Back on Track!

The fair is in town.  I love going to the fair it is such a tradition.  Seeing all the farm animals and exhibits, and oh yea the FOOD!  I also know the temptations of all the unhealthy foods that I only seem to eat when the fair is in town.   I will honestly say that when I'm walking around the fair I tend to eat some foods that are not part of my healthy eating plan.  I'm sure you can relate if you have been to the fair. 

Usually the foods we tend to crave (to include fair food) are those high in sugar.  Remember sugar is the enemy and is one of the main causes contributing to our belly fat.  This article will provide you with some of the tips that I use to help reduce those sugar cravings and get me back on track with my healthy eating plan.

First I get right back into my exercise routine.  It is important to get my body moving to feel better and burn away fat.  Exercise will help with the release of good hormones that will make me feel better and reduce food cravings.  Keep in mind the importance of exercising before you eat breakfast.  This is such an important tip for burning fat.  Your body will get double the benefit and keep burning flab into the day following morning exercise.  When you work out prior to eating breakfast your body will need to pull from the stored fat during exercise and continue the burn long after you finish.  I only exercise before breakfast to get the most of my time and energy. 

Remember that some type of movement is better than doing nothing.  If you are new to exercise or starting up after stopping for awhile just start out slow with some stretches.  Start a routine 4 days a week for 5 minutes a day and increase from there.  I exercise with stretches and resistance 3 or 4 days a week before breakfast for 15 minutes.  When you start you can do some simple stretches like squatting in place, touching your toes, sitting in a chair and doing leg lifts, standing leg lifts and kicks to the side and forward and backward, walking up and down the stairs.  Keep this up and in a few weeks you will feel the difference in your muscles and movement.  After two weeks try to increase to 10 minutes a day and add some walking, resistance training or jogging in place. 

The next tip to help reduce cravings is to drink more water.  Many times when you think you are having a food craving its really because your thirsty.  When your thirsty your body signals the craving to your brain and people think its for hunger.  Drinking water will keep you hydrated to burn fat and fight sugar cravings.  So when you go to the fair be sure to drink a lot of water and avoid the sugar sweet tea and soda. 

The last suggestion I will make to get you back on track will be to keep track of what your eating.  This is what I suggest doing within my weekly "Journal Challenges" posted within the blog.  Plan your eating for the day and don't eat foods that you haven't planned that day.  Have the foods you plan to eat available.  Write down what you are going to eat that day in your journal to include your between meal snacks.  Don't eat spontaneously.  When you eat spontaneously you will tend to eat unhealthy foods and larger portions.  Keep in mind the importance of eating 5 mini meals spaced 3 hours apart.  Mini meals take the place of the 3 large meals that we are use to eating.  Mini meals should be between 300-400 calories of healthy sources like, eggs, dairy, fruit, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and lean meats.  You can actually shrink your stomach by eating 5 mini meals in place of 3 larger meals. 

I hope enjoyed this article and gained some tips that will help get you back on track and control your cravings.  Remember, sugar is your enemy and keeping the cravings under control will help you stay on track to more healthy eating.