Category: Encouragement/Motivation

Posted in Encouragement/Motivation, Food Stuff, intermittent-fasting

Lettuce Entertain You!

Posted on by HeatherLynn

Salads are a great addition for the journey to a healthier lifestyle. They are versatile and varied and nutritious if you choose the right ingredients and practice portion control.  The heart of every good salad is based on the greens you choose.    

Most people conjure up visions of salads where the Iceberg Lettuce is the base.   Iceberg lettuce has gotten a bit of a bad reputation with claims that it has no nutritional value and I, like countless others, bought into this rumor.      

An amazing sale on bagged “garden salad” caught my eye.   I noted the star of the show was Iceberg lettuce and it just burned me that they (whoever “they” are) were offering discounts on food that would do nothing for me.   It prompted me to do a bit of research, and I was surprised to find that I had been misled!   Iceberg lettuce is reasonable and nutritious!    

Nutritionally, it provides essential vitamins such as Vitamin A, Vitamin K, and Vitamin C, contributing to eye health, blood clotting, and immune function. 

Iceberg lettuce also contains beneficial minerals like potassium and calcium, which support heart health and strong bones.     

I’ll stop hating on Iceberg lettuce, for sure.   

There are some other greens to add to your mix.  I like to mix and match to keep my body guessing at what I’m going to throw at it next.  

  1. Raw Spinach  –  a great way to boost up your iron  
  1. Raw Beet Greens –  vitamin A  and vitamin K 
  1. Raw Swiss Chard  –  tvitamin A and vitamin C 
  1. Raw Dandilion Greens – high in calcium, iron, and prebiotic fiber & vitamin C  
  1. Raw Mustard Greens  – a bit of Folate, vitamin C and vitamin K 
  1. Raw Collard Greens  – Vitamin K, Vitamin C, and a small amount of E 
  1. Raw WaterCress – Vitamin K and Vitamin C 
  1. Raw Romaine – Vitamin K and Vitamin A 
  1. Raw Leaf Lettuce – Vitamin A 

As you’ll note, there are two vitamins that seem to be present in nearly all forms of the lettuce family.  Vitamin A & K 

Why you need Vitamin A –   

Vitamin A is essential in your Vision health, aids in Immune Function & Reproductive health, assists in Cell growth and development and is a workhorse for your skin health. 

Why you need Vitamin K –  

Vitamin K is important to contribute to blood clotting and is a major star when it comes to your bone health.   

You cannot choose a “wrong” combination of the lettuce family.  However, do not live on salad alone.  This is only a supplement to healthy journey you’ve chosen.  Continue to make wise decisions and eat mindfully!  

Posted in Emotional Well-Being, Encouragement/Motivation

Pain in the Journey

Posted on by HeatherLynn

Pain.  It is a factor in your journey that will provide a frustrating stumbling block you will feel helpless to overcome.  When you are in chronic or severe pain from an injury, you may want to literally feed that pain.   They call this “maladaptive pain-related coping”.   The term “maladaptive” refers to behaviors or actions that hinder an individual’s ability to adapt or adjust to different situations differently.  ( I hope we have BOTH learned something new today!) 

Overeating in response to pain is basically just a coping mechanism.  It makes you temporarily feel better.  Psychologically, deep down, there is this primitive need to fuel up to replace the energies you are exerting as your body attempts to heal the injury.  

This leads, obviously, to over-eating, knocking you off the journey you’ve worked so hard on, landing on a plateau and falling back into a sea of frustration.  It can be a dangerous time for you as you risk falling back into old habits since your resolve is distracted by the pain.   

There are some things you can do to help. 

1.  Be careful and don’t hurt yourself.   I know, great wisdom coming from the Queen of Klutz.  If I am not injured then something is certainly wrong!   

2.  Don’t suffer through the pain. Get to a medical professional and get the help you need.  

4. Bulk up on the antioxidants. Fresh, leaf vegetables and fruits with complex carbs are much better than simple sugars.  

5. Keep moving as much as you can.  Depending on the injury of course.   Take frequent breaks. 

6. Get plenty of sleep.  Your body repairs itself quite a bit during those hours.  

Ice is your friend when it comes to injuries.  Inflammation is what is causing most of that pain and ice packs greatly alleviate the discomfort.  

