Not everyone is meant to be a size zero. If you're happy with you, I'm happy with you too. But I believe, we all could use a little tune up now and then.
Here are five simple steps you can begin doing today to gain control of your health and self-image.
1. Throw away your scale.I do not own a scale. Nor will I purchase one.
The number of pounds your body weighs is completely irrelevant. It is not a good marker of how healthy you are. Healthy bones and strong muscles weigh more than cellulite and love-handles.
If you must count something, count inches. Buy yourself a measuring tape and begin obsessing about how large your waist is. The larger your belly, the more likely you will die from heart disease. That goes for men and women.
2. Hydrate.Drinking a glass of water is a super cheap, refillable way to make yourself look and feel better.
If you are having a hard time quitting smoking, try switching to bottled water. Water will flush the nicotine out of your system. Plus, it will give you energy and provide the hand-to-mouth fixation you crave.
Throw away your soft drinks! Soda is associated with fattening foods. If you can train yourself to like water, you can train yourself to stop craving greasy, calorie-packed fast-food. (Yes, it's true diet soda has zero calories, but emotionally it is linked with high-calorie unhealthy food. Plus, you don't need all those artificial chemicals in your body.)
Often times we mistake thirst for cravings or hunger. Usually you are just plain thirsty. If your belly and mouth are constantly being filled with water, they won't be filled with junk food.
3. Eat More Fiber.
Fiber makes you full, and keeps your blood-sugar stable. Therefore, it staves off the munchies!
There is no fiber in meat. No fiber in cheese. No fiber in sweets. Fiber is in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Try adding vegetables to all your recipes. It fills you up, without adding extra fat. Perhaps even try vegetarianism. It's good for the environment, your spiritual well-being, and lowers your risk of heart-disease.
Begin with breakfast. Try eating a cup of old-fashioned oats for breakfast everyday (add cinnamon for flavor). Training yourself to eat the same high-fiber breakfast every day cuts down on your morning routine time. Plus, it keeps you from eating high-fat, high-calorie foods in the morning that weigh you down like eggs, bacon, or waffles.
Don't skip breakfast! That's a huge no-no. If you're not a breakfast eater, start! Force yourself to eat, whether you are hungry or not. It will prevent bingeing on empty calories later in the day.
4. Move, Stretch, Breathe.You don't have to spend a fortune on a gym membership or equipment. But you do have to move. Don't stress about getting the closest parking space. Take stairs instead of the elevator.
When you put moving, stretching, and breathing together you get yoga. For some reason, the word "yoga" scares a lot of people, particularly conservative middle-Americans. So don't use that word. You can even quote the Bible while you stretch if that makes you more comfortable.
Do some deep breathing and stretching every morning and evening. It will boost your immune system and give you energy. Start reaching for your toes. Eventually you'll get their. I promise.
5. Live, Laugh, Love.Laughing is an immune booster. It's also a calorie burner. Get undignified occasionally. Enjoy life, not just vacation. Learn to laugh, and you will feel better about yourself, and therefore eat less.
Feeling great and looking great all begins in your mind. If you love yourself and enjoy your life, you will attract positive attention from others. Therefore, you'll create your own attractiveness.
Attractiveness has nothing to do the way your body looks. It has everything to do with how you
feel about how your body looks.
Take control of your health and your life. It's possible to love who you are and how you look. No matter how things look right now.
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