Make A Lifestyle Change. Tips and Advice To Help You Lose!

So, when it comes to losing weight, I'm not any kind of master, but I do have experience. Dieting does not work. It just doesn't. It's a short term fix, but generally as soon as you get off your diet, you're going to start eating the foods that you weren't allowed on your diet, and you're going to gain the weight back - and sometimes more! No body wants that. Ew!

You need to make a life style change. This means watching your portions, choosing healthier foods, and exercising. You want a piece of that delicious cheesecake that's been staring at you all day? Have one! But make sure that it's a small piece because, let's be real, it looks SO much more delicious than it tastes (unless it's my dad's cheesecake, of course!). Even if it is delicious, the first few bites are always the best, but then it just loses it's oomph (not always, but usually), but it's there, on your plate, so you eat it. 

If you decide to eat something 'bad for you' (nothing is bad in moderation.. unless you're eating pure sugar!), you just need to make sure to balance out the rest of your day. This is why I use an app/website called Lose It. It allows me to customize a plan where I count my calories easily, put in my workouts for the day, and it gives me reports on % of calories from fats, carbs, proteins, etc. It also gives you reports which are easily accessed on the website. You can also befriend people that've signed up through the website. It doesn't reveal your weight, just the work you're putting in and the pounds you've lost or gained. It helps me to feel accountable for my actions; if I eat a lot, and gain, others are going to see that. That keeps me motivated to stay on track. 

The biggest thing about using Lose It! is that you don't want to lie. Lying about how much you ate is only harming yourself. You are the only one that sees the calories and information about that; its a tool to keep you on track. Your body is the most accurate record keeper; if you're lying on the app, you're still going to see the effects of your habits on your person.

The app runs on apple and andriod systems. (No, I'm not getting endorsed for this, but I should be with the amount of people that I've turned onto it!). *Even though I say that I count calories, I make sure not to be obsessive about it. If I go over,  I go over. I just make sure that I eat a little better tomorrow, and maybe workout for an extra 10 minutes or so. It's a HUGE balancing act, but the reason I use it, is to keep myself mindful of portions and how quickly calories add up and cause excess weight!

One more tip I'll give in this post is about weighing yourself. There's people who don't weigh themselves, there's those that weigh themselves once a week, and then there's people like me who weigh themselves every day. I've looked into this a lot because I've been told its bad to weigh yourself everyday. Personally, if I don't weigh myself everyday, I tend to get more off track. You do whatever you need to do; whether its once in a while, monthly, weekly, or daily. Its just a way of keeping yourself on track. Whatever you decide to do, try and make sure that you're weighing yourself in the same fashion every day - in the morning, at night, naked, clothed. You'll get a more accurate reading if you weigh yourself at the same time and in the same fashion. The big thing is to make sure you do not obsess over the numbers. I assure you that if you're eating a healthy and balanced diet, and working out, you will lose weight. Don't be discouraged if the numbers go up occasionally; bodies fluctuate and retain water, which can mean an extra few pounds on the scale. 

That's all for now. I need to study for my GREs (yuck!) and take care of some errands. 

Peace, Love, and Happiness. xo