Time to Refocus
The children are heading back to school, our thought now start to turn towards the next big thing, which for most of us will be the c word.. “Christmas”
We always talk a lot about setting goals (Smart ones are best!)
But focusing on those goals can be a daily task, try these 8 little tips to help stay on track on a day to day basis
1. Focus on nutrition.
Exercise is important. You have to do it. It has wonderful benefits. But if your focus is on weight loss, the most important factor is what you eat. Don’t ignore exercise but if you focus on exercise and think you can eat whatever you want, you’re wrong. You have to focus on nutrition (what you eat) and use exercise as a way to supplement the calorie burn and to get your body looking how you want it to look (not to mention as a key way to get healthy and feel great).
2. Become aware of your hunger.
This is one of the key things .Many times we are not conscious of how hungry we are. We ignore our bodies because we’re too busy thinking about other things. As a result, we only eat when we’re famished, and that’s not a good time to eat, because you don’t make healthy eating decisions when you’re super hungry. Your blood-sugar level is too low, and your body just wants a quick sugar fix
Learn to listen to your body, and be aware of your hunger when it’s in its early stages. This is a key skill to weight loss, teach yourself how to use your body’s signals to learn to eat healthier.
3. Eat when you’re hungry not famished.
When you first feel the hunger, that’s when to eat. Don’t put it off until the hunger builds into an insatiable monster. When you start to get a little hungry, eat a snack. You don’t need to eat a full-on meal … just some fruit, some crackers, maybe some low-fat, some nuts, dried fruit, etc. Just something to tide you over until you feel hungry again, or until you can eat a bigger meal. Keep healthy snacks at your desk or in your car or wherever you go.
4. Learn to eat until satiated.
Pay attention to your body as you eat. If you eat mindlessly, you will most likely overeat. You’ll just keep cramming food into yourself until you’ve eaten too much. We’ve all felt the pain of being overstuffed. Don’t allow that to happen — be mindful of your eating, and of your hunger.
A good habit to build is to eat slowly … and take pauses, so you can think about whether you’re really still hungry … and drink lots of water during those pauses. This style of eating will allow you to stop eating when you’re satiated (when your hunger is satisfied, not when you’re stuffed) and allow you to be satiated by eating less. It’s not easy at first, but once you’ve practiced it for a week or two, it will make a huge difference in the amount you eat.
Another thing: before you go back for seconds, stop and take a break for a few minutes. Drink some water, talk to somebody, read, go do something, clean the kitchen a little. Whatever it takes. Often you’ll find that you really didn’t need the seconds. And then you’ve saved yourself a few hundred calories.
5. Find a workout partner.
A good workout partner is someone who wants to workout at the same time as you and does a similar workout, and someone whose company you enjoy. Why it works: if you set an appointment with a workout partner, you won’t want to miss it. You’ll make sure you’re there, unlike when you work out by yourself — many people are very tempted just to cancel their workouts if they’re a little tired or busy. Also, a workout partner makes the workout a little more fun, and that’s always a good thing
6. Allow yourself to cheat.
A strict diet plan is a bad one. If you are severely restricting yourself, and you feel deprived of good foods, you won’t last long. Instead, relax a little bit, allow yourself to cheat a little on special occasions. It’s still best if you can go for the healthier foods on special occasions, but don’t be too strict.
7. Three-bite rule.
A great way to allow for cheats is the Three-bite rule … basically, if you want a sweet or some other sinful food, don’t deny yourself … allow yourself a little indulgence, but just three bites. Allow yourself to enjoy the taste, eat slowly, then move on to healthier foods.
8. Get inspired.
Motivation is important … maybe the most important thing. Accountability is the best motivator which you will get with a good workout buddy… but inspiration is a close second. Find others who are doing what you want to do, read success stories, read magazines and blogs and books, put up a motivational poster … whatever it takes to get inspired.
