I know we all told ourselves on January 1st that this was the year you’d actually lose those extra 5lbs or get in shape and get a bikini body. Well, it’s almost March, how’s that going for you? For me, I actually decided to keep up with my resolution and try to get healthier. So far, it’s going pretty well. Here are some of my tips and tricks that have helped me so far:
Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist or a specialist in this in ANY way, this is just what has worked for me.
- Be Realistic and Specific
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Everyone’s always saying “ugh I need to lose weight” but don’t know where to start. The best way to start your journey is make a plan and visualize yourself doing it. For example, I looked at my class schedule and decided which days I’d be able to go to the gym and what time. Another thing to keep in mind is being realistic. You are not going to get a six pack in a week. That is literally impossible unless you starve yourself everyday and obviously that is not healthy. So setting REALISTIC goals is the best place to start. For example, lose 5lbs in 1-2months.
- Start with Small Changes
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I used to try to be super healthy and make radical changes all at once, and obviously that didn’t work out very well. So I started small like trying to add at least a piece of fruit or some veggies to every meal I eat. I also started by trying to walk everywhere and be as active as possible (I know sometimes the weather makes it impossible or hard, but sometimes you gotta make sacrifices). Just try your best to do something everyday that will get you closer to your goals. A 20-min workout is better than none at all.
- Be Patient
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Like I said, you will not get a six pack or lose 10lbs in a week. Progress is ANNOYINGLY slow. You will not lose weight every week. The number on the scale will go up and down. There will be days where you feel bloated and feel like you gained weight. That’s just your water weight and your body adjusting to your changes. You will want to give up. But believe me, whether you can see it or not, you are making progress!!
- Stay Away from Super Strict Diets and Pills
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This one is a really important one. Skinny tea, metabolism pills, detox diets…. All of that is extremely unhealthy for you and in the end it really hurts your insides. BELIEVE ME, I have tried a few of these and it only made me super bloated and literally made me sick. I cannot stress this enough – stay away from those!. As for diets, OF COURSE you have to make some changes if all you eat is junk food and soda, but like I said don’t try to change your entire diet all at once because the chances of sticking to those are very slim. The only proven diet that actually works in the long run is the 80/20 diet – 80% of the time you eat healthy (veggies, fruit, protein…), and the other 20% you’re allowed to give yourself some treats and junk food (obviously not eating an entire pack of Oreos but maybe have 3-4).
If you want to lose weight, please keep this in mind: there are no shortcuts – a healthy diet and a good workout routine is the only way to achieve long lasting results. Hopefully these help you too!