I'll be the first to admit that I never used to have a "healthy" lifestyle. I don't enjoy exercising. Like, I look at people running around campus and think: why are you torturing yourself? I just don't understand how people have fun exercising. And cheesecake is my all-time favorite food (great, right -- can you even pack more calories into a food item than that?). Honestly, I like my junk food and I don't like to work it off.
I can't say that today, at 22 years old, I'm the healthiest person ever. I still hate exercising, although I try to do some kind of activity every week. I love junk still, but I eat it in smaller portions and have subbed out a lot of old, greasy foods for healthier alternatives (baked chips basically save my life). In the past year I've lost 40 pounds, joined a gym (God, I would have laughed so hard at you if you told me a year ago that would have happened), and have made some pretty drastic changes to my lifestyle. What have I learned? It's worth it. It's so very worth it.
So here are a few tips for healthy living:
1. Don't do it alone.
I've tried. It's just too hard. Everyone pretends it can work -- who needs other people? -- but it's just not true. You need support. You need people who understand your struggles and can help you through the difficult moments. You also need people to celebrate the successes with you! Otherwise you just won't stick with it. I'm a member of Weight Watchers, and I think that's an awesome program -- the people in my meeting are like family now. It's all about community. You need a community, too.
2. Do something.
Exercise isn't just going to the gym. Some people love the gym, some people would rather stand on hot coals before stepping into one -- it just depends on your personality. Go for a walk. Join a swimming class, or a Zumba class, or a yoga class. You can even go bowling with friends (or your kids, if you have them - kids love to bowl!). Just do what works for you, and as long as it's fun, I promise it won't be torturous.
3. Cut soda!
I was once an avid soda drinker -- a two-liter bottle a day of Diet Pepsi practically. It was horribly unhealthy. There's nothing in soda that's good for you, and I actually think it just made me crave sweet things even more. I'd advise cutting it completely if you can - I can't, I love it too much, but I only have it every once in awhile now. You'll feel better without it, I promise.
4. Always have a good breakfast.
If you skip breakfast, you're setting yourself up for a bad day. Even if it's just something small, like a granola bar or a piece of fruit, you should really have something. It kick starts your metabolism, plus I just feel like I'm not as hungry all day when I have something in the morning.
5. Portions!
You don't have to live a life without cheesecake -- I know I wouldn't -- or pizza or bread or whatever food you lost most in this world. Just portion it. Eat a reasonable amount, enough to satisfy you without making your stomach hurt.
6. Eat lots of fruits and veggies.
I used to think this was a hoax, but it's actually true -- if you're filling up on fruits or vegetables, you're just not as hungry.
7. Protein!
Protein also makes you less hungry. Lean proteins are the best if you're eating meat; if you're a vegetarian, there are options out there, though!
8. Never, ever cut out your favorite foods.
If you deprive yourself, you'll quit before you've even really had a chance to start. I speak from experience (a lot of experience). If you have favorite foods (like, oh, I don't know... fried dough?), don't eliminate it from your life. Just have them in moderation.
9. If you're craving something, eat it.
If you ignore a craving, you'll eat everything in sight until you no longer crave it. Sometimes it's just better to have the thing you craved in the beginning (portioned out, of course).
10. Don't get discouraged.
This is hard. I get discouraged all the time, so I know how hard it is. Sometimes you do everything right -- exercise, portion your food, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, fill up on protein -- and you step on the scale to see you've actually gained weight. It sucks. But don't give up! You aren't alone in feeling like this. We all struggle right along side you. We all have those weeks. Healthy living is worth it in the end, so please, don't give up!
11. Celebrate your successes!
You have to celebrate when you do well, both on the scale and off. When you lose weight -- awesome! Celebrate! When you try a new exercise or make a new meal for yourself, celebrate that too! But here's the important thing: don't celebrate with food. Go to a movie, go bowling, get tickets to a concert... treat yourself. Food isn't the fun part of life - it's the people you're with and the activity you're doing that's the fun part. So celebrate all your victories, no matter how small. A victory is a victory.
Well, there you have it! I'm still a work in progress, and I definitely don't have all the answers, but these things have helped me along my journey and I hope they help you as well. Good luck, and always remember: you're not doing this on your own, and you do have the ability to live a healthy life -- you can do this!