Here are some foods you can partake of , that also reduce inflammation :  

Whole Grains :   whole grain bread, oats, brown rice, barly, quinoa, couscous, polenta,     bulgur, and rye bread.  Also stick with multi-grain or wheat pasta.  

Beans,nuts, seeds, pod foods :  peas, edamame, black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas,        white beans,  hummus, walnuts, almonds, pecans,        peanuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, pinenuts etc. :  

Fruits : berries, pomegranates, cherries. Darker colored fruits are especially good.  Avoid     fruit juices.  

Vegetables : yellow, orange and red peppers and tomatoes, Spinach, chard, kale, leaf            lettuce, romaine lettuce, arugula, mixed greens (focus on dark leafy greens)                   Purple and green cabbage, onions, garlic, broccoli, brussels sprouts,            cauliflower, radishes, cucumbers, green beans and green onions. 

Olive Oil:  replace butter and other oils with this for cooking. 

Fish : Go for cold water fish like salmon, herring, anchovies, sardines and mackerel. 

White Meat ;  chicken, turkey and other birds.  No frying or deep frying.  

Dairy: Eggs, natural cheese ( not processed ), low-fat milk, yogurt.  

Herbs ;  cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, garlic, rosemary, cayenne, pepper, black pepper. 

Honestly, looking at the list of “anti-inflammatory” foods, it is not much different than how you should be customizing your diet on a regular basis when you are not in pain.   

Above all, know that an injury does not mean your journey has come to an end.  This is just a setback.   The hard work is not in the physical, its in the mental.  You are going to have to mentally pick yourself up and get yourself back into the driver’s seat and start walking again.   How long will you sit on the side of the road using your pain as the reason you have failed?    

Day five – My Journey Phase 2  

Posted in Encouragement/Motivation, Food Stuff, intermittent-fasting

Exploring the Carnivore

Posted on by HeatherLynn

A plateau is, no doubt, one of the most frustrating blockers in this journey of a better lifestyle.   I began to doubt myself and I felt old habits trying to creep back in as week after week nothing seemed to change.  The weeks turned to months and the numbers on the scale have refused to move.  I know my motivation is lacking, my hunger pangs are winning, and my self-esteem appears to dip down to those self-sabotaging moments that held me back for years.     

This must stop.  My brother reached out to me, having the same problem.  He has been plateaued for a full year.   He grew weary of it and did something about it instead of lamenting about the frustration.    He embarked on a side journey of a Carnivore diet combined with the intermittent fasting.    If anyone needs an inspiring talk, my brother is the one to speak with.  His scale is moving again, and the hopefulness has come back into his voice.   The daily text messages I get are all encouraging me to explore this method myself.   I’m going to let history repeat itself and I’m going to take his advice and dive headfirst and give it a go.   

Today is Day One.    

I spent a good portion of my morning reading up on the Carnivore diet and I have doubts, mostly because I am a lover of fruits and vegetables and this diet does not include those.  It’s an elimination diet with claims to help with weight loss, improve mental clarity, reduce inflammation, improve digestion and increase energy levels.     

The basic foods you get to consume include animal proteins, fatty cuts of meat, organ meats, fish and seafood, eggs and full-fat dairy products.      

The foods you are avoiding include plant-based foods, grains and cereals, legumes and beans, processed foods, sugars and sweeteners, and alcohol.    

I encourage you to read up on this :  The Beginner’s Guide to the Carnivore Diet – Carnivore Keto Secrets   This site is very thorough in detail, and you’ll have a good deal of information if you decide you wish to give this a try.    

I do know that due to my love of fruits and vegetables, this is not a diet that I will stay on for a great length of time. Especially given the time of year when all the best berries are coming into season.   I will most likely alternate this along with a plant-based diet to ensure I am getting all the nutrients my body needs.   I am not the same as my brother.  Our genders alone dictate that we will lose weight differently. Our age makes a profound difference as well.  He is exploring the needs of man entering his 50’s and I am tending the needs of woman mid-50’s in the middle of menopause.   Our results will be different, but the point of this exercise is to break the plateau.    

