Weight Management

Jan 03 2022

Action Steps: The Best Way to Keep Your 2022 New Year’s Resolutions

Action steps, not intentions will assure that you make the changes you want in 2022.

Here it is another year with another chance to resolve to save more money, lose weight, or eat more vegetables. Did you make any New Year’s Resolutions?

Resolutions are just a list of intentions. And, I’m sure many of you have experienced, as I have, by the end of January, most of those intentions have been forgotten.

Successful change is made by taking small, action steps toward that change. True action steps are behavior specific. For example, “losing weight” is a great goal but it is not a behavior. However, “replacing one sugary snack with a piece of fruit at least three days a week” or walking 30 minutes three days a week” are behaviors. So, each of these action steps would lead you toward weight loss.

Now you might be thinking: I’ve tried that before and it didn’t work. Here is a 5-step plan that will help you focus and stay on track this time.

Determine what steps you need to take to reach your weight loss goal.

Take some time to think about this. Along with food and activity, think about your kitchen – does it need reorganizing? Do you need additional food containers, or storage bags?

Create a list of actions you will take to fulfill the first step above.

If you want to lose weight, what actions are required? Will you walk one mile three days next week? Will you eat only one dessert next week? Do you need to purchase additional food containers for Sunday meal prep?

Once you have drawn up a plan of action steps toward your goal, put each action step into your schedule.

Things are more likely to get done if you schedule them. Keep track of how you are doing and any problems you encounter.

Most plans run into obstacles/challenges.

Anticipating your challenges and having a plan to confront them will lead you to success. For example, there will always be holidays and social events. You can plan ahead for these challenges. Check out restaurant menus in advance to find healthy options. Take your own healthy recipe to parties, or celebration dinners.

Look for progress not perfection.

It is possible to get off track. But, that does not mean you have failed. Don’t use it as an excuse to give up. As in, “I ate one cookie so I might as well finish the box.” Be kind to yourself and get right back to it.

In order to become the person who eats clean, healthy meals, or reaches your healthy weight, you need to walk from where you are now to where you want to be. This means you might have to give things up or add in things you might not like so much yet.

In the end, we all have to find it within ourselves and want to change for the better.

Now, why not review your resolutions/intentions and make a list of action steps that will get you where you want to be?

Statistics show that most goals set in January are weight loss goals. This has never been truer than this January!

May 2022 bring health and happiness to you!

I have put together an ebook, 7 Steps to Make Weight Loss Easier & Effective

Download it now – it’s FREE!

Jul 26 2021

Weight Loss Plateau? Beat It in 5 Doable Steps

A weight loss plateau is frustrating: You start working out regularly and you clean up your diet. You lose weight, you gain muscle mass, and you have tons more energy. Great job! Then, all of a sudden – BAM – everything comes to a screeching halt.

The good news is that you can overcome a weight loss plateau and reach your goal weight.

Here are 5 steps you can take:

Eat A Healthy Breakfast for Weight Loss

Studies show that the habit of eating a healthy breakfast is key to losing weight and keeping it off. Your plateau-breaking breakfast should be low in carbs and high in protein.

Try these:

Protein takes longer to digest and it can also help slow down the absorption of any carbohydrates that might be in your meal.

Add Protein To Every Meal & Snack

Eating more lean protein will help to increase your metabolism because it takes more energy for your body to digest the protein than digesting fat or carbohydrate. You will also feel full longer, and possibly see more benefits from your strength training sessions. After your high protein breakfast, give these a go:

Drink More Water for Weight Loss

I know. How many times have you heard that? But even mild dehydration can slow down your metabolism. To ensure you are staying hydrated, include a glass of water before every meal and snack. Staying hydrated also keeps you from feeling bloated and puffy.

Get Adequate Sleep

Sleep deprivation causes your metabolism to slow down which will slow or reverse your weight loss. When you are tired you do not feel like preparing a healthy meal and you are more likely to grab a quick unhealthy fix. You also will likely skip your workouts.

The amount of sleep you get can also affect your hormone levels which could inhibit your ability to burn calories. More about hormones in a future post.

