Losing weight can be hard! People often look for a diet they can follow, food tracking apps, and the advice of others. None of those things are bad, but often times they only work for a short period of time. The hard part is adopting something you can make into a lifestyle, rather then a quick fix. Losing weight is not a fast process, and it often requires changes in your daily life.
I don’t think it needs to be complicated though. You don’t need to follow a strict diet to lose weight, count every calorie you eat, or weigh yourself daily. You can do those things, but you don’t have to. My advice is to keep it simple. Focus on adding foods to your diet that nourish your body, and reducing foods that harm it. Before you choose a food to consume, ask yourself if it is nourishing your body or harming it. I think we can all agree that an apple is far healthier then a handful of chips, right?
Don’t forget that liquid calories count too! A trip to your favorite coffee shop can add 500+calories to your daily calorie intake. A soda or alcohol can add extra calories in as well. It’s easy to forget about things we drink.
So where should you start? My advice is to focus on what you can add to your meals. Do you have a veggie (no butter or dressing), fruit, whole grains, lean protein, or healthy fats on your plate? If you focus on those things first, it leaves little space for the highly processed, unhealthy options. Before you grab a sugary coffee drink, soda, or alcohol, ask yourself if you have had water today.
The next step is to eliminate foods from your cabinets and fridge. If they are not there, you can’t eat them. Replace your highly processed items with healthier options. Drink water before every meal too! It will take effort, but it’s worth it!
Lastly, add daily exercise into your routine. You can start small by adding a 30 minute walk to your day. Find a buddy to walk with to make it more fun! You can also add light weight lifting into your routine to start toning your muscles or hiking, swimming, sports, or classes. The options are limitless!
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