Work Out Tips &  Tricks

Weight loss is NOT easy. Technically all you have to do is burn 500 more calories than you consume each day and you will lose one pound a week. Simple right? Most of us know what foods we should eat and that we need to exercise at least 3-4 times a week, but why do so many other factors have to make those simple things so hard? These are some tips and tricks that can help!

1. Be mindful of what and how you eat. Sit down, relax and think about how hungry you are and what foods can benefits your body the most before you eat ANYTHING! I also take time to ask my body what I am hungry for. I know this sounds woo-woo, but it helps me connect with whether I am eating due to emotions or for energy, as I am focusing on eating for health versus emotional satisfaction this year. 

2. Don’t ban foods or food groups, focus on the good food your body needs! Because I saw so much success in how I felt while doing the #Last90Days challenge with Rachel Hollis and am committed to #Madefor100More, I have opted to eliminate red meat from my diet. It never sits well with me and I don’t like not feeling well after I eat. I want to ensure I get the proper amino acids, so I have started using a substitute. This guideline is more about not telling yourself that you CAN’T have something. While I gave up red meat, I also know that if my body were truly craving it, I would eat it as I would trust it wouldn’t make me feel sick. 

3. Drink plenty of water and never drink your calories. Water helps prevents false hunger feelings and helps your metabolism run at its best. I drink half my weight in water each day as a general rule. This makes me feel great, has caused my skin to have a better look and feel to it even during the Winter months, and helps me get an extra 2000 steps a day due to increase bathroom visits. (Joking…just a little.)

4. You can never out exercise a bad diet. It doesn’t matter how much you exercise if you don’t eat right. If you only have that last 5-10 pounds to lose, a really clean diet is what will get you over that plateau. Don’t forget about portions when thinking about a bad diet. You can eat great foods but eat too much and still struggle with weight loss. Eat what you need to feel satisfied, not full.

5. Hide trigger foods. Out of sight, out of mind. Try hiding your favorite in a box at the the top of the pantry and don’t let that delicious ice cream be the first thing you see when you open your freezer. This will help you be more mindful in your food choices. You can eat your favorite treats when you really want versus just because you see and then crave it. As a general rule, I don’t keep junk food in my house. I want to have to make the effort to go to the store and buy the food when I am feeling a desire for something that isn’t optimal for my body. This has helped me with doing less emotional eating as well.

6. Don’t let one bad food choice lead to a cheat day or cheat weekend. If you make a mistake that’s ok, just make up for it with healthier meals.

7. Get enough sleep. Research suggests that sleep is closely linked to our overall happiness. When we’re sleep deprived, our risk for depression increases and we’re more likely to experience higher stress levels. Sleep deprivation has also been linked to weight gain, an increased risk for stroke and an increased risk for diabetes. This is one I tend to struggle with since I work a side gig three nights a week third shift. This causes me to be off at times and not get as much sleep as I need on half-days of school and vacations. 

8. Track your calories, it can help you be more mindful and conscious of what you are putting into your body. It may seem tedious at first, but it is truly the first step to becoming aware of what you are putting into your body. Once you are aware you can be more mindful and conscious of what you fuel and say to yourself. These are suggestions. I know some of you read this and rolled your eyes. I don’t track calories but for some people it is super helpful. When I went from 250 pounds down to 180, being mindful of calories, carbs, and protein was super helpful. Now I just pay attention to what my body wants. 

9. If you fail to plan, then plan to fail. Plan your meals!!! Keep healthy foods in your home so you have options to reach for when you are hungry. I keep a general plan for my foods and then focus on which ones my body wants throughout the week. The fridge always has fruits, veggies, orange juice, water, Ningxia Red, pre-made salads so I can just grab and go, and nuts for when I just need some additional protein. 

10. Wear clothes that make you feel confident and empowered when working out. As simple as this sounds, when you feel good working out, you workout longer and harder and feel more empowered. I thought this was silly until I started wearing better clothes to work in than old sweats. You really do work harder and longer when you feel like you can see the results. That said, I work out at home or by walking so not a lot of folks are seeing me so I don’t have to feel self-conscious. 

11. Get an accountability partner or group. Join the Slique challenge with a friend, family member, or team better to hold everyone accountable to their goal. This is sooooo important. I have a few partners I stay accountable too as well as a fitness coach I stay in contact with. 

12. Focus on how you feel, not the scale. You can be making so much progress and living healthy and not have the scale budge at all. That’s ok! Take before and after pictures and focus on how you feel and how your clothes fit. Remember, muscle weighs more than fat, so you may not be losing weight, but you are gaining muscle and losing inches. You can also fluctuate multiple pound in a day depending on the time of day and what’s in your system. Body measurements and pictures are more accurate ways to see progress. I only weigh myself once a month due to needing to ensure I don’t lose weight too quickly. 

13. Stay supplemented to prevent deficiencies in vitamins and minerals, this can help prevent cravings. Vitamins and minerals help your body run at peak capacity! I take a few supplements as discussed with my naturopath and physician. I use a mix of Milk Thistle, Turmeric, Fish Oil, B12, D3, and a Probiotic, and the Slique Shake. I don’t take a multivitamin because I get my other nutrients from food at good levels. I use these supplements based upon MY health needs. Talk with your physician about what you need. 

14. Stay committed and don’t be too hard on yourself! Weight loss takes time, it won’t happen over night, within a week, or maybe even a month. Learn to enjoy the journey of living healthy and you will eventually see results. Stay committed and remember extra weight took a long time to accumulate and it may take time to lose as well. I have learned this overtime. I go easier on myself while remaining committed. 

15. Never stop loving yourself. If you want to get in shape or lose weight, it doesn’t mean you have to not like yourself the way you currently look. You should want to get healthy because you love yourself, not because you are trying to punish yourself. So important to know. If you don’t get any of the others, please ensure this one sinks in! 

What are your favorite tips and tricks for losing weight?

Join us the next few Fridays and Saturdays as we learn more fitness and workout tips and go in-depth about the Young Living products that are great to use before, during, and after workouts! Here’s to a healthier, happier 2019!

The products we will be discussing in the next few weeks include:

• R.C., Raven, Eucalyptus Radiata, Breathe Again, Ravintsara
• AgilEase
• SuperCal Plus
• Powergize
• Master Formula
• OmegaGize
• Aminowise
• Cool Azul Pain Relief Creme
• Ningxia Red, Nitro, Zyng

As we post about each product, the link will be added here so you can click from here to there if you are reading this later in the year.