Build More Muscle

Muscle burns more calories than fat. Every pound of muscle uses approximately 6 calories a day while each pound of fat burns only 2 calories daily. Aerobic exercise will not build muscles but you will continue to burn more calories in the hours after a workout. It is a good idea to switch up your routine. Keep your workouts fresh and challenging. Your muscles can get used to the same repetitive daily exercise and after a period of time will not respond.

Most of us will face a weight loss plateau before we reach out goal weight. Finding support from a professional can help keep you accountable and help get you over the finish line.

Maybe you have struggled or are struggling with a weight loss plateau. I would love to hear any tips you might have from your experience.

If you are having trouble reaching your healthy weight goal please grab my FREE eBook:

7 Steps That Make Weight Loss Easier & Effective

Jul 01 2021

How To Eat Healthy, Clean Meals When You Are Cooking Challenged

Are you cooking challenged? Do you want to make healthy, clean meals but you hate to cook, have no time to cook, or you’re just not a good cook?

Good news! You are not doomed to be unhealthy. It is possible to prepare healthy, clean meals that you won’t have to cook.

Here’s how:

“No Cook” Meals

What better choice for the cooking challenged person than not to cook at all! You can put together fresh healthy, clean meals without cooking a thing. A few tasty options include:

Bowls: Healthy bowl recipes are not only popular, moreover, they are delicious. Bowl meals are versatile.
Soup: Chilled soup is super easy to prepare because it is made right in your blender. In other words, no cooking required.
Smoothies: Smoothies seem super healthy. But a smoothie may not be all that nutritious. Be sure to use clean ingredients and don’t add unwanted calories.
Wraps: Almost anything can be rolled up into a wrap and if you are looking for a low-carb wrap option, lettuce or other greens can be used.

Fresh & Fully Cooked Meal Delivery Services

We can get pretty much anything delivered to our front doors these days. Fully prepared meals, for example. The following services deliver healthy, clean gourmet meals.

Take a look:

The meals can be customized to your dietary needs. They are comparably priced to eating at a restaurant.

“Dump” Dinners

Dump dinner recipe ingredients are prepped ahead and placed in the freezer until you are ready to use them. They do require a tiny bit of cooking.

However, three easy steps make it possible to prepare 3 or more dump dinners in an hour:

Assemble the raw ingredients
Wrap the ingredients tightly
Freeze

You will need:

Heavy duty freezer Ziploc bags
A marker
Recipes
All recipe ingredients
Space in your freezer

Dump dinners are perfect for anyone who is cooking challenged. When you are ready to use the dinner, just “dump” the ingredients from the freezer into the crockpot or a baking pan.

Many of us are cooking challenged. But with healthy, clean ingredients & some time to prep ahead, you can still put together healthy, clean meals without cooking.

If you are cooking challenged here is your solution:

Grab the FREE blueprint for building as many healthy, tasty bowls as you like & the blueprint for the perfect smoothie!

Jul 31 2020

Healthy Almond Milk vs Unhealthy Almond Milk

Healthy almond milk offers a number of health benefits for women and for men. But, surprisingly, almond milk can be bad for you.

We will take a look at almond milk and its nutrition facts, its health benefits, and weigh in on how you can have the best, healthy almond milk.

Almond Milk Nutrition Facts

Homemade almond milk is low-calorie and low-carb. One cup contains roughly 60 caloies and just 1 gram of carbohydrate. Almond milk contains heart-healthy poly-and monounsaturated fats. It is free from unhealthy trans fat, saturated fat, and dietary cholesterol. It is also a good source of dietary fiber, magnesium, and vitamin E. In short, almond milk looks pretty healthy according to the nutrition facts.

Almond Milk Health Benefits

Almond milk offers a number of health benefits:

Approximately 75% of the world’s population is lactose intolerant. Since almond milk is naturally lactose-free, it is a good alternative to dairy.
Almond milk contains low levels of potassium and phosphorus. This makes it a good alternative to dairy for people with chronic kidney disease.
The low calorie content of almond milk is a great option for weight management.
Unsweetened almond milk, naturally low in carbohydrates makes it a good choice for those restricting their sugar intake.
One cup of almond milk can provide 20-50% of your daily vitamin E requirement

How Can Almond Milk be Bad for You?

