8 simple ways to lose weight and keep it off
- Exercise first thing in the morning on an empty stomach – Drink lots of water:
I started exercising first thing in the morning years ago when I did high school indoor track. Our coaches would make us meet at 5:30 IN THE MORNING to practice because, I have no idea! Ugh. For a tired, growing, hormonal teenage girl, this wasn’t easy.
However, one day about two weeks after getting up to sprint my guts out five days a week, I wen’t to slip on my “favorite jeans at the time,” which were really the “jeans I tolerated because they were the only ones that I felt flattered my size,” were too big! What?!?!
For a girl who always struggled to trim down, even though I never ate the pizza all my friends were downing at the party, this was incredible.
I didn’t change anything else about my daily habits, except I drank a lot more water first thing in the morning. And still, I was losing weight.
Now let me say, I’ve always been an active person. In middle school I played soccer and would spend hours in the backyard running back and forth with a soccer ball. Plus, I ran almost every day and spent 2-3 hours four times a week riding horses and mucking stalls.
Physical exertion is not foreign to me. However, when I switched things up and “worked out” first thing in the morning, I saw a dramatic result.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. It’s hard to get up in the morning and jump on the treadmill, am I right?
But just like everything in life, it’s all about baby steps. If you don’t already start your day with vigorous exercise, I suggest starting with one of two days. Then, when it becomes a habit, add a day!
Don’t overwhelm yourself. The key to success in anything is making small changes. Many times, we have the tendency to get pumped up about something, go all in, and then give up because we’ve over done it.
It’s the same with running. If you want to be a runner, don’t jump in and do a marathon with no training. Start with walking a minute, jogging a minute. Then, when that seems easy, walk one minute and jog two minutes. See what I’m talking about?
When we make small changes, we are more likely to stick with it and make those changes a habit!
So, try it out. Get up tomorrow morning and workout. Get your sweat on and run/walk on the treadmill or find a really great spinning class video online and spin! Go for a walk/run outside or do a hot yoga class! Whatever you love or ever like, do that!
Now, why should you do a morning workout?
- It amps your metabolism for the rest of the day!
- It helps you create a consistent schedule – we often get to tired to workout later in the day and therefore, don’t do it consistently
- Improved your mental heath and energy.
- Get better sleep – Um, hello… this is worth it alone for me!
- Morning workouts allow you to reach your goals so much faster!
2. Stop eating 3-4 hours before bed:
This one is HUGE! I mean, HUGE! I stop eating 3 or 4 hours before bed! Plus, whatever I eat in the afternoon/evening is very light.
Guys, are bodies are not designed to eat a big meal and then collapse after.
When I implemented this step I saw the biggest change in my body. I lost the extra “weight” like crazy. However, because I try to eat healthy during the day, I’ve been able to maintain my muscle mass. Yes, I’m a woman and, Yes, I am a big believer in weight training. I’m not huge my any means, but I do lift fairly heavy for my size.
Some of the benefits of going to bed “fasted?”
- Better sleep
- Gives our body a chance to heal instead of focus on digesting
- Wake up feeling less inflamed and more cleansed.
Now, I’m not going to lie. This can be HARD at first. You are going to feel hungry for the first few weeks. However, after that, your body adjusts. Now, it makes to me sick to eat too late, as my stomach is use to “shutting down” so to speak.
Ever since implementing this into my life, I’ve stayed the same size for years. Well, except when I was pregnant of course. But I have seen serious improvements and I feel so much better when I wake up in the morning.
3. Drink at least half of your body weight in water:
Drinking water is also a huge one. Now, there are those days that I totally slack on this and, man, I can tell! My skin starts to look drab, I get dark circles and bags under my eyes and I feel tired and like my body is dragging. Plus, my mind feels fuzzy when I don’t drink enough water!
So how much is enough? According to the National Academics of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine:
- Woman should drink 11.5 cups a day (2.7 liters)
- Men should drink 15.5 cups a day (3.7 liters)
Now, these are averages. It really depends on how much you weigh and how much you sweat.
One rule of thumb is to take your body weight and divide it by half. This is the amount of ounces you should drink daily before exercise and exertion. Add more depending on how active you are!
Rule of thumb: Your pee should be clear! If your pee is clear, you’re in the clear. If it’s yellow, bring on the water!
4. Drink Celery juice:
This is a new “fad” going around, but is it a fad? According to Anthony Williams, the Medical Medium, Celery juice is an amazing thing!
He suggest 16 ounces a day (start with less and work your way up… ’ll explain later) on an empty stomach. It has everything to do with detoxing your liver and digestive tract.
Now, I could go into the reasons behind the “why,” but I’d rather you “hear” it from Anthony.
https://goop.com/wellness/health/the-medical-medium-on-the-virtues-of-celery-juice/
Now, I’m going to be honest here, one thing the medical medium claims is that he’s learned what we should do to heal by a companion he calls “spirit.” “Spirit” is just that…a spirit or an angel.
First let me state that I fully believe in divine help and that Angels do come to help us when we need them. I’m not saying I don’t believe his claim, but I’m not jumping in all either.
The only thing I can do is tell you my experience and the experience of those around me when it comes to the celery juice.
After a few weeks, it completely cleared up my sister’s and sister in laws eczema. It also cleared up the “dry” rash on my hands.
I’ve had more energy, my skin has looked so much clearer, and I’ve had fewer digestive issues, bloating and gas. Digestive issues are something I’ve struggled with my entire life.
