I have only just woken up to the fact, that Summer is here. Exactly 4 weeks from now, it will be Christmas. I have 6 kg's to lose, and since I am aiming at losing 1/2 a kg per week, I will only have lost 3 kg's by the time we go away at the end of the year. On a positive note, I would rather have lost 3 kg than nothing at all, or horror of horrors, have put on some more weight. I am giving myself 4 months to lose the whole lot. Which means that, if all goes according to plan, by the end of February next year, I will be down to my goal weight.
Every day for the next month, I am aiming at adding another one of these tips to my lifestyle. My priorities are: 1st and foremost to stay healthy and fit. Secondly, to lose weight.
1) I have diarized to weigh myself every Tuesday, with the aim of having lost 1/2 kg a week. I am not allowed to stand on the scale in between weigh ins. And to really motivate me, a group of friends are weighing ourselves in front of each other.
2) Our group of friends have formed a "whatsapp" group to motivate each other to stay on track. We are each paying in a R100.00 every time we break our weekly goals. In the end, the winner with the most weight lost, wins all the money. We share daily motivations to each other. Article Source:
3) I am aiming at drinking between 8 to 10 glasses of water every day. This will help flush out all the toxins, and keep my skin glowing.
4) Solal Vitamins, are my favourite, and I have started taking the following every day: L- Carnetine, HCA Appetite Control, and Magnesium Glycinate.
5) Trampolining is a brilliant way of draining our lymphatic systems. We have a mini rebounder at home, and I am doing 300 jumps every morning before breakfast.
6) Exercise daily. Cardio exercise helps immensely with losing weight. Weight bearing exercises, are great for toning. Yoga is brilliant for flexibility. I am aiming at a minimum of an hour per day, of various exercises.
7) Inversions are so good for detoxing. Either do a shoulder stand, or have a backswing every day. The bonus of this is, that it keeps our bodies, and facial skin looking youthful.
8) Deep breathing, clears out our lungs. It also helps us to become mindful, focused and calm. Take a few moments throughout each day, to breathe deeply.
9) Meditation can be done in various ways. Praying is also a form of meditation. By doing this daily, we become more centred.
10) Positive thinking is vital. The minute negative thoughts enter into our brains, we need to get rid of them. On a happy note, the more positive we are, the more we laugh, which burns calories.
11) Vision boards are great, as they are a constant reminder of what we are striving for. I put pictures up of healthy food, people exercising, and relaxing holidays on mine.
12) Buy healthy food only. Do not be tempted to put anything unhealthy into that trolley. The whole family benefits when there is only healthy food available to eat.
13) Plan meals in advance. This way you can ensure that you have all the ingredients on hand. If you are pressed for time, you will not be tempted to eat anything else.
14) Focus on health not weight. You will remain motivated, and full of energy. This is also age appropriate, as it suits most people to be a little rounder, the older they get.
15) Surround yourself with positive people. When the people around us, uplift us we always feel better about ourselves. The better we feel, the more likely we are to want to lose weight.
16) Ask people to help. Everyone, including family, friends, dieticians, psychologists etc. We know what support we need, and we should ask for it.
17) Don't fad diet. Most quick fixes are extremely unhealthy. If you lose weight too quickly, the chances are that you will put it all straight back on, when you go back to eating normally.
18) Balance of fruit and vegetables. Pure protein diets, are not healthy, and we all need some carbs, for a balanced diet. The best way of eating these, is through all our fresh food.
19) No sugar whatsoever. Sugar is addictive, and it is empty calories. Sugar has no nutritional value. Stop now.
20) No complex carbs, like bread. There are loads of recipes on the web now, for healthy home made breads. Make these if you are really craving bread.
21) Dress nicely. The minute we put on something that we feel good in, and do our hair and make up, we become motivated to lose weight.
22) Don't shop hungry. Always have something to eat beforehand, or carry a healthy snack with you to nibble on, so you don't buy rubbish on the spur of the moment.
23) Subscribe to get a motivating sms. I am subscribed to the Herbex one, and for example today's message is: "Keep healthy snacks near, like fruit, yoghurt, rice cakes, and low fat cheese."
24) Have healthy snacks on hand: popcorn/ biltong/ kale chips/ provita/ baby carrots/ apples etc etc etc.
25) Eat smaller portions. Dish up less food, and go for seconds, rather than pile your plate sky high, and end up eating more than your needed to.
26) Cut back on alcohol. Drink light wine, or beer if you really want to. Always have a glass or 3 of water between each drink.
27) Never skip meals. We should eat 5 small meals a day, but the minimal is 3. So make sure you have these meals evenly spread out, to avoid binging, when starving.
28) Make veggies your hero, as they have almost zero calories, and you can nibble on most of these all day, every day.
29) Eat slowly, and mindfully. Enjoy each mouthful. Chew and taste your food. You will feel more satisfied, and less inclined for more.
30) Don't stress. The more relaxed you are the more unlikely you are to break your diet. There are wonderful herbal tranquilisers available these days, that are highly effective.
31) Avoid allergens. If you are aware of your body, you will know what they are. For example straight after eating bread, my stomach gets extremely bloated. If you are not sure, then have allergy tests done. Massage is a treat, and a treatment. If you are really sticking to your diet, then have a full body massage. The massage will help to detox you, drain your lymphatic system, and help eliminate cellulite. Here's to all of us looking forward to the "new me's."