Maintaining your healthy lifestyle

      So your started your New Year off promising yourself to lose weight, eat healthier, work out more, and drink more water. How are you doing so far? If you are like most of us you may be slacking already. Its okay to start over in the middle of the day:) You ate fast food for lunch and you have not had a drop of water all day. Stop and get yourself a glass of water, now.  

Water fills you up and you may be thirsty not hungry and just cannot recognize the cues. It does take a couple of weeks to get your natural thirst to return. It is also great for your skin and plumps up wrinkles naturally. If you write it down daily and track you water in take you will start a new wonderful habit. I measured my fav water container and it holds 32 ounces! That means I only have to drink 2.

          I have already noticed in my Bikram yoga class that the crowds of early January are thinning. It makes me sad to think some of you have given up already. It takes 3 weeks to change a habit. Is it that you over achieved and have left yourself sore? Then at least walk 30 minutes a day. You can even break up into 3 ten minute intervals and get the same results. Charting your physical activity will drive you to do more. As Americans we over estimate our amount of physical activity and under estimate our number of caloreies we consume. We especially do not count the calories we drink. 

           After more than 13 years of weight loss experience I have noticed that most dieters are all or nothing. There should not be any forbidden foods. As soon as I forbid myself something it is all I can think about. So, plan ahead if you are going to have pizza for dinner than have a healthier lunch. Only have 2 slices and put a big salad on your plate with a low fat dressing. You will feel full and saved yourself a lot calories. Skipping breakfast is the worst thing to do when trying to lose weight because your metabolism does not start until you eat so, have a healthy higher protein breakfast like a homemade breakfast burrito with cheese eggs, and salsa on a tortilla or a sandwich if you are on the run. Avoid high fat condiments like mayo which can empty calories quickly. Some great fat free altenatives are salsa, mustard, and jelly-not all on the same sandwich:) Take the time to plan your menus prior to your trip to the grocery or your work week to stay on track. Do not give up you are your greatest investment.