I’ve also noticed less body pain and I’ve heard it can really help with weight loss.
Complete disclosure, when I first started drinking it (TMI ahead) I had diarrhea for a little less than a week. This is suppose to be a sign that you have more toxins in my liver and digestive system. But just so you know, that’s what happened to me. After a week, my body adjusted.
There have been a few times I’ve missed few days and, when I start back up, things are a little, um, questionable for about a day. Lol.
Side note and more TMI: A had surgery not long ago. We all know that some of the medicine and pain management substances they use can slow things down. Well, this is exactly what happened to me.
A few days after my surgery I prepared myself a glass of celery juice and “got things moving.” And by “Got things moving,” I mean “Totally cleaned things out.” I know, I know… yuck. Hey, this crazy human stuff can be hard to talk about, but someone’s got to do it. Lol.
Anyway, It seems to have helped with my over all heath.
Definitely something to consider.
5. Stop thinking about “losing weight.”
Okay, I’m a huge believer in the power of our thoughts! Now, y’all already know I struggled with my weight when I was younger, even though I’ve always been active and tried to eat healthy.
When I was in high school, I obsessed with my body, my weight and how much I hated the way I looked compared to my friends.
It wasn’t fair! After all, I worked so much harder than them and ate so much healthier. Okay, let me just state that I now know that compassion is toxic and sucks the hope and positivity out of life. It’s a hard concept for a teenager to grasp. Lol.
After high school, when I was away at college and I continued to work hard, something hit me! I was tired of focusing on what I wasn’t and was craving to focus on what I was, a hard worker, a good friend and I felt really great!
Instead of focusing on what I didn’t like about myself, I decided to try and like my body!
No joke, it’s like I lost 10 pounds over night! Okay, not really over night, but other than change what I focused on, I simple started appreciating my body and a few months later, I had lost the 10+ pounds I’d been holding onto, mentally and physically.
Crazy right!
So, instead of focus on what you’d like to change, put that out of your head and LOVE WHO YOU ARE RIGHT NOW. Love that warrior in the mirror, the one who has been through so much to get here!
Let go of that stress and the constant thought of “losing weight,” and just try to be a little healthier every day. I swear, it was a life changer for me!
6. Grab the fruit and veggies:
I love keeping fresh fruit and veggies around the house. After school, when my kids come barging through the front door, throwing their backpack, jackets, shoes, socks and pants on the entry way floor… so help me why do they do this? I usually try to hand them a healthy snack or, on a good Mom day, prepare an easy to grab plate of little veggies and fruit.
I also love keeping them around for ME! Because it makes it so much easier to grab a quick healthy snack instead of things like saltine crackers which pretty much have little to no nutritional value.
Plus, we need fruit and vegetables! They are full of nutrients that our body has to have to survive. Full disclosure – I’ve never really been into those “diets” that have you cut out fruit because of the sugar or carbohydrate content. In my mind, it makes no sense. These things are grown from the earth, placed here by God for a reason and we need their variety and their healing abilities. Sure, maybe a high fat high protein diet can work for awhile, but these are almost impossible to maintain long term. Plus, they cause mayhem on your liver and other organs.
Our bodies and brains need those natural sugars found in fruit to be able to function at capacity!
Now, I might get some hate for this and that’s ok. After all, it’s just my opinion and my opinion could most definitely be wrong. But it’s what makes sense in my mind and soul.
7. Do Intervals and mix up the workout:
Interval workouts are AMAZING! Why? Well, they are challenging, they force your heart to work harder as it increases and decreases in rate and they burn more energy!
Plus, interval workouts aren’t as boring! Take spinning for example: A spinning class can be so fun, challenging and fulfilling and, when done in intervals, can burn a butt load of calories!
In a typical spinning class, you usually add gear on, take gear off, stand and sit and do jumps! It’s a constant change of pace with the beat of the music.
Running can also be this way. Start with a walk, work up to a job and then sprint. Sprint for a minute and walk/job again.
I also like to include a “sprint session,” on the end of my running treadmill workout. You basically set the speed at your max, hop on the treadmill and sprint for 30-60 seconds. Then, hop off for half the time. Repeat for as long as you can and then work your way up over time.
You’ll be sweating buckets and expanding your limits!
8. Get Sleep:
This might just be the most important one because Sleep is everything. Our bodies heal while we sleep and recharge for the coming day.
People who sleep less tend to weigh significantly more according to studies. Good sleepers also tend to eat fewer calories, as your body doesn’t require as much energy to stay focused.
Studies also show that, when you are sleep deprived, you have a bigger appetite. It also shows that sleep deprivation disrupts the daily fluctuations in appetite hormones.
Sleep can help maximize your athletic performance, making it easier for you to KILL IT at the gym and it lowers your risk for many diseases, such as heart disease and stroke.
Not getting enough sleep is linked to depression and anxiety, which can also cause over eating. And sleep improves your overall immunity.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten sick because of lack of sleep! Blah! No one’s got time for that!
Alright guys, here are my tips and tricks for you. They’ve worked for me for many years and they aren’t anything extravagant. Remember to start slow! Sometimes, when we make too many changes at once, we are more likely to get overwhelmed and quit.
DON’T QUIT! You’ve got this and we only have one life to live and one body to care for. Let’s do the best that we can with what we’ve got. Does the mean perfection? No, absolutely not. There’s no such thing as perfection, but there is such a thing as improvement.
Here’s to improvement and remember, I’ve got your back. I’m here for you because I believe in you!
