It 's summer time, it's hot and sticky (or maybe it's freezing cold... if you read me from the other hemisphere of the planet!) and we are on holidays...So we have two sides of the coin:
1- We put on weight
2- We lose weight
N.1 is pretty common when eating lots of ice creams and drinks and stop exercising, because it is hot and sweat gets in between the goal of staying fit.
N.2 is also common, as it is the time of the year when we are more motivated to look our best and trim down a bit. The cold meals help a lot: more salads and fruits , less hot chocolate and cakes. For those on track with their health this comes almost naturally because their lifestyle and eating habits adjust to the hot season.
It is ok to lose weight in summer time and perfectly natural to do so as our body will adjust a bit later on in winter time due to the different foods we ingest. However, the opposite is not very desirable because the weight we put on in summer can stay with us during winter. Summer gives us the big opportunity of the year to Change the way we eat and the way we want our health to be for good.
How do we manage to stay perfectly balanced in our diet and lifestyle?
- Eat less
- Exercise more
Yes, you know it already... but you might not have the determination and willingness for a commitment.One of the reasons why for many people it is difficult that change is because they set the goal too high.
Would you like to change your health habits? Take small steps, baby steps! Don't get overwhelmed and you will reach your goal!
3 things that get on your way , Lets tackle them!
These are very typical thoughts for delaying and/or losing motivation:
- "It is my guilty pleasure" : Do you love your croissant for breakfast everyday? or ice cream everyday? or chorizo? Don't go cold turkey, instead of cutting off the croissant, the chocolate or chorizo, adjust slowly the frequency. Have a croissant 3 times/week for 2 weeks and then 1/week for another 2 weeks.
Now Fill the gap with good, tasty and healthy alternatives:*wholesome toasts with avocado or compote
*refreshing bowls of fruit and cereals with frozen yogurt
*braised turkey or smoked salmon.
- " I'm so sad/bored... let's see what is in the fridge": Do you over eat when you are stressed? Emotional eating perhaps? When we eat because we are stressed, bored or moody we are maybe avoiding, delaying certain issue or worrying about future. What can we do?
- Take a full deep breath! This is actually one of the most effective ways to release anxiety
- Distract yourself with something you really love for 5 minutes, after that your mind game(yes/no) will stop
- Be conscious of your real needs: Am I really hungry or is it just craving?- Brush your teeth
- Drink water
- Have plenty of healthy alternatives to those biscuits you might make off : cherries, strawberries or cherry tomatoes. Don't overstock your cupboard on unhealthy foods.
- "I hate sweating": Yes, in summer we sweat more than what we usually do. But, this is no excuse to no exercising. Also, this is a catch-22 ,cause the more body weight you carry the more uncomfortable you feel with the sweat and the less you want to exercise.
Ask yourself: How will I feel if I do it? and How will I feel if I don't do it?
Moving will make you lose weight ,which will help you feel less sweaty and in better form. Instead of seeing the negative things and making excuses, seek the alternatives when it's too hot and the positive things that will have in your determination to reach your goal:
-Beach walks
-Evening or early morning walks: cooler and beautiful atmosphere
-Cycling around the park
+ It dissipates all worries and makes you feel happy--->Say hi to the endorphin rush in your brain!
+ It reduces those emotional cravings---> your stress hormones decrease
+ Think of the feeling of being under the wonderful cold shower afterwards
GREAT HABITS ARE FORMED DAILY. Truth be told, good eating habits and exercise requires consistent commitment and being great isn't easy, that's why we all admire healthy and fit people. But you can also be one! So how great you want to be?
Come on! Start now before summer is gone!!!
Finally, some Food for thought:
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