I think the biggest thing is eating habits. If you make wise decisions about what you are eating & when you are eating, that is a HUGE piece of the "getting healthy puzzle".
What I eat: I have to make a conscious effort in the busy life of being a mommy to eat 3 meals a day & snack often on things that are good for me (fruits, veggies, unsalted almonds, sunflower butter, cottage cheese, etc). I don't have set "cheat days", but I if I am at a birthday party or something else is being celebrated I will participate in cake & ice cream (just a smaller portion & not allow myself to go all crazy). I do not drink soda or coffee & rarely have juice. Trust me-water is your friend :) I have to admit that I do enjoy an occasional hot soy chai tea latte or cup of hot cocoa, lol. Umm, I rarely eat out & I keep my cabinets clear of tempting treats (for me this means salty yummy things, not so much a chocolate lover).
When to eat: It has been proven that healthy snacking throughout the day is a good thing, kind of like keeping something in your furnace to burn. I know you are supposed to stop eating around 6pm, but sometimes my schedule is too crazy & I have to eat late. I kind of give myself a rule that I will not eat any carbs after 6pm. In following that rule alone, I have seen a pretty significant weight loss.
Now, on to EXERCISE. As I said before, at this point in my life I would definitely not label myself as "hardcore", I just try to live an active lifestyle. It is good for me & it is good for the kids. We go on family walks often. If we are going a short distance, I have the kids walk. If we are going a long distance, I bring a stroller or our long wagon. We try to go to the park a lot. Instead of just sitting on a bench & watching the kids play, I get up & run around with them. Throughout the day, I try to stay on my feet as often as possible (4 kids make that pretty easy). Some activities I enjoy doing on my own to stay fit are Zumba & hiking. At night, after everyone is in bed, I do a quick 1/2 hr of exercise at least 5 days a week. For me, I primarily focus on butt, thighs, & abs work out routines. Its a good idea to get some small 5lb or 10lb hand weights to add resistance.
Positive communication about your appearance & progress (no matter how small) are also very important. It is so easy as women to focus on what is wrong with our bodies, rather then what is looking good. Some people do better going off of what they see in the mirror rather then dwelling on the numbers on the scale, its all personal preference. It will take a few weeks until you start noticing the results, but if you do not lose heart, the results will start to come. You will be the first one to notice the changes & then it will start becoming more & more obvious "You are looking good, Mama!". It is so encouraging as you see your stomach begin to tighten & your butt begin to lift, lol. I also think that seeing having your vision before your eyes is an awesome choice. Post uplifting words on your fridge & mirror. Post images of where you want to be (from a magazine or even past pictures of yourself). If you keep your vision in front of you at all times, then you are less likely to stumble with eating or skip out on a workout.
Well, that is pretty much it. Drink lots of water & vitamins are also great! Crash dieting & small sprints of working out are just going to give you short term results. But if you have had enough & choose to permenantly change your lifestyle, refuse to settle on excuses, then on the way to "healthy" you will be! :)
-M&M Momma
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| What you do with the boxes from the new dinner table, DRAW! |
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