Would you give up fruits and veggies for a month to break your plateau?  

Drop a comment below and let me know what your thoughts are!  

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Posted in Emotional Well-Being, Encouragement/Motivation

TABLETOP-PLATEAU

Posted on by HeatherLynn

Plateaus are a part of the journey.   Plateaus are expected, but they should not last any major length of time, after all, they would be called something much more discerning if they were expected to be lengthy.     

I climbed up on a table-top plateau back in September.    I then leapt over to another table-top, and another and another. It became just an endless row of tabletops with a few low hills but no major hikes or drops in elevation.    Of that, I should be grateful, I haven’t been climbing, but the frustration of not dropping can be daunting. 

What happened?   Body changes?  Environment?   Psychological?    Perhaps all of that.    I got in my own head and lost my motivation.  Not completely, but it’s certainly not where it was a year ago and that is the key to the lack of my recent success.   

I can give excuses.  Justification is a skill I honed years ago while shoveling piles of unhealthy foods into my mouth and claiming one thing or another was the cause of my woes.   The only one I would be fooling is myself, and not very well.     

I know I am to blame.   I start each morning focused.   I do well UNLESS I am not active.   If I am moving around cleaning, doing chores, tending to my flock of birds or simply just walking, I am fine.   A bottle of water or a cup of hot coffee is all that I seem to need.   However, I do not have the type of career that is considered active, and I find myself looking at a computer screen early in the day.   Within the first hour, my stomach growls and I successfully ignore it for about two hours and then I give in.   Because I am weak.   No, that’s just an excuse.   The reason is because I was weak before I ever arrived at work.   I either tossed a bag of grapes into my work bag or I stopped purposely to grab a fruit cup from the local convenience store on my way in.  

So, what really happened?   I happened.   I started feeling really good about what I looked like, and I stumbled.  I let up on myself and quit being so disciplined.  I treated myself one too many times, gave myself a “break” too often and now here I am.   I feel the pressure from myself to keep trying.  I’m not at the goal I’ve set and until I reach that goal, I have to keep pushing.    

My eating habits are a little skewed right now.   I have been portioning out too much, indulging in the starches and giving in to the sweet tooth.   Talk about the three major roadblocks on getting off the table!   Now that the weather is beginning to move to the warmer side of things. Well, at least some days of the week it is.   I’ll be outside more, which means I’ll be more active.   The days are getting longer which means I’ll be finding things to do to keep busy.   Sitting on the couch when its still daylight feels “lazy” to me and I can’t do lazy.   Not if I want to reach my goal.      

Motivational Plan for the week:   

BE MINDFUL OF MY MEALS 

BE ACTIVE IN THE DAYLIGHT 

DRINK MORE WATER 

I think those are three achievable goals for my week.   I think I need to write down every time I use an excuse for deviating from the plan and what the excuse is.   I find journaling a difficult task because you must be honest and writing it down makes it very real.    

Fourth step for the week:  Journal your Justifications.  

To all on this journey, it’s important to know that with the success also comes the roadblocks, the things that make you want to fall back into the old habits.   You’ve come too far to fall back into the old habits. Stay strong and know that you are amazing, and you have the power to get through!  

Posted in Encouragement/Motivation, Food Stuff

Water Me!

Posted on by HeatherLynn

Any article on dieting and healthy eating you read, inevitably you will find something in there pertaining to the encouragement of drinking water. It helps fill your stomach, making you feel full and reducing your overall calorie intake. silences dehydration disguised as hunger pangs; It is known to regulate body temperature and lubricate joints, helping give a bit of boost to the metabolism. and it flushes out excess sodium which if you leave unchecked, ironically causes, water retention. Water is good for you.

Water can also be boring. It’s recommended to take in at least six full glasses of the liquid elixir on a daily basis, but plain water is just sometimes hard to choke down. Fortunately, there are some great options to make water more enticing and exciting.

Option 1 = Admit it, you like carbonation. It wasn’t just the sugar in the sodas that made you smile. On the market today there are some great “fizzy” waters, better known as “seltzers” with flavors infused right in them. Brands like Waterloo and Bubly have a large line of flavorful sparkling waters with zero calories at a reasonable cost.

