I had always been overweight. Not necessarily obese, but always overweight. It wasn't until I was in my teens when I decided that enough was enough, I wanted to be fit. I was done feeling lethargic and chubby, I wanted to be happy with my body. These are a few of the small steps I took in achieving my current physique:
1. Making the switch from coffee to tea
This was probably one of the hardest things I started doing. I was a complete coffee addict. Starbucks, Caribou, you name it, I loved it. But drinking all those calories was insane. If I had just been drinking straight coffee, no cream or sugar of any kind, it would have been fine. But even the no-calorie creamer is full of weird artificial additives that are not good for you in any way. Also, making the switch to plain (not sweet) tea helped me immensely on my weight loss journey. Frappes and other delicious drinks are now just special treats that I give myself every once and awhile, just as they should be.
2. Carry that water bottle.
Carrying around a water bottle made me drink more water than I ever thought I would. I didn't have to think much about it either, I noticed just having the water available encouraged me to drink a whole lot more than I did before. I also make sure to drink a cup of water in the morning and before all of my meals.
3. From dairy to unsweetened almond milk
I love my (low sugar) cereals. They made a quick easy meal for the times I was in need of the convenience they offered. I did however, want to find a way to make them healthier. I ended up not eating cereal at all for a few months before I switched, that way when I ate it again the taste difference wouldn't be so apparent.
4. Sugar and salt content
Read the nutrition facts. Always. Foods insanely high in sugar, salt or trans/saturated fats are a no go. I personally believe sugar to be one of the most evil things on the face of the earth, and we eat way too much of it. Companies have been using sugar for years to almost addict us to their products. If you do what I did, and go extremely low sugar for a month, everything begins to taste overly sweet, and you no longer crave the junk.
5. White to wheat
If you eat bread, you need to be eating whole wheat. White bread is nothing but empty calories. It literally has no nutritional value.
6. Water is your friend.
Drinking your calories is one of the biggest culprits. Soda and juice have incredibly high amounts of sugar and should be avoided, even bottles that say "no sugar added." Tea, water and the occasional glass of milk are your go-to's. And, for the love of God don't drink the diet sodas, those are just liquid chemicals.
7. Do you have an allergy?
Food allergies don't always show themselves in the most apparent ways. I found out I was gluten intolerant only after my brother was diagnosed with Celiac disease. And although my allergy wasn't as bad, it was a factor in my depression, giving me an occasional rash for no reason and causing bloating and joint pain. I also ended up losing the last five pounds that had been stubbornly clinging to me after I found out. Many people may be allergic to gluten, dairy or something else without even knowing it. I would say get tested for them to be sure. It may be the cause of underlying issues you have been having, and you don't even know it.
8. Smart snacks
Crackers and chips are traps. They are full of carbs and calories, yet no matter how much you eat, you don't feel full. Try carrots and hummus instead. They are much better for you and very filling. If you are eating dip, stay away from the cheese ones and opt for salsa if at all possible. Guacamole is good too, but it's high in (good) fats and calories, so make sure you portion it.
9. Vitamins and starving for nutrients
I take a daily multivitamin every morning. I don't really need it anymore since I eat so much healthier than I used too, but I think it's important. We are surrounded by food, but we are starved for nutrients. Why? Because many of modern day foods are formulated to be tasty, not healthy. It should be a goal of society to turn our foods into healthy and delicious selections. It unfortunately is not, so I avoid packaged meals as much as possible. They are full of fats and fillers, but not the micro and macronutrients we need (unless they are way too high in some macronutrients, like salt). We eat all the time, but are essentially starving.
