Between fad diets, magic weight-loss pills, and complicated exercise programs, there are a million ways to lose weight and get “healthy”. It can be a confusing and deeply discouraging path. But finding a practical and realistic way to get healthy and stay healthy can be a light in the darkness for yo-yo dieters and exercise DVD junkies. Instead, commit to making a few small changes over time and eventually, you CAN achieve your fitness goals.
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Set Realistic Goals
Visit your physician for a check-up. Discuss the fact that you are ready to get healthy and listen closely to your doctor’s recommendations. Ask questions and take notes. They should be willing to help you set reasonable goals for weight loss or maintenance as well as healthy goals for daily caloric intake.
Keep Track
Track your calories. Get obsessed with calorie tracking because if you don’t know how many calories are in the foods you’re eating, then you don’t know how many total calories you’re taking in. Keeping track of your intake allows you to make sure that you’re reaching the daily goals you discussed with your doctor.
Also, make sure to weigh on your home scale right after your doctor visit to see if you weigh the same as you did at the doctor’s office. If not, write down the difference so that you don’t forget. Weigh at home once a week (in the morning is usually best). Keep a notepad near the scale and write down your weight each week, adding or subtracting pounds as necessary so that you have a measure of your real progress since visiting the doctor.
Cut the Junk
This is an obvious, but a surprisingly difficult step. Think about what you eat and drink on a daily basis. If you are constantly drinking sodas and venti iced coffee confections, then you’re likely drinking as many calories as you’re eating. If you can’t eliminate these things entirely, then scale them back so that they’re a once-a-week treat instead of a daily go-to drink. Replacing the majority of beverages with water will immediately help you to stay hydrated and will help to cleanse your system of toxins and waste.
Likewise, if you eat chips with lunch every day, consider replacing them with apple slices or carrot sticks for a healthy alternative. Of course, it’s not the same as a deep-fried salty snack, but your waistline will thank you and so will your heart, cholesterol, and blood pressure.
This is all about the baby steps. Trimming off a few hundred calories each week can get you moving in a positive direction.
Get Up!
This, too, is an obvious step for those looking to get healthy, but it cannot be neglected. If you want results, you must get up and get moving in whatever way possible. Find an activity that is suited to your fitness level and get in the habit of doing it every single day whether you want to or not. Having an exercise partner can help you in this step because they’ll both hold you accountable and keep you company.
Even if you are just walking a few laps around your yard, getting up and getting the blood flowing and your pulse pumping will help you reach your fitness goals. Gradually increase the amount of exercise you are getting as often as possible. Walk for another two minutes, do two more jumping jacks or two more minutes on the elliptical. Again, take baby steps but don’t over-do it.
Meal Planning and Grocery Shopping
Get off of the grocery store roller coaster and start making healthier food choices. Planning a weekly menu in advance can help ensure that you don’t get sucked in by good deals or tempting treats. Find healthy recipes with nutritional information included on the internet or in healthy-eating cookbooks. Decide what you want to eat for each meal (making healthy choices and substitutions where necessary). Make a comprehensive list of everything you’ll need to make healthy, satisfying dishes for each meal. Leftovers from a healthy dinner can be an excellent next-day lunch.
If you have trouble eating breakfast, try a make-ahead breakfast food such as refrigerator oatmeal so that you’ll have healthy grab-and-go breakfasts. Visit this website for some tasty recipes. Or, if you aren’t a fan of oatmeal, consider cutting up fresh fruit in a storage dish to have an on-the-go fruit salad.
Eat at Home
Remember all those healthy, tasty groceries you bought? Cook them and eat at home. This way you can control the number of calories in everything you make, rather than relying on a restaurant’s often difficult-to-find or unavailable nutrition information. Get in the habit and eventually your cooking and eating routine will be a source of pride because you know that you’re making healthy choices for yourself and your family.
Stick to It
This is the most important step in being healthy. Healthy living isn’t about losing twenty pounds on a crash diet. It’s about losing weight over time and making gradual, lasting improvements to your entire body. A diet doesn’t make you healthy. You must make a lifestyle change and a big commitment to improving your health habits. Keep up the healthy eating, exercise, and regular weigh-ins and don’t let small setbacks knock you entirely off course. Check-in periodically with your physician to ensure that you are making healthy progress.
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