Option 2 = Infuse some flavor in your plain water! The natural flavors of fruits, herbs and other botanicals helps you hit that water goal every day. There are a few things to keep in mind with this method.

1 – Never use dried/dehydrated herbs/fruits/vegetables. You will not get the full flavor from these. Always use fresh and try to get the organic if possible. It goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyway), wash produce and rinse herbs to remove chemicals, pesticides and other residues.

2 – Always use cold or room temperature filtered water. Filtering the water will maximize your infused water flavors. Using hot water makes produce fall apart quicker and can compromise the nutrients you are hoping to get out of it.

3 – chop fruit or vegetables and tear the leafy bits of herbs to release the oils.

4 – Fill your container ( jug, glass jar, water bottle ), about 1/3 full of your solid ingredients and the rest with water.

5 – Soak (steep) for 2-4 hours at room temperature or you can soak overnight in the refrigerator.

6 – after the soak, squeeze the solid bits against the side of the container with a spoon to release the last of the flavor and then shake it vigorously (don’t forget to put a lid on it!)

8 – Gradually pour the water from one container into another (referred to as decanting) and filter out your solid pieces. A small fine screen mesh strainer or coffee filter will work well for this step.

9 – Store filtered water in the refrigerator for up to three days. OR you can pour the water into ice trays and have infused ice cubes.

Some interesting combinations to try :

Cucumber and Mint

Parsley and Celery

Ginger and Lemon or Honey

Raspberry and Mint

Celery (with pieces and torn celery leaves)

Watermelon and Basil

Watermelon, Kiwi, and Lime

Blueberry and Orange

Lime, Ginger, and Basil

Lemon, Raspberry, and Rosemary (or blueberries in season)

Grapefruit, Pomegranate, and Mint

Lime, Coconut, and Pineapple

Mango and Ginger

Strawberry and Kiwi

Blackcurrant and Lemon

Pear and Fennel

Lemon and Thyme

Orange, Guava, and Mint

There are so many different things you can try, these are just a few suggestions. Be inventive, find a combination that is uniquely your own!

Happy Drinking!

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Posted in Encouragement/Motivation

Brown Fat Keeping You Warm

Posted on by HeatherLynn

To say that its cold outside is vastly understating the extreme temperatures that have descended this week.   Once you hit single digits and negatives, it’s basically like being in a freezer with the fan on.    

Here is some good news though, you can still drop some weight despite the frozen fingers of the arctic scraping at your windows!   We are all born with something called “brown fat”, which is much different than your everyday white fat.  

White adipose tissue (WAT) is the standard fat that is commonly known. It stores energy in large fat nodules that accumulate around the body. The accumulation of this fat helps keep us warm by providing insulation for our organs. 

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) helps maintain body temperature when it’s too cold.  As newborns, we have a good pocket of this mostly behind the shoulder blades, because infants cannot shiver and this acts as a built-in heater. We lose most of it as we get older and form a shiver response to cold temperatures. 

Brown Fat is jam packed with mitochondria, the main energy molecule used by the cell and that is how it gets its color. When brown fat burns, it creates heat without the shivering in a process referred to as thermogenesis. It is during this process; the brown fat also burns calories.  

Everyone has some brown fat you’re born with, and this form is called “constitutive” brown fat. Another form of brown fat is “recruitable.” Meaning it can change to brown fat under the right circumstances. This type is found in muscles and white fat throughout your body.  

Some ways to increase that brown fat : 

  1. Exposing the body to cool/cold temperatures may help recruit more brown fat cells. A suggested 2 hours of exposure each day to temperatures around 66°F (19°C) may be enough to turn recruitable fat brown.  I’m not suggesting we step out into the arctic air for 2 hours, that feels a bit much to drop a few pounds.  Let’s get the outside temps more agreeable before we consider a two hour venture outside!  
  1. Taking a cold shower or ice bath.   While neither one sounds appealing, perhaps just slowing turning down the hot tap while in the shower and gradually working your way up to the cold would be better than just diving right under a spray of icy water.   
  1. Knock the temp down a few degrees in the house.   The electric bill will at least be lighter!  

