I can remember when I first said I wanted to lose weight. I knew it would be a lot of work and at the time, my girls were little and involved in school and after school activities plus I worked full time. It’s the same for many moms out there too. Maybe you’re one of them.
Anyways, I learned that even though life was busy, there were little things that I could do to help me get to my weight loss goals. These things I’ve learned over the years and I’m sharing with you.
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Here are 10 small changes that you can make today, that can lead to BIG results.
1. Replace refined grains with whole grains. For example, instead of white rice for example, I now use brown. They have more fiber and nutrients and won’t spike your blood sugar. I also like to cook the rice in an organic broth for extra flavor.
2. Make a playlist. Even when I workout now, I keep music on to keep me motivated. I’ll often ask the kids what’s popular and download a few of their recommendations. It’s fun, gives us something to talk about and makes my exercise routine more fun. I really have enjoyed using my iPod for this.
3. Swap soda for water. You can also enjoy soda water or unsweetened teas that don’t contain sugar or any kind. You’ll save hundreds of calories over the course of a day. When I’m craving a soda, I’ll opt for “soda” water which is just carbonated water. I have a Soda Stream at home and can add a a few lime slices. If I’m really wanting a soda and water and soda water isn’t cutting it, I’ll opt for this yummy goodness.
4. Workout during the commercials. I’ll admit that back in the day, I watched a lot of television so I combined workout time with my “me” time. You can do squats, push ups, pull ups or simply walk in place when the commercials are on. Here’s a great TV commercial workout routine post I did that you can download and use.
5. Reward yourself. You deserve good things and staying consistent with your meal plan and workout program should be rewarded for a non food celebration. Maybe some fun socks, a new workout outfit or a massage.
6. Eat your veggies. I struggled with this in the beginning but over time, grew to LOVE vegetables. Experiment with different recipes and find what you like. Blend them if needed and add to soups. You can find all sorts of creative ways to add veggies to your meals.
7. Walk often. Recommended daily steps in 10,000 but I’ll admit that I struggle with this because I’m often at a computer. I do wear a tracking device and work towards it daily. I know that with one 30 minute workout, I put on an average of 3,500 steps and that counts towards it. YAHOO! I keep track of mine on my Garmin Vivofit. It’s been a great tool in showing me how active I am each day (and when I’m not as well.)
8. Swap your oil. Try grapeseed, olive oil, coconut oil in place of vegetable oil or canola for their extraordinary health benefits.
9. Join a group. At one time, I tried losing weight on my own. There would be times that I’d give in easily simply because I didn’t have the support, motivation and accountability in place. When you have others to turn to, it can make all the difference. If you are in need of a group, thats encouraging and supporting, you are welcome to join our Community.
10. Watch your sauces or condiments. They can contain many sugar and lots of sodium. Mustard, hot sauce or salsa are often better choices.
As you can see, these are just little things that you can do each day to add up to BIG results. Do you have any other tips for what’s worked for you?
In this together,
Laura
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