You Can Do It!!!

I posted this message back in June and I wanted to bring it back to encourage you and myself as we continue on our healthy eating journey.  You need to keep in mind that you cannot go on this new journey of healthy eating on your own.  To be successful you will need the support of at least one other person or your entire family. When you set out to change habits that you have been use to for so long you will need support along the way.  Remember to start out slow and set realistic goals and take baby steps as I note in the end of the article.  It is the little changes that will eventually add up to get you on your way to eating healthier.

To begin your new healthy eating or continued healthy eating you must remember one key rule.  If you don't bring the unhealthy food into your house it will not be there for you to eat.  Just don't buy foods that you know are not healthy and you will eat.  You need to create a positive environment where you will not have the temptations.  If the unhealthy foods are not available to you then you cannot eat them.  When you are shopping don't even go down the candy/chips/soda isle if they are a temptation for you. 

Eating healthy and trying to exercise and transform your body can be a difficult task for anyone at any age.  Lets face it, the healthy food choices are not always the cheapest or the easiest to find.   It also takes effort to search for healthy choices and to create healthy meals that you and your family will enjoy.  You may think to yourself its to hard to change your eating habits or that of your family.    When you try something new you may like it but your family doesn't.
If you are like me you will have days when you wake up and just don't feel like stretching even for 5 minutes.  Sometimes I think about putting it off until later but later never happens.  Do you ever look in the mirror or weigh yourself and not see the results you hoped for?  You begin to question is all this effort worth it?  These are just a few of the thoughts and issues that I have as I seek to eat healthier and exercise.  What then keeps me or you going and why don't we just give up?  It is our brain!

Your brain can have a great effect on your weight loss and eating habits.  All of the above discussion was negative and no positives were included.  If I continued to read negatives and focus on the "I can't" or "this is to difficult" I would not continue.  Changing your eating habits is a difficult task however can and has been accomplished by many people.  What is their secret to success?  A key to  success will be partly to do with your mind and attitude.  I think of the saying from the children's story about the little engine that could.  I always told my children when they were seeking to accomplish something to never say "I can't" but "I think I can" and then "I know I can".  Keeping a positive attitude and focusing on positives not negatives will keep you going.


 You can make changing your eating habits and weight loss into a fun adventure and challenge not a dreaded deed that you have to do.  One thing that you should NOT do is weigh yourself daily.  Weighing yourself daily tends to create a negative attitude.  Weigh yourself every two weeks or even once a month.  Give yourself a chance and don't be so into what the scale reveals.  Most of your weight loss in the beginning will be water weight.  The scale shouldn't be determining your attitude. Think in a positive manner with only thoughts that keep you motivated.  Reading articles about healthy eating and trying new foods and recipes will keep you charged.  Watching workout videos where the instructor keeps you motivated to continue is also helpful.  Exercise or stretch to music.  Get your family on board or a friend/spouse to share foods and new information about eating and supplements with.  The key is to think positive and not get into the quick fix trap.

 I believe in staying motivated as I seek to find out new things concerning healthy eating.  I enjoy researching new  foods and supplements that will in turn benefit my weight loss and improve my health now and in the future.  Keep in mind when you look in the mirror that you didn't put the weight on overnight and you can't expect it to be gone overnight.   Now when I look in the mirror I can say to myself that I am doing something to better the way I look and improve my health. 

Remember to stay positive and put the negatives out of your mind.  YOU CAN DO IT!!!!
Just take each day as it comes and keep making those little changes.  Don't get overwhelmed and think you have to get rid of everything you have in the frig or pantry.  Just remember not to buy the foods that are unhealthy and then you will not be tempted to eat them.  This is an ongoing process and one you want to keep into the future.

Practice the little changes or baby steps.. The little changes like going from "whites" to "brown" foods (from white bread, pasta, rice to whole wheat).  Getting rid of the salt shaker, eating more fruits/vegetables, and avoiding processed and added sugar is great progress.  Remember the single ingredient rule.  The more single ingredient foods you eat the better.  Including one of the fat burning foods (avocado/guacamole) each day in your diet will also help..  All of these little changes will add up and before you know it you are eating better and the weight will come off and balance out. 

Keep positive and remember "YOU CAN DO IT"!

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