Health has never really been important to me growing up. From the time I could walk, I’ve been involved in athletics. From competitive gymnastics, to softball, to dance, to color guard, to barrel racing I have kept my body fit and in shape without having to eat right. When I went to college I gained what most call “the freshman 15,” meaning I gained 15lbs. 135 pounds is not big for the average sized 20-year-old, but at 5’2, 135 looks a lot like 150. I started my weight loss journey summer after my freshman year of college and it was one big trial and error. Here are five tips I do that work for me.
Tip 1: Zero Calorie Foods
You can actually burn calories while eating! WHAT? That’s right, your body uses more calories to burn these foods than these foods actually contain. The only downside is, some of these foods are not exactly a slice of cake. Rule of thumb with foods is that the fewer the calories, the less likely it will be tasty. The trick is to acquire the taste of these foods by keeping the thought in your head that "this will help me be a better me." Some of these foods are: broccoli, apples, spinach, oranges, celery, and tomatoes.
Tip 2: Breakfast
Everyone is always saying how they have no energy. Well, this can be helped by having a protein based breakfast. Not only will this help you wake up and help you be more productive, but also help with your digestive tract. Starting smart in your day also encourages you to stay smart throughout your day. Some protein smart breakfast foods include: eggs, ham, turkey bacon, turkey, granola, and other grains such as chia and flax seeds as well as quinoa.
Tip 3: Exercise
Cardio is my favorite type of exercise; it works all muscles, helps with weight loss, and works to tone muscles. This form of exercise also requires no weights and no gym membership. I have found that exercising in the morning helps get a nice start to the day and allows the muscles to be worked after the workout. This helps reduce soreness and muscle cramps as well. Cardio is also a great way to reduce stress. Many times running is my favorite stress relief. It's channeling that rage and frustration of work or school and can be the push you need to go that extra mile/extra 10-20 minutes. Allowing your body to sweat out the toxins will also allow you to feel cleaner. Some cardio exercises that are my favorite include: running, mountain climbers, and burpees.
Tip 4: No Salt Past 7:00PM
One thing that’s helped me is no salty foods past 7pm. Not only will this help control sodium levels in your body, but will also help clear up your skin. Early dinners are best -- they allow our bodies to digest our food before bed. This helps because our bodies also burn calories as we sleep. My best advice would be to drink only water and freshly squeezed fruit juice before bed.
Tip 5: Sleep
It is necessary that each night you allow your body to shut down and recharge. Turn your television off and place the remote far enough away that you cannot reach. Do the same with your cell phone or any other devices. If you’re like me, books need to be taken away as well, or I’d read all night. When done daily, you will notice the increase in daily energy.
These 5 tricks have helped me be more successful and has turned my health around; I’m extremely happy with myself. I have way more energy and have a drive to do more extracurricular activities. It definitely is not an overnight thing, and for the first few weeks, I would even suggest keeping a journal to motivate yourself and to keep tabs on the foods you do -- and do not -- like. Most think a healthy meal is expensive, but with a few easy changes, and it can be cheap!