Increasing Brown Fat is not a method suggested for weight loss primarily.  Consider it an add-on bonus to what you already have in play.  Acclimate yourself to the cooler temperatures, convert some of the white fat to brown fat.   Every little bit helps on the journey.   

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Posted in Emotional Well-Being, Encouragement/Motivation

The Cult of 10,000 Steps a Day

Posted on by HeatherLynn

Walking 10,000 steps a day is the goal; this is more a guideline than a cold, hard fact.

An average American will walk 3,000 – 4,000 steps a day. Personally, I average around 4,300 steps per workday. I stopped using my fitness tracker for a time and recently have put it back in play. In my mind I’ve set a soft goal of 8,000 steps per day, but I accept it will most likely not reach that level without extra effort on my part. This got me wondering where the idea of 10,000 steps came from. Why not 7,000 steps or 9,000 steps?

It was a marketing campaign, of all things, that started this trend and over time it became a sort of mantra for anyone tracking their movement. Around the time of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, Japan introduced the modern pedometer into their marketplace. They called it “Manpo-kei”, which translates to “10,000 steps”. It quickly gained popularity as Japanese walking clubs formed and the Manpo-kei was the minimum the members were expected to walk. It didn’t take long for concept to start spreading beyond the Japanese to the rest of the health-conscious walkers around the world.

There have been some studies done in which suggest the benefit in terms of mortality risk, levels off in the area of 6,000 steps to 8.000 steps for older adults and 8,000 steps to 10,000 steps for the younger generations. The takeaway is there’s evidence to suggest that moving even a little more is beneficial.

Walking has great side effects on mental health, creativity and the well-being. The very act of the activity gets everything going. Brain power, endorphins, emotions. Sitting on your couch, you don’t feel motivated to do much, but get up and start moving and suddenly, you are getting inspired.

During the cold months, its much more difficult to get outside and go for a walk, so I stick to the treadmill in the house and get my steps in trudging back and forth taking care of my chickens. In the summer, its easier to get out and walk ( albeit when the humidity isn’t trying to kill me ), but the bottom line is, I have to make the effort. No one is going to walk for me and since this is my journey, i have to push myself.

Some interesting ways to get your steps in :

Make the extra trips back and forth to carry groceries into the house.

Park in the furthest reaches of the parking lot and huff it in. Your car is actually less prone to getting dinged and scratched. ( I do not recommend this after dark, be safe of course! )

Return your cart to a cart corral that is a little further away.

Pace when you are waiting for your car to fill with fuel

Do two or three full laps , up and down every aisle, of the stores you visit. Not to purchase or browse, just simply to walk.

Take a nice day and go on a photography walk in the city. I’ve done this and found some very interesting pieces of architecture I normally would miss just driving by.

Find a safe walking trail and walk it. There are maps available online of all sorts of walking trails across the country.

Stairs, not elevator

Bike if you can. Its not much of an option for my situation as a rural dweller, there is quite a distance to cover to get to town and no public transportation.

Plan your weekends to involve things that include movement. Like museum tours, walking tours and such.

Three great reasons you can start today :

Walking is FREE. It will certainly fit in your budget.

Weather can be a hindrance but you can walk inside as well as outside.

You do not need special equipment or clothing to take a walk.

If you hit 10,000 steps, that’s awesome! Set your own goal, adjust it as you progress. Its not about the numbers, its about moving.

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Posted in Emotional Well-Being, Encouragement/Motivation

2025 The Pilgrimage Continues

Posted on by HeatherLynn

It is the final day of the year marking the end of one of the many legs of the journey to happier, healthier lifestyle.   To say it has been fraught with mishaps and complications would be dead-on accurate.   This journey, like life itself, will never be problem free and I accept that.  The unexpected will happen, the diversions, the temptations, the doubts and misgivings.   All that matters is that I have emerged at this end better than what I plunged in at!  

I am looking forward to continuing this journey.  Can I still call it a journey or is it something more epic now?  Should I call it more a like a personal pilgrimage?  Whatever I refer to this as, it is certainly a new way of life.     

