“Take care of your body, its the only place you live in.” Anon
Ola! Hope you are doing well and are as excited as I am that the year is ending! With that in mind we are entering the very festive month of December when we tend to be tempted with FOOD! I know I am guilty. So I collaborated once again with Roxana from highstylife.com to give you great tips to keep on track with your healthy eating! Enjoy 🙂 !
Whether you’re trying to get in shape or just lose a few kilos, we all know how hard it can be to maintain a healthy diet with so many delicious temptations around every corner. Even when the progress is clearly visible, watching your every bite can become quite stressful, which is why many people give up too fast. If you feel like it’s all starting to seem like too much work and the results are just not showing fast enough, here are six little tricks that can help you stay on the right track.
Find the right exercise
It’s going to be much harder to stuff on that cake if you choose a type of exercise that you find enjoyable and entertaining; whether it is swimming, cycling, running, or simply going to the gym, doing what you love will make you appreciate your effort more. Also, don’t be afraid to try something new – go to a yoga class and improve both your physical and your mental health, or learn how to dance and impress your friends during a night out. Whatever you do, you’re more likely to see the results if you stick to your healthy diet.
Choose the right food
Eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to give up your favourite food completely and settle for something you hate. You just need to find a balance and try out different, healthier options. For example, if you love pizza, you can make it healthier by choosing low-fat cheeses, adding more vegetables and spices, and making your own whole-grain crust. You can also pick a different fruit or vegetable every week and look for different recipes in which you can include your new choice.
Always be prepared
It’s easier to stay healthy when you have everything you need at hand. So, make sure your fridge is always filled with fresh fruit and vegetables, and get rid of all the irresistible, unhealthy snacks. You can also easily buy meat online when you don’t feel like going to the market. When it comes to the preparation itself, there’s nothing better than homemade meals since you can control what goes into them. This doesn’t mean you can’t eat out, but when you do, it’s a good idea to find the menu online beforehand so you know what the healthiest options are.
Make use of the apps
One of the benefits of the digital age is that there are plenty of applications that can help you with your diet. For example, Runtastic helps you track your daily activities by calculating the number of calories burned, distance covered by running or cycling, pace, etc. If you’re more focused on the food, BigOven is a modern cookbook that can give you instructions on how to prepare any meal you like together with photos and suggestions about using the leftovers.
Track your progress
Try to set specific and realistic goals for every week, and focus on achieving them. Also, if you’re making this change to lose weight, don’t weigh yourself every day; you will become obsessed, so do it only once a week – focus on the feeling, not the numbers on the scale. If you have an Instagram account, you can track your progress by taking a photo every day, which will also help you compare the final results with the beginning. Another suggestion is to keep a food journal of what you’ve eaten, how much weight you’ve lost and how much you’ve exercised; you can also write down your own thoughts and keep track of what works and what doesn’t.
Stay motivated
Firstly, know your reasons – if your goal is “just” to lose weight, staying motivated might become a challenge. It can take some time, so in order not to knock the wind out of your sails too fast, reward yourself after achieving your weekly goals – buy a new piece of clothing, visit a spa, or go see a movie with your friends. Also, everything is easier when you don’t have to go through it alone; find a diet buddy, exercise together, and keep each other motivated. Another great idea is to literally hang your motivation by the mirror regardless of whether it is your favourite pair of skinny jeans or that beautiful summer dress you can’t wait to get into. Finally, don’t be too hard on yourself. If you just can’t seem to stay motivated even after trying everything, give yourself a break for a couple of days – the motivation will come back naturally.
There are many obstacles and temptations along the way, so sticking to eating healthy is not an easy task. However, with a few tricks and the right attitude, you will surely reach your goal and develop a healthier lifestyle.
Keep Smiling 🙂
Simply Siro
Photo’s courtesy of highstylife.com