Diet Tips

I was reviewing my old blog entries my from exercise blog and came across tips to lose weight. I reviewed all of those tips to help me get in the mind frame to lose weight and I have narrowed it down even more. Here are some tips that I am going to start following more than ever.

1 - Drink water. I am normally great at getting in 8 plus glasses of water a day and even more when I was pregnant and breastfeeding but I have noticed that lately I am only getting in 4 to 5 glasses of water a day. I am going to work on increasing this.

2 - Train with weights. I have been slacking in the weight training department lately. I am having trouble trying to find the time to fit in it. I know I need to do this and I am going to start trying just to get one day in a week will work for now and then later increase it to two or three days a week.

3 - Do some light cardio after dinner. I have been talking the dogs for a quick walk after dinner. Since we moved our backyard is much smaller than it use to be and it has a fence so the dogs can’t roam the neighborhood anymore. Skyler has been showing signs that she needs more exercise - chasing her tail and digging holes.

4 - Eat more fruit

5 - Eat vegetables

6 - Run hills and climb stairs. During your normal cardio workout through a hill or some stairs into the workout. This mixes it up and helps you burn more calories.

7 - Increase your intensity. Instead of running the same snails pace every day do a day of sprints.

8 - Keep active in between workout sessions. Instead of sitting down in front of the TV between workouts stay active. I don’t sit down at home until the girls are in bed and I am relaxing. I am busy making lunch, cleaning up the house, doing laundry, chasing after a preschooler and infant, playing tag, etc...

9 - Find someone to train with in the mornings. This helps you to stay motivated.

10 - Find someone who is better than you at fitness to train with. This helped when I ran the 5K the other week. I ran with a friend that was just a bit faster than me and it helped me to pick up the pace. I have been picking it up every since.

11 - Join a sport team or a fitness class. Helps keep you motivated.

12 - Experiment with martial arts and tai chi and yoga. New classes are always fun to try.

13 - Park your car further away from your destination or get off the bus early - or take your bike instead of the car.

14 - Use a small bowl or plate to create the illusion of eating a lot. I have tried this and it works.

15 - Go to the shops on a full stomach.

16 - Keep a record of the foods you eat during the day

17 - Write down your weight loss goals and award yourself once you reach them. Lose 10 pounds and go to the spa!

18 - Read and research into everything you put into your mouth - calories and unhealthy substances can be squeezed into many places

19 - Take days off - its ok to relax occasionally (Very important, if I am really struggling through my runs I take a few days off and once I get back into I do much better and the run is actually easier.)

20 - Train outdoors - sun and air are good for you (I hate running on the treadmill. I struggle to run three miles on the treadmill because I get so bored but it I take that run outside I love it. I especially love trail running.

21 - Watch shows like The Biggest Loser for inspiration - My favorite show. I have to watch this show once a week. I only wish it was an hour instead of 2.

22 - Do cardio with up beat music. (To me running is much easier if I have heart pounding music playing through the ipod.

23 - Buy a nice pair of shorts or t-shirt that you want to (realistically) be able to fit in by summer (I did this and actually the pants I bought were too big by the time summer hit!)

24 - Don’t be self conscious at the gym - no one cares (I get excited when I see heavy people at the gym because they are starting to do something about their weight problem.)

25 - When you are struggling to take another step on your jog pick an item in the distance and aim for it (I tend to use this at the end of a long run.)28 - Exercise for 10 minutes. If you really don't feel like exercising do 10 minutes, if you are still hating it at 10 minutes then stop and this is your off day, but normally after 10 minutes you will want to finish your workout.

26 - Use maths in weight loss - ie one bowl of iced cream tonight means I have to run an extra 20 minutes tomorrow.

27 - Learn that you cannot ’spot reduce’ - fat comes off from the whole body not just one section

28 - Skipping meals won’t burn fat - keep your metabolism burning by eating more often

29 - Be creative with cardio - running and biking isn’t the only way (Swimming, tennis, playing with the kids, playing tag, hiking, cross country skiing, snow shoeing, etc...)