What does the next twelve months have in store for me?  I honestly cannot tell you.   I can share with you my hopes, my goals, my intentions, and then life is going to step in and let me know what really is going to happen.   I accept that, this is why I do not make New Year’s Resolutions.   I understand there are just too many variables in my life that can throw me off track.  

This is what I’ll do :

  1. Recognize my weaknesses –   when I travel/visit relatives/ social gatherings   I have a lot of trouble staying on point with my eating habits.    I also found that I like to bake, but cannot resist the temptation of testing my results so I need to refrain from that activity.    
  1. Keep my Focus –   remind myself daily the reasoning behind my journey and the way I feel now verses the way I felt before starting.   
  1. Use the Apps – there are apps to help with Fasting, Tracking Exercise, Logging Food, and nearly anything you can think of.  USE THEM RELIGIOUSLY 
  1. Exercise at minimum 15-20 minutes a day.   This means a brisk walk if nothing else.   You should be trying to do more a few times a week, but the daily 15 is better than nothing at all.    
  1. Adhere to your schedule –  I drifted from my fasting schedule a few times and I’ve paid the price with a stubborn plateau.   Stick to your schedule.  
  1. Don’t let other people’s bad habits take you off course. –   If you live with someone who isn’t 100% supportive,  that is on them.   Stick to your guns and if they wish to eat and practice habits that do not coincide with your journey, do not enable them by getting them their “fixes” { junk food; processed food; candy; etc }  
  1. Look in the mirror every morning and give yourself a smile and say “Good Morning! Let’s do this! “  

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  

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Posted in Emotional Well-Being, Encouragement/Motivation

Setting Goals

Posted on by HeatherLynn

December –   Its the final month of the year.   A time we can look back and reflect on the prior months and see our success stories and our stumbles.     Did you achieve every goal you set for yourself last January?   Most likely, you did not.   This doesn’t mean you are a failure, it simply shows that life has a way of interrupting plans.       

Now is the time to grab a notebook and jot down some new goals.    We do not refer to them as resolutions since resolutions almost always end up as failed attempts.   Instead we shall refer to them as goals to work towards as we step into the next twelve months of our busy lives.  

  1. Drink Water every day  –  that’s a simple goal and one you can track.   I am not a huge fan of plain water unless its from my own well and has ice in it.   I like the flavored, no-calorie seltzers like Waterloo and Bubly.    They replaced soda in my refrigerator and not only are they healthier, they are easier on the wallet.   
  1. Move every day –   be creative with this.  Your lifestyle will dictate how you want to make this happen.   If you are urban, go for a tour in the city under the guise of a photography walk.  Take pictures and explore.  Go to a museum,  the park, play frisbee, or simply turn on YouTube to DannyGo and do some simple exercises meant for children but are actually really fun.    If you are rural, we all know that you will be out there mowing, raking, building, fixing, walking…  just keep doing it!    
  1. Eat Healthy –  ( healthier )  groceries are expensive and we all now the healthier it is, the more it seems to cost.   However, your body will benefit from the fresh fruits and vegetables.  Skip the processed meals, and avoid all those chemicals and preservatives!       Limit your fast food to twice a month,  eat out as special occasion and not as a regular ritual.   Cooking and preparing your meals at home helps control your portions and also opens you up to a world of dishes you would never find in a restaurant. 
  1. Learn a new skill or hobby.    This is a very important goal.   You are never too old to learn new things and taking up a new hobby fuels your motivation.   This can be anything from raising animals to painting, cake decorating, or even ballroom dancing.    Whatever it is, have fun with it, you deserve it!  

You don’t have to wait until January first to begin your new journey.   You can start today.  Every day you have is precious and you should not waste a single one.   The date on the calendar is merely a guideline for reference, the power to change is all in your hands and ready when you are.  

