Just like any college girlie, I’m always trying to find a new way to lose weight. From the Keto Diet, to WeightWatchers and to my latest addition, intermittent fasting, I search high and low on my Pinterest boards for new ways to achieve weight loss. I try extremely hard to not be so self-conscious about my weight, but everyday I find myself flipping food over to view the calorie count, giving up a soda for a glass of water and picking up an apple instead of a candy bar. I’ve skipped meals, went to the gym while I was sick and felt a TON of guilt when I ate something unhealthy. Maybe you have done or felt some of these things as well. So, I have one question for us both: What are some ways we can make healthy choices without giving up all the stuff we really like?
1. Track your calories. I love this app called MyFitnessPal. This app has almost every food you could think about logging, and it makes it very simple. It has different categories for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and even a water category so you can track how much water you drink daily. Before shorting yourself a bunch of calories, see how many calories you consume daily. If you’re like me, you probably self-consciously eat less calories than what the app suggests for your daily calorie intake. Now remember, the point of your calorie count is not to eat as much as you can, but to eat in smaller portions. If you have calories left for that day, be proud of yourself!
2. Buy a fitness watch. I understand these things are kind of pricey, but I promise they are worth it. I love my Apple Watch, my mom loves her Fitbit and my grandmother loves her Garmin. Whatever brand you use does not matter, however, tracking your steps and how many calories you burn every day is very motivational. You can also wear them at the gym, and your workouts can conveniently be logged into MyFitnessPal! (That’s why I love this app!)
3. Go grocery shopping. DO NOT do this while you’re hungry. You have to have some amazing willpower to grocery shop while hungry because it’s so easy to grab something that will cook quickly or choose unhealthy snacks to give yourself some quick energy. Imagine this: your body is a car, and food is the fuel. Water, fruits and vegetables are gasoline. Candy, chips, and soda are syrup. Would you put syrup into your gas tank? Of course not, because syrup is not what powers your car. When you put bad stuff into your body, you can’t use it properly. You’ll be sluggish, tired, and not want to go anywhere. However, if you put good things in it you will have energy for the gym, to cook and to keep reaching your goal weight! Make healthy choices while grocery shopping, but don’t torture yourself. Everything is good in moderation.
4. Exercise every day. Whether you only find time for a one mile jog, or you do a full circuit workout routine, do it to the best of your ability! If you’re making time for it every day, then it will become a part of your lifestyle. Exercising should be like brushing your teeth, you do it every day without even thinking about it! Take some time to find some exercises that feel right for you. Look on Pinterest if you need some ideas and take it one day at a time.
5. Do NOT give up. So maybe you ate Chick-fil-A, Los Portales, ice cream and pizza today. It’s okay! Don’t beat yourself up over a few bad days, or because you ate a candy bar. Keep being positive, keep working on changing your habits and don’t give up on yourself. Keep trying for yourself and for the healthy life you want to live!
I hope these tips can help you begin your journey towards a healthier life! Check back on HerCampus UTM next week for another “Too Healthy Tuesday” article!