HOW TO CLEAN UP YOUR EATING HABITS THIS SUMMER

It's not too late to work on your "summer body." You still have time to make changes and see results while the weather is nice. Some of my biggest changes have come during the summer months. Maybe it's the motivation to wear shorts, tanks and swimsuits. Sometimes I think it's the heat making me want more raw foods, like salads and less hot & hearty (read: calorie and carb heavy) foods.  

So where should you start? 

The first place to start is with what you're drinking. A lot of the cold drinks we reach for when we are hot are high in sugars and calories. Trading your sweet tea in for a cold glass of water will cut some calories from your day. Can't give up your tea or soda cold-turkey? I understand. Start by scaling back. If you usually have 3-4 a day, cut it to 1-2 and drink water the rest of the day. Commit to drinking a glass of water with each meal - before having your regular drink. It'll get easier with time if it is challenging at first. 

The next change you can make is to start adding more nutritious foods to your diet. Start by adding more veggies, fruits, and nuts to your meals. Maybe you are eating pizza, but if you also commit to eating a salad with your pizza you will likely eat fewer slices than normal because the salad took up some space. If you have been following me for some time you know that this is one of the first changes I made & I ended up eating broccoli with my cereal each morning! Hahaha! 

After you have mastered those two things, I recommend that you try to cook or prepare most of your meals yourself. In other words, if you currently eat out more than you cook - time to get in the kitchen! Restaurants want their food to taste super yummy, so that often means excessive amounts of butter, oils and other things that add calories and fats. But when you prepare your own foods, you can control all of that and still enjoy delicious foods. Try some of the recipes I have shared on the blog or on social media or explore Pinterest to get some ideas. 

Have you noticed that I haven't said anything about counting calories? That doesn't have to be your focus when you're starting - or ever. I lost my first 30lbs without counting calories. Eat when you are hungry. Eat less junk food & more whole/natural foods. The rest will work itself out. 

These tips should get you started, but I'm going to throw in a FREE one day meal plan to get your creativity flowing. Keep me posted with your progress & I'd love to see some of the meal plans you come up with on your own! 

Make sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram, And feel free to send me your questions or thoughts!

You can also purchase my 10 Day Quick Start here. It comes with an easy to follow meal plan and everything you need to jump start your lifestyle change. 

3 Healthy Foods to Eat at Summer Cookouts and BBQs

For many people Memorial Day weekend kicks off BBQ season. I actually LOVE BBQs myself, but they can be disastrous for some people's diets. And understandably so. There are a TON of tempting foods around, but you can also stay healthy at BBQs.

1. Grilled meats are a great option! Steak, chicken, seafood, even burgers are all great sources of protein and grilling is a healthy way to cook them. Just be aware of the sauce they can have sneaky calories and sugars 😜

2. Veggies! I love throwing veggies on the grill (straight on the grill or in aluminum foil), but salads or other veggie sides are also good options. 

3. Potatoes & corn are also great when grilled. Like any other time, just be aware of what you put on them.

And bonus tip - try grilled fruit! And there are even some recipes for healthy fruit dips online 😍😍😍

I am a health coach helping people start their weight loss journey & develop longterm healthy habits. I offer one-on-one coaching, as well as customized meal and/or exercise plans. Make sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram, And feel free to send me your questions or thoughts!

You can also purchase my 10 Day Quick Start here. It comes with an easy to follow meal plan and everything you need to jump start your lifestyle change. 

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What No One Tells You About Losing Weight

Losing weight. It's either a goal of ours at some point or we know someone who wants to lose weight. And there is so much information out there - on social media, online, from people we know (or don't know). And sometimes it feels like it's all different. No carbs. Carbs. No junk food. Pop Tarts and pizza. High fat. Low fat. Seriously. It can be overwhelming. How do you know what to do??

But I'm here to clear something up for you.

There's more than one way to lose weight.

Clean eating worked for me. Does that mean it will work for you? No. Low carb diets work for some people. Does that mean it will work for you? No. But SOMETHING will work for you. The secret is figuring out what you will stick to & then giving it time to work.

That being said, let's talk about what things to remember when trying to lose weight.

Avoid "diets" that severely limit your calories. Your body needs calories to function. If a plan suggests that you eat fewer than 1200 calories - run. You will lose weight, but it won't be "healthy" weight.

Choose a plan that you can stick to long-term. You won't be successful if you are miserable. The key to keeping weight off is making a permanent lifestyle change, so if you can only stick to a plan for a few weeks - it may not be the right one for you.

Remember that your body needs nutrients. Some of the plans I have seen don't offer any nutritional value. Make sure you are able to enjoy a mix of foods that give you some vitamins and nutrients. You still want to be healthy, not just "smaller."

So, don't get worked up or overwhelmed by all of the info that's out there. Remember that you just have to pick the plan that is going to work for YOU.

Make sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram, And feel free to send me your questions or thoughts!

You can also purchase my 10 Day Quick Start here. It comes with an easy to follow meal plan and everything you need to jump start your lifestyle change. 

I am a health coach helping people start their weight loss journey & develop longterm healthy habits.  I offer one-on-one coaching, as well as customized meal and/or exercise plans.