eating more healthful foods, less calories, and working out. Which has worked for both of us in the past.
I have such a love/hate relationship with food. I have no problem with the exercising part. It's all about food for me. I love food so much. Like...Dr Pepper, chocolate, and chips + salsa could be my major food groups. But alas, I know those things aren't healthy for me. The key for me is the old adage "all things in moderation," because I know if I cut them out completely, I won't stick to it.
Anyway, the whole point of this is that I found a really good article last week that had some great tips I wanted to share. Here they are:
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1. Eat at home 5 days per week: Do not eat out for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks (Monday through Friday). Not only will this benefit your calorie intake, it will also help your wallet! Even when a menu item might seem like a healthy option on paper, you don't know how it was prepared. Eating out also makes it harder to keep portion sizes in check.
2. Decrease your sugar intake: If you want to lose weight, you'll need to limit how much sugar you consume. Most people have no idea how much sugar they ingest per day. For example, did you know that one cup of orange juice has 22 grams of sugar? Or that Starbucks' Venti Blended Caramel Frappuccino has 81 grams of sugar? Try cutting your sugar intake by half each day, and you'll notice decreased cravings for sugary treats and after a week or so, you should lose a pound or two.
3. Never eat out of a bag: You know those times when you are starving and you grab a bag of chips? Before you know it, the bag is empty! Never let yourself eat out of the bag. Instead, take one serving (check the label on the bag to verify a serving size), and put it in a bowl. Then put that bag away! Eat your serving, and move on with your day!
4. Eat your vegetables: Make it a point to consume one-to-two vegetable servings with all meals! My favorite vegetables (and ones that can be consumed in unlimited quantities) include: kale, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower and spinach. Limit the intake of vegetables that are higher in carbohydrates (such as peas, carrots, potatoes, corn, and beets).
5. Be cautious with fruit: Fruits provide vitamins and fiber. However, due to the sugar content, it is a food you should consume in limited quantities each day. According to the USDA's MyPlate.gov, a woman between the ages of 31-50 should eat 1.5 cups of fruit per day. A man between the ages of 31-50 should have two cups of fruit per day. How much is one cup of fruit? Check out this chart.
6. Limit your alcohol consumption: If you must drink alcohol, I recommend one-to-two drinks per week at a maximum. Avoid all sugary, mixed party drinks! You should measure the quantity of your cocktail to one serving. So, one glass of wine is only five ounces. There are two reasons to limit the alcohol consumption. First, to decrease empty, non-fueling calories and second, to avoid senseless eating. Alcohol causes decreased inhibitions that often lead a "who cares" attitude for your weight loss goal.
7. No eating after 9 p.m.: Let's face it, healthy eating doesn't happen after 9 p.m. Not only will you sleep better if you avoid calories before bed, but you will also eliminate the mindless calories eaten when you are simply bored at night.
8. Weigh in weekly: Weigh yourself once a week so you can keep track of your weight loss. You should weigh in on the same day of the week and log it on paper or on a helpful tracking tool like MyPlate. A healthy amount of weight to lose per week is one-to-two pounds.
9. Exercise and cross train: I recommend you work out five-to-six times per week. Cross training is essential for these workouts. Try and do something different each day! The more you change your workout routine, the more you'll shock your body, and the more your body will change!
10. Stay accountable: The moment you tell your friends and family about your weight loss goal, you are truly committing to your challenge. If you are hesitant to get accountable, you are likely not going to give a 100 percent effort in your quest to drop those pounds.
Put these 10 actions into play for the next 30-to-60 days, and you'll be ready for summer when June comes around.
Article by Kim Eagle
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/blog/10-slimming-tips-to-get-you-ready-for-summer#ixzz2RJUyvUKF
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Now obviously, I'm not perfect and when it says things like "Never eat out of a bag"...I know that's not realistic for me. Or "Eat at home 5 days per week," well...uh...probably won't happen. But we can definitely cut back on those things!
On the flip side, I think the whole "No eating after 9pm" thing is great, and a good challenge for me. And me posting about this here is really for the purpose of staying accountable.
Another thing I added to this...I made a "Motivation" list. A list of things to look at when I'm having a hard day or feel particularly challenged by all this trying-to-be-healthy stuff. Some of the things on my list are really vain and I would never admit to them, some are events that are coming up that I'd love to look a little skinnier for...you get the gist.
We also added in a cheat day every two weeks, cause our the goals we set go in two-week increments. So if we make our goal, we get to look forward to a cheat day! Hooray!
Just thought I'd share! That's a lot of reading, so if you got this far, good for you!
We took "before" pictures, so if we're successful and if I can work up the courage, maybe we'll post before and afters when the time comes. :)
can I say that I love that your next post is a fudgy muffin recipe. :) Keep up the good work. It will pay off!
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