The kids and I in Atlantis
I’m deviating a little today from my normal blog content.
Everyone always asks me my secret to staying thin. Here it is……There Is No Secret! Look, it takes work. It takes a conscious effort. It is a lifestyle choice; I cannot stress that enough. There are no shortcuts. But, I put together a top ten list to at least motivate you and get you moving in the right direction.
1. Sleep at least 8 hours per night
I’m telling you, the more your body is deprived of sleep, the more it tricks your brain into thinking it is hungry.
2. Move your body
You HAVE to do some form of serious physical exercise–preferably cardio and strength training. Go to the gym or do it at home, but do it. You need to exercise at least 30 minutes five days a week. Shoot for more if you are able.
3.Cut out white bread and soda….even diet soda
Too much sugar, too many carbs, too many empty calories—no good for your teeth either.
4.Limit eating out in restaurants
Try to eat at home as much as you can. Bring your lunch to work. You’ll save money and calories. There are so many hidden calories in restaurant food because they cook everything in butter and oil.
5. Salads aren’t always the lighter choice
You need to pay attention to what is in and on the salad. A crispy (a.k.a. fried) piece of chicken and bacon does not suddenly become healthy because it is placed on lettuce. Watch the dressing, too. Sometimes, you ruin a perfectly healthy salad by saturating it with fattening dressing.
6.Eat smaller meals throughout the day
Instead of cramming three squares in, try spreading it out over the course of a day. My eating schedule is like a baby’s: breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack. I find this eating schedule keeps me from eating everything that isn’t nailed down. I feel fuller longer this way.
7.Eat healthy snacks
Don’t sabotage your healthy meals with Doritos and Oreos! Choose healthy snacks. Fruits, nuts, and Greek yogurt are all healthy and filling. Trust me, once you are off the sweet stuff, you will not miss it.
8. Eat lean protein
Chicken and turkey are great examples of lean protein–just take off the skin. They give you energy, help you feel fuller for longer, and they taste delicious when prepared properly–and believe me, I am no Julia Child. Oh, yeah, and watch the condiments. Again, don’t take a perfectly healthy turkey on rye and destroy it with mayo!!!
9. Read Labels and serving size portions
First, you would not eat half of what you eat if you simply read not only ingredients you couldn’t pronounce, but the fat and sugar content in it. You would also be stunned if you actually portioned out a “serving size” that those fats and calories are based on. It is a good idea, though, to start to pay attention to portion sizes and what they really look like on a plate.
10.There is no such thing as “fat free”
Please don’t fall for that silly slogan. Something has to fill the void where the fat was. Want to know what it usually is? Sugar. Want to know what sugar turns into? Yup, you guessed it. FAT.
So, there is no magic secret, I don’t care what they say. One of my favorite books(I carry it with me, I kid you not) is “Eat This, Not That”. Any one of those in the series will help you immensely, I promise. And, that old saying “everything in moderation” is true. Have a 1/2 cup of ice cream every now and then….not every day. Have a glass of wine with dinner on a Saturday night…not 2 or 3 every night. Most importantly, move your body…work out at your level, but make it a serious workout and not an, “I’ll take the stairs instead of the elevator” workout. That won’t be enough and you are worth the effort. It takes work, but the benefits of healthy living are so worth it.