Ok..so losing weight is.. Not easy. But it`s totally worth it!
A 3 month period of training and taking care of what and how much you eat can make a HUGE visible difference. Now what you want to do is Start somewhere. Either in the Kitchen or the Gym, just start changing something.
Start walking on a treadmill if you don`t have the possibilities to get a personal trainer, start cooking more often instead of reaching for snacks and ordering food, start changing your mindset from
"I can`t do it, it`s too hard",
"I can`t give up on sugar and bread"
to
"It`s okay to have a piece of chocolate but I have to eat healthier the rest of the day",
"It`s okay to eat 2 slices of bread but I have to take care of my calories intake",
"I will try to substitute sugar with healthier versions of desserts".
I struggled with food aswell and it took me a while to find the right recipes and hacks in the kitchen, and also the proper training routine in the gym that worked for me. So I made a list of tips for you to try, small hacks that will improve your lifestyle and health. These are things that WORKED FOR ME!
Your body will always respond differently but trying, and doing the research gets you one step closer into reaching your goals.
1. Eat Volume FOODS!
Eating volume foods means including a LOT of your favorite veggies on your plate when eating. So.. let`s say you can`t give up on that fatty steak, try and choose a smaller portion and give side veggies more room on the plate.
2. Read food labels!
Knowing how to read food labels can help you choose healthier options. A lot of canned veggies and fruits have lots of added sugars. Most expensive brands do that to make them taste better. All information is provided per 100 grams or per portion of food.
3. Don`t deny foods!
Don`t deny yourself that burger you`re craving, but instead eat smart! Try and eat healthy for a few days and let yourself enjoy that burger at the end of the week. Waiting will make you enjoy it more, and won`t make you feel as guilty. Denying your favorite food forever will make you crave it even more. Enjoy the occasional treat!
4. Don`t buy junk food for the house!
If you want to avoid temptation, try not to stock up junk food. Chocolate, chips, crackers, fizzy drinks etc. should not be in your house. There are a lot of healthier versions like fruit, rice cakes, oat cakes, a few nuts to snack on if necessary.
5. Lower your alcohol intake!
A glass of wine can contain as many calories as a piece of chocolate. I enjoy a glass of wine at the dinner table, but I try not to reach for the bottle too many times. Over time drinking too much can lead to weight gain.
6. Cook in bulk!
Meaning cook now and eat later, I advise for non-pretentious people to cook enough for several meals. When you have several types of cooked food stored in the fridge, and you`re getting back from work hungry, just warm them up and eat a healthy dinner instead of stopping at McDonalds . Reserve 1 day to cook several meals and enjoy the free time the next days.
7. Use spices!
Example : Eating chicken breast often may seem really boring, but if you cook the chicken in different ways , combining them with different veggies ,spices and sauces you will never get bored! Having so many combos of spices on the market shelf makes everything easier. Marinate, spice, and cook them differently. Use the grill, the oven, boil or steam, it`s all about time and priorities.
8. Be aware of your calorie intake!
No one is saying to count every calorie you eat, but be aware at least a bit when it comes to your favorite foods. Simple Example: If I want to lose weight, I have to be in a caloric deficit. If I choose a daily intake of 1200 calories and eat 3 times a day it means I`ll have 3 meals of 400 calories each. I love eating eggs in the morning, with a ton of veggies next to them. I usually choose the same veggies ( mushrooms, onions, peppers ) or I eat fresh veggies on the side ( cucumbers, tomatoes ) . So ..it gets pretty simple. since I eat eggs so often, I know that 1 egg is around 70-80 calories. Here comes easy math in the equation.
I have 400 calories to eat : 2 eggs = 160 , around 100 gr of mushrooms = 20 , tomatoes x 2 medium = 45 ,1 pepper = 20 , cucumbers x 2 medium = 30
So I have 255 calories added up so far .. meaning I can add other veggies that are really low in calories, or add a slice of bread ( around 100 calories ), rice cake ( 30 cal / rice cake) , half of avocado ( 110+ cal ) etc.
9. Use Simple Math and a Phone or Notebook to track calories!
Using the simple math method is the easiest way to lose or gain weight.
Make a list of your favorite foods. Read their labels or google them to know how many calories they have. Write them down. And keep track of them at least a bit . You`ll memorize them in time and it`ll get very easy to track what you eat. My list is made out of simple basic foods I eat often ( Chicken breast, eggs, cottage cheese, oats, protein powder, greek yogurt, tuna , sardines, some fruits, rice cakes, carrots, peas, beans, chickpeas ) without counting spices, sauces and fresh veggies.
10. We all know this one! DRINK PLENTY OF WATER!
You hear it everywhere, and you`re going to hear it from me too. DRINK your WATER! I used to have an app on my phone that would remind me to drink 8 glasses of water a day. Now it comes naturally. Just do it, thirsty or not, just take a sip, take a glass, just get it in there!
11. And we all know this one too.. EXERCISE!
It doesn`t matter what you do, If it`s walking, running ,biking, skating, lifting weights, crossfit , home workouts, yoga etc. , whatever you`re choosing is better than sitting at your desk or couch without doing anything to improve your life and health.
Trust me when I say, it will be worth it!