Do you have that friend who is in great shape?
We all have that friend who seems to be one of the lucky ones who can eat whatever they want and not gain a pound. You know the one who likes exercising and eating veggies. The ones who can wear a size four and complains about her love handles on her flat stomach. The friend who talks about going to the gym for fun. The friend who can go swimsuit shopping and find a swimsuit that looks good on her.
The friend that has the good genes
You may wonder why she has the good genes and not you. You may wonder how she stays so fit. Well, I may be that friend that you consider to be one of the lucky ones but I am not really lucky. I have the same battles when it comes to food and exercise. I have just learned over the years some healthy habits to help me win the war against the battle of the bulge. I want to share some things that I do to stay in shape.
1. I don't diet
I tried a diet once and I failed miserably. I think I lasted a couple of hours on a diet once and gave up. I simply love food and I was not willing to go hungry. I lack the needed discipline to stay on a fad diet and while I admire those who have the will power to do the whole 30, paleo, keto, or any other current diet, I shake my head and think I could never give up bread.
2. There is no magic pill
Stop believing all those ads. There is no magic pill that allows you to eat whatever you want and be skinny. It takes hard work and sweat to lose weight. It also takes a while to lose weight. You did not gain that weight overnight and you will not lose 10 pounds by Friday.
3. There is green tea matcha
While there is no magic pill to help you lose weight, there are supplements that can help give you the energy so you will feel like working out and they may also put you in a good mood so you will make wise choices. One of my favorite supplements is matcha or green tea powder. Matcha is simply green tea leaves that are made into a powder. We all know how healthy green tea is for antioxidants so 1/2 teaspoon of matcha is equal to about 10 cups of green tea. Matcha is also said to be great for the metabolism. I like to add matcha to my morning smoothie but it also tastes so delicious in a cold
fat-free green tea latte.
4. Exercise is not always fun
Sure you see or hear me talking about having a blast at the trampoline park with my kids but you don't hear about the days that I have to drag myself out the door to go to the gym or for a walk. There are plenty of days that I would rather not workout but I force myself to do so five days a week because I know that it is good for my health and I like the way I look. I do find that once I get myself off the couch and start exercising, I start enjoying it. I also find that upbeat music helps me workout.
5. I need still need the motivation to stay in shape
Sticking to healthy habits is not easy. So I rely on my kids and husband to keep me healthy. Now that my husband has joined the gym, he helps me stay fit by asking me to meet him at the gym after work. Me saying yes also helps him get his butt to the gym. The kids love going to the park so I walk laps around the park while they play. I don't let my kids be my excuse for not exercising and instead, I make fitness a priority. See some
fitness tips for stay at home parents.
Powerful Muscle & Joint Inflammation Relief
6. No pain no gain
A bit of muscle pain is normal when you first start working out but don't let that pain stop you from getting in shape. It does get better after a while and there are natural ways to treat muscle pain and other body aches. My favorite healthy supplements that I use after a good vigorous workout session is
turmeric and
CBD oil. I tend to push myself hard when I run or lift weights and feel good when I experience some muscle pain as it means that I am doing my body good. I also know that once I get home, these supplements will help take my pain away. Make sure to read this article to learn more about the benefits of CBD oil and why I love it.
https://www.momknowsbest.net/2018/12/what-is-cbd-and-why-i-use-it-for-pain.html
7. I don't weigh myself
I stopped weighing myself years ago as that scale just made things worse for me when I was trying to get in shape. I would step on the scale and see that I lost a pound, so I would reward myself with food or I would discover that I gained weight. That would then set me in a bad mood so I would comfort myself with food. So now I just stay away from any scale and instead have a mindset that I need to eat healthy food and exercise to stay healthy. I also judge my progress by the way my clothes fit. If my pants are hard to button, then I will workout harder that day.
