How to lose weight and get healthy (without really trying)

 Thursday, December 18th

Ok, the title is a little  misleading. 

I've struggled with my weight and being healthy for my whole life and I finally decided I was tired of it. I had tried fads like Intermittent Fasting and not eating any junk food and failed. Not only did I feel like a failure, but out of disappointment in myself and wanting to feel better, I would end up overeating and then feel disappointed because of that as well. It's been a vicious circle for a long time.

After I had my second baby in April of this year, I thought I would really do it this time-finally lose the baby weight and then some. 

If I had been successful, I would not be here writing this.

 It has taken many false starts, and giving myself a LOT of grace, but I feel like I've finally discovered what works for me.

I was always trying to be "perfect" and if I "messed up" by eating some junk, I would get down on myself and give up. It took me a long time to realize that I don't have to be perfect, and that I never will be.

I have compiled 11 simple ways to get healthy that won't overwhelm you and that are easy to put into practice. 

1. Drink water, drink water and then drink more water 

One of my favorite shows is Alone. Contestants are placed in the wilderness and have to survive as long as possible. 

The first thing they always want more of is water. There was one contestant who said to the audience that if we weren't drinking water at the moment, we should be. She said she felt like she could never get enough water.

This stuck with me. Whenever I feel like I'm drinking enough, I drink more. There are SO many benefits to your overall health in drinking water. Not least of which, it helps to make you feel full.

2. Eat every few hours to avoid binging out of hunger

Snacking is the little secret that I've found that helps me to not overeat. If I go too long without eating anything, I get over-hungry and end up over-eating just to get rid of the feeling of hunger.

When I snack, especially when I eat foods that fill me up, I can recognize when I'm hungry again, and not just eat to get rid of hunger pains.

3. When you think you're hungry, do something else. Keep your mind busy

85% of the time when I think I'm hungry, I'm just bored. Or thirsty (again, drink water!)

When I think I'm hungry, I'll play a game with my kids, clean something, anything that will keep me from mindlessly eating when I'm not hungry. I find that most of the time the false sense of hunger goes away! 

It takes practice and will power (so much will power!) to do something else, but I promise it works!

This quote really helped me too, "Will power is like building muscles. The more you practice the stronger it gets" (unknown.) 

4. Drink water first when you feel hungry. Slowly sip and think about how great you'll feel when you reach your goal.

5. Eat filling food. 

You may be thinking, "Duh".

 But I can't tell you how many times I've been back looking in the fridge thirty minutes after eating a non-filling meal. This usually leads to overeating and indulging in junk food.

Adding vegetables to a meal is not only a healthy decision, but it will make you feel full and not headed back to he kitchen soon after you eat.

6. Prepare food

This ties into a couple of the previous tips. 

Even though it may take longer to eat, preparing food is a good way to ensure that you make filling food and don't just reach for easy-to-eat junk

7. Don't cook hungry

Like the advice, "don't shop hungry" don't cook if you're overly hungry as well. 

If I haven't been snacking and eating filling foods, I'll reach for something filling but unhealthy while I'm cooking healthy food and ruin what could have been a fulfilling meal.

8. Brush your teeth

I don't just mean two times a day as is recommended by your dentist.

Brush them when you feel like you want to eat and you know you're not really hungry.

For me, I know that at night, after dinner I usually crave sugar.

In light of this, I will usually brush my teeth pretty soon after dinner to avoid eating it.

Which also leads me to...

9. Don't deprive yourself

Depriving myself of all sugar ALWAYS ends with me binging and getting into that disappointed-in-myself-circle.

"Everything in moderation" is a good motto for eating across the board.

Sometimes I switch eating sugar with taking a luxurious bubble bath or spending extra quality time with my husband or kids. 

"Rewarding myself" in different ways that don't involve food, help me to feel healthy and better about myself.

10. Think about how you would feel AFTER eating junk food.

Over-eating or eating junk may feel satisfying in the moment, but I try to think about the "disappointment-circle" BEFORE I overeat.

11. Drink water. 

It bears repeating :) 

Try drinking more water than usual for a week and see how you feel. I promise it helps so much! 🌺