Weight Loss Tips & Tricks

So, it’s a new year and perhaps your new yeas resolution is to shed a couple of pounds. This can be easier said than done. It can be hard keeping motivated, and sometimes it may seem like that goal keeps getting further away, while pizza keeps getting closer.

Remember, healthy is a lifestyle, and the journey to get there may be riddled with bumps in the road. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you along the way.

• Log your food – There are many apps out there that help you log your food. If you’re not an app person, you can always do it the old fashioned way and keep a journal of what you’ve eaten throughout the day. This is a fantastic trick to lose weight as it gives you a visual of exactly (or almost) how many calories you’re putting in your body.
• Keep a money jar – Each time you get a workout in, fill the jar with $1. At the end of the month, use the money to give yourself a well-deserved treat!
• Get a buddy – Know someone with the same goals as you? Sign up for spinning class together, or even yoga, or the gym! Encourage each other to go a few times per week. Sweating is always better with a friend.
• Substitute your lunch for a liquid meal – It doesn’t have to be lunch, but if you’re comfortable with the idea of a liquid meal, make a protein shake. Making your own shake is an easy way to count calories and feel full.
• Wake up earlier – Set your alarm for an hour before you usually wake up. Getting an early start to the day not only sets you up for a productive workday but also gives you room to eat a good meal or get in a bit of exercise.
• Avoid liquid calories – The worst! If you can’t cut out alcohol entirely, try to limit yourself to one glass. Drinking alcohol can make your hungry and we tend to forget about all of those extra calories in that bottle of wine.
• Mix it up – If you get bored easily, rotate your schedule. Plan out your workouts to make sure you won’t get bored. Check out fitness classes, try something new. Do research and see what ways you can get active in your community. Exercising doesn’t always mean hitting the gym; go for a walk, do some yoga, karate, Pilates, anything to get your heartrate up.
• Get some sleep – Sleep is vital to recovery. If you’re trying to exercise a lot in the week, make sure you’re getting at least 8 hours sleep each night. Lack of sleep can cause an imbalance in hormones, making us not only tired and lazy, but also gain weight.