Processed almond milk can contain many additives, such as, sugar, salt, gums, flavors, and emulsifiers.

Gums and emulsifiers are used for texture and consistency.

One study found that carrageenan, an emulsifier, may upset gut health. It is still GRAS (generally recognized as sate). But, why put additives into your body when you do not have to…?

Try your hand at DIY almond milk

Homemade almond milk is healthier, and in most cases creamier and tastier than commercially prepared almond milk.

It is a bit of extra work having to soak and strain the almonds, but it is delicious and contains NO ADDITIVES.

If you are not up for additional work but want to eat clean, unadulterated almond milk, there is another alternative. Bring Joi into your life.

When I found Joi it was like finding a gold nugget. That is to say, now, making almond milk couldn’t be easier.

If you are not familiar with Joi, it is a nut base. The only ingredient it contains is almonds.

Using Joi eliminates the additives found in purchased almond milk and it eliminates the work of soaking nuts and straining them – just add Joi to water and blend.

Along with milk, you can also make other delicious recipes with it. Check out the bonus recipes.

Almond milk has health benefits for women and for men. The best for you is homemade, either the long version or the short, Joi version.

Why not compare them and see what you like best?

Homemade Almond Milk Recipe

Give Joi a try

Jan 30 2020

Fire Up Your Motivation

Top 3 Steps That Will Spark Your Motivation

Motivation is clearly needed to successfully reach your goals. Some people lack the motivation to get started. Others lose their motivation to keep going.

Did you resolve to reach your healthy weight, eat healthier, or get fit?

Approximately 55% of New Year resolutions are related to diet and weight loss. However, research shows that most people give up on their resolutions before the end of January. Why? They lost their motivation.

How can you fire up your motivation and reach your goals?

Here are 3 steps that will spark your motivation:

#1 Know Your Why

Why do you want to lose weight? Why do you want to eat healthier? There is no wrong why. It just has to have great meaning and is personal to you. You cannot take someone else’s why and make it yours.

When your reasons to reach your goal are strong, getting there will be easier. Are you really passionate about the change or do you just think you should do it? Because it is so important to really want it in order to maintain your motivation.

So, get clear on what you want and why you want it. Write down why you want to lose weight, eat healthier, or get fit. Keep the list in your sight. Read it every day. Then, take small steps to get there. After that you will have increased motivation.

#2 Focus on the Process

Many people trying to reach a goal only set goals they want to achieve at the end. These are called outcome goals. Outcome goals, such as, “I want to lose weight” or “I want to weigh ___ pounds” (fill in the blank) can feel too distant. Above all, they can easily derail your motivation.

Break down your outcome goals into steps. These steps are called process goals. Each step leads you to your outcome goal so focus on these steps. Celebrate each small achievement because that will help you stay motivated and not give up.

If your outcome goal is to lose weight, set a process goal toward that end. For example, I will walk briskly for 30 minutes five days next week.

Having several doable process goals will help maintain your motivation.

#3 Confront Your Challenges

Food nourishes our mind and soul as well as our body. Changing the way you eat can be the most frustrating challenge ever. The hardest part is to move beyond your limiting thinking that it will be such a hassle.

Plan out how you will confront your challenges. There will always be holidays and social events so you can plan ahead for these challenges. Check out restaurant menus in advance and find a healthy option. You can eat half and eat the rest the next day. In addition, you can take your own healthy recipe to holiday meals or parties. This will result in less anxiety.

Take away food’s power. For instance, take one food you think you couldn’t live without and stop eating it for one week. Two weeks. This will take the power you think certain foods have over you away. Review your reasons for reaching your goals. The result will be increased motivation and a better chance to reach your goals.

Motivation is important to make long-term lifestyle changes. In the end, we all have to find it within ourselves and want to change for the better.

Your goals are worth the effort and you will end up creating the life that really fulfills you.