A few weeks into the new year Ken and I made a commitment to focus on incorporating consistent healthy eating and fitness habits into our daily routine. We each set a goal for where we’d like to be 90 days out and that conveniently coincided with our Hawaii trip. Ken wanted to lose weight and inches and lower his body fat. My main goal was to tone up and also to be consistent – I have a bad habit of not sticking with diet and exercise routines. I’m happy to report that we’ve been doing great and really don’t have any interest in stopping. I wanted to share what we’ve been doing so I’ve broke it into two posts. Today I’ll focus on diet and then in a few weeks I’ll share our exercise routine. I hope you find a tip {or three!} that might work for you.
1. Always {always} eat a healthy breakfast.
This is basically my most important diet rule that I follow for a couple reasons. First, on days where I skip breakfast or grab something that’s not substantial enough I am starving all day. Even if I don’t end up overeating I spend the entire day feeling hangry which isn’t fun for anyone. Second, eating a healthy breakfast sets the tone for the entire day. It’s very easy to lose control if you blow half of your daily calorie at breakfast. So even if I know I might be indulging later in the day I stillness keep my breakfast in check. My favorite quick breakfasts include whole wheat toast topped with avocado, salt, and red pepper flakes {sometimes I’ll add cottage cheese or tomatoes when we have them} or two hard boiled eggs with a Garden Lites muffin.
2. Track everything you eat.
I have to say, this has been the hardest rule to wrap my head around but also the one that I credit most with helping me to drop those last few stubborn pounds and keeping me on track. Ken and I both use MyFitnessPal which is free and very easy to use. We follow the philosophy that you have to burn more calories than you consumer to lose weight, and calories are calories. Which basically means I don’t restrict anything that I eat and instead focus on eating no more than a specific number of calories each day. For me, that’s 1,500 calories/day. I have to admit when we first started this process I would complain {a lot} about not eating enough but after the first week or two my body {and attitude} started to adjust and I felt just fine. There have been a few days that I haven’t tracked everything I’ve eaten but they’ve been few and far between and overall I’ve gotten over the annoyance of inputting my meals into a virtual diary and started to appreciate what an effective tool it is for me. Even better, if you do fall off the wagon for a day or two {or 5, in Hawaii} it’s really easy to get back on track. You just start tracking the next day, starting with your healthy breakfast {see number one, above}.
3. Find a good probiotic that works for you.
Because I don’t restrict what I eat and trust me I am not perfect when it comes to nutrition – I like to make sure I save calories for wine and dessert most nights – I knew it was important to find the right mix of supplements to help me look and feel my best. I recently started taking Hyperbiotics PRO-Women Probiotic Tablets and noticed a difference almost right away. They reduce bloating, balance yeast and contain cranberry which is specifically important to women {and me since I struggle with both yeast infections and UTI’s}, they improve regularity, and they’re available at Target which means I basically have zero reason not to buy them since I sort of live there. They’re also really easy on my stomach and don’t require any refrigeration so I just keep them on my kitchen counter and them first thing in the morning so I don’t forget and I don’t feel sick or queasy at all. I’ve added them along with my daily multi-vitamin and feel like a very responsible adult taking care of myself from the inside out. You can learn more about Hyperbiotics here and #followyourgut to Target to pick up a bottle next time you’re there!
What’s been your experience with eating healthy? Any tips to add? I’d love to hear!
This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Hyperbiotics, but all my opinions are my own. http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Probiotics support many facets of overall health when taken regularly as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.
