First and most importantly, WAY TO GO on making the decision to make some positive changes in your life. It is hard to step out of our comfort zone and try new things, especially since we are used to the current daily grind, but there comes a time when you get sick and tired of being sick and tired.
So what now? What are you supposed to do now that you made the decision to get healthy?
Well...I say start small! This is very important and will help you stay on track.
Let's start with food. What should you eat? Try not to look at it as what you CAN'T eat but what you CAN eat.
Your goal should be to eat foods that are in their natural state, meaning un processed foods.
Veggies, fruits, whole grains (if you can tolerate) lean meats and drink plenty of water.
Limit your intake of processed foods. What are processed foods? Well, for example if it was made in a factory then that pretty much sums it up. If it can sit on your shelf and still be "edible" a month later, then that qualifies.
Limit fast food, sugar, soda, alcohol and deep fried foods. Sure we all enjoy the goodness every once in a while, but our bodies are not built to eat crap.
If you feed your body actual food, then it will be nice to you and in return you will feel better, have more energy and lose weight.
You have heard me say time and time again that it's all about the food you eat...and it is!
When should you eat?
If you can have your first meal within an hour of waking up and following that meal with another "clean" meal 3 hours later for a total of 5-6 meals/day, your bodies metabolism will wake up and thank you.
Your meals should be smaller meals, I'm not talking about a burger and fries every 3 hours.
Shoot for a lean protein and a complex carb and some veggies and or fruit.
Exercise, what to do what to do?
What do you LIKE to do? What are you willing to do and how can you fit it in your schedule?
Something as simple as getting a walk in 3 times a week is a great start! This is where I started after having my son. Once you see how great you feel after, then you will want more and you will be able to do more from the increased energy.
Maybe increase your walks to 5 times/day. Get yourself into a nice routine that your comfortable with and that you know you can do.
Now that your walks are going smoothly, now start to challenge yourself. Instead of keeping your normal pace, start doing some intervals.
What are intervals? Interval training is when you work as hard as you can for a certain amount of time (lets say 30 seconds) then recover for (lets say 1 minute) and repeat that routine for 15-20 minutes.
You can jog/run and walk, do sprints and walk, climb stairs at the local track and walk, climb hills and walk. Basically anything that will challenge you and make you WORK!
Like to ride bike? Throw that in there too!
I always say that a well rounded workout routine and eating the right foods is key. Adding weight lifting to your schedule is a great way to watch your body transform. Since our bodies get used to the same thing over and over, we need to change things up and add new exercises always keeping it guessing whats next.
Give yourself a break and don't be too hard on yourself if you mess up! Keep in mind that it takes a while for you to get used to a new lifestyle change. Yes, lifestyle NOT diet. It's a learning process, just be patient and make sure you show up for the next challenge the following day.
So, what did I just say?
* eat real foods, experiment with new fun recipes
* shop the outer edges of the grocery store and limit processed foods
* start small, taking it one day at a time
* find something that you enjoy to do, and push yourself to find your new comfort zone
* don't be hard on yourself...hey! your trying right?
* WATER...drink it!
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