January is about gone, and it's been a pretty mild one at that, as far as the weather has been in these parts. Have you stuck to the resolutions made three weeks ago? Many of you may have resolved to lose weight, stick to a budget or get organized. We can probably all do better in these areas of our lives.
Here are some of my tips for losing weight. Check back next week for tips on sticking to a budget.
Lose Weight:
I may not be a weight-loss expert, but I have been on the gain weight/lose weight roller coaster for the last 11 years with having 6 kids. I'm happy to say that so far I've been pretty successful at losing the baby weight each time. Fortunately, I haven't had any problems that would make it harder for me to lose the weight. Here are some tips that have worked for me during this time of my life:
#1. Always eat breakfast, and don't wait a couple of hours to get around to it. After I get up and get dressed, I head to the kitchen. I may not have time to sit down, but I'll at least eat a piece of toast or a cup of yogurt, and then later eat something else. Eating breakfast jumpstarts your metabolism for the day, giving you the energy to get going. Some people like to exercise first and then eat. I don't agree with this practice. At least eat a piece of fruit or something, before you exercise. Once again, this will boost your metabolism. After sleeping all night, you need to break the fast that your body has had while sleeping.
#2. Drink LOTS of water. This is probably obvious, but there are so many health benefits to drinking lots of water. Your body is able to function more easily when you've had plenty of healthy fluids. Stay away from soda pop and limit your juice intake. These days I'm not a fan of either pop or juice. Water and milk are my beverages of choice. Why waste calories on a drink? I'm getting thirsty. Hang on while I go get a drink. . .Ahh, I love water.
#3. Get Moving!!! Aim to exercise 3-5 days a week, 30-60 minutes each day. Hate to exercise? Find something that you like. These days there are lots of choices. I love aerobics, weights, kickboxing, dancing, and walking. Since baby #6, it's been hard to get back into my regular exercise routine. Fortunately (or not, depending on my mood), we have a dog who needs daily walks. If I can get my two miles in for the day, I'm good. One of my favorite video instructors is Deni Preston. She has a show, Total Body Workout on byutv.org. Check her out. It might take a little while to get used to her instructions, but her step aerobics and yoga workouts are really good. She also incorporates weights, bands, exercise balls, etc. into her routines. Very fun. If you still have a hard time, get an exercise bike or elliptical trainer and use it while watching your favorite shows. Then you don't have to think about how much you hate exercising and your body will thank you.
#4. Change something in your diet. You don't need to change everything, and you don't need to do anything fadish. If you eat white bread, change to wheat. Eat whole grain cereals for breakfast (my personal favorite is bran flakes). If you use vegetable oil in your baking, switch to canola oil. Limit fats, and eat more fruits and veggies. Make more meals from scratch instead of using prepared foods. This will not only help your health, it will also be good for your budget.
~Lena
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