TLDR: Weight-loss secrets on how to lose or maintain your goals.

Hey Smart Mom’s!

Our bodies are amazing, aren’t they?

I mean, they create, carry, and birth children. They thrive on good food and sex and awesome work outs. They help us carry out our necessary tasks as well as leisurely ones. And they allow us to express and receive love.

They are pretty freakin’ neat!

It’s so important to take care of them. Some of us may want to trim off some pounds we held onto during winter, while some may be wanting to lose the baby weight. Others may have some more to let go of before they reach their ideal healthy weight, and still others just want to maintain.

Whatever your situation, I think we can all benefit from these little weight-loss secrets.

• Positive thinking. It’s important to have a can-do attitude and to believe in your body. It sounds easy, but it’s difficult for many people.  Hang up affirmations around your bedroom, bathroom mirror, and refrigerator.
• Keep it real. Research and know what your ideal weight is and what is rational and healthy. Don’t set unrealistic standards. You are more than a number on a scale. Healthy is beautiful.
• Get a support group. (3) Or a personal trainer. People can help hold you to your goals, keep you going when you’d give up, and keep you motivated. Even a bit of friendly competition can be healthy. Whatever you decide, make sure your group or person is supportive and believes in you 100%. You deserve and need that positivity.
• Plan head. If you plan your meals and, therefore, your calories in advance, it can help you lose weight. It also helps you eat healthier. (1) Instead of going for easy-mix whatever you can plan nutritious snacks and foods all the way through the week.
• Eat at home. Your home meals usually have a lot less calories and fat in them. It also helps you get more nutrients and gives you more control of what you and your family are putting in their bodies.
• Drink lots of water. I know, and I say this all the time. But seriously. Water is a major source of your body’s functioning and most Americans do not drink enough of it. It helps keep your metabolism going and aids your digestions. It also helps you feel more full so you’re snacking less or eating less at meals.
• Eat fiber. Fiber can help regulate blood sugars so that you don’t have the low blood sugar crash and eat a ton all at once. You’ll also stay more full feeling so you don’t eat as much. It also helps your digestive system so that things are flowing nicely in there.
• Eat smaller meals throughout the day. Yeah, this had been hit on the head a lot in the weight-loss field. But keeping your blood sugars level and keeping away from waiting until your starving will help keep you from binging later on high-cal/high-fat foods. (5)
• Fasting for a day. This can help you break cycles of bad habits or mindless eating. (2) It can also be a day to focus on other things and notice hunger, be with hunger. It makes you more appreciative of the food you do have and can help you be more moderate.
• Track more than just calories. This is for health reasons as much as weight loss reasons. You want to make sure you’re getting a good variety of foods to help you out and not too much of one type of food. Don’t just count calories, make sure you’re getting enough fiber, fruits, veggies, protein, antioxidants, etc. (4)
• Gardening. Working in your own garden keeps you healthy, gets you some vitamin D from sunlight, and provides amazing, nutritious foods for you. If you don’t have room for an outside garden, try a small inside box garden. They’re cute and a lot of fun.

Remember, your body and mind are uniquely beautiful. Take care of yourself. Everyone’s bodies are different so talk with your health professional and a trainer about what kinds of foods and exercises are going to work best for you.

Stay positive, stay healthy, and stay strong.

(1) http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/weight_loss_diet_plans/diet_exercise_tips/6_secrets_to_losing_weight?page=2 

(2) http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20525096_4,00.html

(3) http://www.jillianmichaels.com/fit/lose-weight/member-tips#slide=6

(4) http://www.eatthis.com/skinny-people-secrets

(5) http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2013/01/25/13-secrets-the-weight-loss-pros-dont-tell-you/