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Posted in Emotional Well-Being, Encouragement/Motivation, Food Stuff

Self-Destruction and Re-Learning

Posted on by HeatherLynn

I’ve been stuck on this barren plateau for nearly two months. Its frustrating and disenheartening, but I’m the queen of self-sabotage. I’ve cheated on myself several times. I ate outside my eating window. I ate things that I knew were not healthy for me and I over indulged. I didn’t exercise willpower at the store and I doubled up on portions when I knew I should have had one. I have no excuses. I could try and justify it but those who know me would see right through the veil of disguise. I have only myself to blame. I am responsible for my actions.

Knowing this, I must start over.. How shall I do this? The hard way, of course. Re-learn the basics.

  1. Cut back on carbs
    Yes. Cut back on carbs right as Carb-Season hits. Such an easy thing to do for a girl that loves bread and pasta and potatoes. This is where the willpower is needed but often lacking.
  2. Increase exercise frequency or intensity.
    Time Change. It doesn’t matter that you gained an extra hour of sleep, it does not help because it takes at least three days for your body to figure it out. In the meantime, its dark when you get home from work. Exercise feels “wrong” when its dark, I don’t know why, it just does. Your motivation wanes with the daylight. This is when you must push yourself and find that inner strength to go to the gym or do that extra 15 minutes of exercise in your living room. Every little bit helps.
  3. Track everything you eat
    Every piece of stolen Halloween candy, every time you do a “This once won’t matter”; every taste test when you’re cooking; it all adds up. Tracking is a major pain and using the available apps helps! It does help you visualize how much you are consuming.
  4. Don’t skimp on protein
    This is unwaveringly true. Protein sustains you for a long time and you do not get hungry near as quickly as if you had just filled up on vegetables alone. Proeins also boosts your metabolic rate which translates into calorie burning. Eat some chicken, eat some beans, treat yourself to some steak!
  5. Manage Stress
    This is the most difficult of all. Stress comes in many forms. Family issues, work issues, personal, and even national. Many of us handle this by eating. Its a normal response, but its one that has to be controlled, especially when you have chosen to lead a healthier lifestyle. Make sure your snacks are healthy, stay within your portion size, and if you are intermittent fasting, do not stray outside of your eating hours.
  6. Avoid Alcohol.
    During the holiday season. Okay, it is sound advice, after all, alcohol packs a lot of calories, it loosens inhibitions which may lead you to overindulging, and it can suppress fat burning. I personally found that with the weight-loss, I also have no idea what my alcohol tolerance is. If you do drink, limit yourself to one or two and switch out to water.
  7. Eat more fiber.
    Perfect time of the year for the hot cereals like Oatmeal and Cream of Wheat. There are many other sources of fiber as well. Chickpeas, barley, broccoli, and kidney beans just to name a few. The fiber fills you up and helps with your digestive track.
  8. Drink water, coffee, or tea
    If you are intermittent fasting, you are already doing this. Remember to avoid the creamers and sugars – this includes the fun flavored black coffees. Stick with Columbian Roasts or Jamacian Blends. Green teas are particular good to drink but don’t shy away from the black teas, they are just as tasty. Water is always your first option. Its fine to drink seltzer water, but check the calories on the can first. I’ve found that some companies produce both water without sweeteners and no calories, and they also produce water that has sweetener and run anywhere from 5 to 10 calories a serving. If its sweet and has a calorie, its going to break your fast.
  9. Get plenty of sleep
    This is difficult. Time change messes with your biorhythm to start you off. Then there are the fluctuating temperatures that cause sinus issues and often difficulting breathing at night. The cold virus can run you down quick. Set yourself a bedtime just like you had to do when you were a kid, and stick to it. If possible, take a nap during the day, but no longer than an hour. Have a cup of Chamomile tea before bed to relax you, or a nice warm bath. Stay off of your social media an hour before bedtime to avoid stimulating your senses.
  10. The scale is a dirty liar
    One morning it tells you that you’ve lost 3lbs.; the next day it tells you you’ve gained 5lbs. It is not a reliable source of information when it comes to your weight loss. The way your clothes are fitting is a good indicator. The way people respond to you, the compliments you get, your overall attitude… all good signs that you are on the right path. The scale is just a tool and should only be brought out once a week as a guideline.

Don’t feel guilty about what has lead you to this point. Brush yourself off and go forward. All is not lost, you merely stumbled in the road. YOU GOT THIS!

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