As we start the new year, many people are making resolutions to lose weight and get healthier in 2015. I have come a long way on my journey to healthy living, and I continue to work toward my health and fitness goals. There is no magic pill or formula, and different things work for different people, but I wanted to share some of the things that have worked for me so far in case it might be helpful to someone else. Ive decided to do something for the month of January. Each day, I will add to this post and list something that has helped me throughout my journey. These will also be good reminders to myself. Since Im getting a late start, here are the first 5: 1. Pray and ask God for help. Ask for specific things - strength, endurance, motivation, guidance, provision - tools to help you stay on the right track, people in your life who will encourage you, etc. Philippians 4:13 is a good reminder for me. 2. Give yourself grace. Its okay to mess up sometimes, and you probably will. Forgive yourself and move on. This is much easier said than done sometimes, but its one of the most important things I have learned. 3. Get enough healthy fats, coconut or olive oil, avocados, etc., and beware of fat-free foods where the fat has been replaced with sweeteners for flavor. Our brains and bodies need healthy fats and they will help to satisfy hunger longer. 4. Avoid using artificial sweeteners to save calories. Most of them are toxic, and they will actually increase your appetite. Although its better to avoid sugar altogether, I will opt for real sugar over something like Nutra-sweet or Splenda. There are some other sweeteners like stevia or xylitol that might be okay too. If you are craving something sweet, try opting for a piece of fruit first instead of that sugar free snack. I have found that sometimes I can curb a craving for sweets with a piece of fruit. 5. Find exercise that you enjoy doing - Hiking, running, dancing, Zumba, a team sport, etc. If you dont enjoy it, you probably wont stick with it. I enjoy group fitness classes at Yakima Athletic Club - Body Attack and Boot Camp for cardio and Special Forces for strength training. I am motivated to go several times a week because I enjoy it and I find encouragement and support from the staff and other members there.
Posted on: Tue, 06 Jan 2015 06:41:02 +0000
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