8. I crave cookies and pizza
Sure, most of the time I eat healthy food and yes I enjoy veggies, but I do want pizza or cookies some days. So I enjoy a cookie, not the whole bag. I will also make a
healthier pizza with lots of veggies on it. I also make my
cookies healthier with less sugar or with lots of healthy ingredients like oatmeal and chia seeds. Check out this recipe for
Guilt-free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies. If I do indulge in a bakery cookie or take-out pizza, I enjoy every bite without any guilt as I know that I will go back to my healthy foods the next meal. The key for me is to make a list before a shop so I only buy healthy foods at the store. If that is hard for you, then
order your groceries online and pick them up so you will not be tempted by junk food. Another way to not be tempted at the grocery store and try some new healthy food at the same time is to get a meal box subscription. Lots of the
meal boxes are allergy and diet friendly.
Take a look at this organic meal box that includes healthy recipes- click HERE
9. I don't judge
When I see someone who is struggling with their health, I don't judge you. I instead think about how I can help and encourage you when you are ready to make a change. When I see you out walking or at the gym, I smile as you took that first step of wanting to feel better. I want to high five you or encourage you at the gym but I am afraid of reaching out to others. That is something that I need to work on. I may also be enjoying my music and getting my stress out. I just hope you are not judging me for being the crazy one on the treadmill going way too fast. I enjoy fast intense workouts and sweating.
Sweating is a good thing.
So don't worry about how you look when you are working out at the gym, as you are loving yourself and that is all that matters.
Exercise is so good for your heart and your well being. People who exercise have fewer colds as their bodies can fight those germs better.
10. It took time for me to develop healthy habits
I have been working on my healthy habits for quite some time. I also have had times in my life when I was not so healthy. I know that healthy eating and exercise makes me feel good. I have really been sticking to exercise and an almost plant-based diet for the past 7 months as I had a rough year of asthma problems that first started affecting my exercise, I felt so out of shape as breathing was hard when running. Then my asthma symptoms got so bad that I was having bad coughing attacks that left me gasping for air. It was finally after
eliminating all dairy, soy, and mushrooms that my asthma now only happens when I am exposed to smoke and chemical fragrances. Exercise also helps me get the gunk out of my lungs so I can breathe better. Eliminating foods that I am allergic to has allowed me to stop taking allergy medicine this winter and I have not had any sleep apnea episodes either. I am hoping when spring comes that I won't have to start back on allergy medicines but with my children having diagnosed allergies to weeds and grass I will have to wait and see.
My best healthy habit is drinking 8-10 glasses a water a day!
Drinking a glass of water before meals will help you to eat less so that will help with weight loss.
11. I was a fat child
People don't believe me when I tell them I was a chubby kid. I remember shopping as a kid and having to buy my clothes in the pretty plus section and even then those sometimes did not fit. I was made fun of because of my size and I never had that many friends. I also was always the last one to get picked for any school team. I was also the kid who had bad eczema and frequent stomach aches. So I know what it is like to feel like to be unhealthy and I read way to many books as a teen to take charge of my health. So that is why I am passionate about helping others achieve a healthy body. I love teaching my kids about nutrition and I make them look at their body like a car. I tell them that if you put bad gas (food) or no gas into a car it does not go. If you don't do regular maintenance on a car (exercise) the car needs to be repaired.
12. I start my day with a protein smoothie
I too get tempted to eat foods that are not the best for my body. So I have found that starting my day off with a glass of water and then a protein smoothie that is loaded with nutrition and superfoods like fruit, veggies, and flaxseed. This ultra healthy drink puts my mind into healthy thinking for the day. My smoothie also has
25 grams of Time Released MacroMeal Protein to sustain my energy. My delicious smoothie also has 10 grams of fiber from chia or flax seed so it keeps me full for several hours and helps with my potty habits too. I find that starting my day with healthy foods helps me to make healthy choices all day long. I know what you are thinking, that sounds boring and it probably tastes bad. If you use a great tasting protein powder that comes in vanilla or chocolate and then I add different fruits to it, then it is delicious. I never add any vegetables to my daily smoothie, instead, I add a
green or red superfood powder, depending on the flavor I want, for awesome nutrition. When I want a chocolate smoothie, I use chocolate protein powder, blueberries and sometimes I add peanut butter powder. When I feel like a fruit flavored smoothie, I use vanilla protein powder and fruit. My favorite smoothie is a
Tropical Coconut Mango Smoothie. Get the recipe HERE.
Tip: stock your freezer with frozen fruit and your pantry with vanilla and chocolate powder so you can drink a healthy smoothie every day.
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