I’m sure you’ve heard everything is acceptable as long as it is in moderation. Well, some things of course, but none the less, you don’t have to go to extremes. In this crazy world of rush, rush, rush….you have been brainwashed into thinking that you need things to happen quickly. Look at all the drive-thru’s that exist, restaurants, banks, pharmacies, car wash, grocery stores, coffee shops, printers, dry cleaning, etc. It’s no wonder you think that you can change your lifestyle at a drop of a hat!
Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but nothing in your life will come quickly, it all requires work and of course ~ moderation. So stop using the lame excuses..let’s get moving!
Let’s be honest here, if you do not like the image you see staring back at you in the mirror it is no one’s fault but your own. It truly doesn’t matter what excuse you may bring up or have convinced yourself of, it is ultimately your own responsibility. If you are not happy with your weight, for instance, how can you possibly think that you will change that over night. Honestly, didn’t it take months or maybe years to reach that weight? It is near impossible to lose it over night let alone 2 weeks.
So, you must be responsible and understand that anything can be achieved if you truly want it and are willing to work hard for it. It will take time, but it will be rewarding in the end. Ultimately, you must be happy with yourself, not only outside but inside as well. So let’s discuss how to tackle this dilemma and enjoy your body inside and out.
The first step to take is: increasing your water intake…
Yes, increasing your water intake will start to eliminate the toxins within your bodies. It will make your skin healthier and smoother as well. If you don’t like plain water, add lemon, lime or orange slices. But drinking water is where you must begin. Then and only then can you move onto the amount of food you eat.
Now let’s look at your food intake…
When it comes to food intake you should be eating at least 5 small meals a day.. yes at least 5… this pattern will increase your metabolism therefore making your body burn the fat quicker. It is important to make these meals healthy, and fast food, does not count. What do I mean by healthy? Some examples include nuts, dried fruit, crackers and cheese, vegetables, yogurt or smoothies.
The 3 main meals are breakfast, lunch and dinner and then you must also add a snack in between each, so you are not starving your body until the next meal. Many will make the common mistake of missing meals to lose weight, but that is very unhealthy! Your body requires energy to function, and that energy is in the form of FOOD! Would you run your vehicle on fumes alone? Of course not, so why are you making this mistake with your body? Remember vehicles are replaceable however, you only have one body!
You cannot starve yourself and expect to lose weight, keep it off and still be able to function on a daily basis. It is impossible to think that you will lose weight by eating 1 meal a day… sure you may ‘lose’ weight but it will be most likely ‘water weight’. If you only eat 1 or 2 meals a day, your body will naturally store that food as fat in your body because it needs natural energy to function. SO, you will be doing yourself a dis-service by skipping meals. Be sure to eat a combination of foods that contain protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Yes, carbohydrates are needed for your body to function as well as fats. There are good fats and good carbohydrates and I will discuss those at a later date.
The most important thing to remember is that you must be happy with yourself and everything you eat will be reflective on your body. Drink lots of water, eat at least 5 meals a day, exercise, oh yes, exercise and you will get to your target weight at the appropriate time and maintain it longer.
A short note on exercise before I go, many think you have to go to an extreme in order to see any benefits. Again that is a fallacy! Exercise or physical activity as I like to call it, can be in the form of walking, climbing stairs, cycling, dancing and swimming to name a few. Instead of searching for a closer parking spot in the shopping mall, park farther and walk.
Instead of using the escalator, take the stairs. Dancing can truly expend a lot more calories than you can imagine and you can do it in the comfort of your own home. There is no excuse, literally none, that you are not doing some form of physical activity in your home. Again, you don’t need fancy equipment or the latest exercise DVD; simply put on some music and let your hips swing. Your mind, body and soul will love you for it!
So what will you change today? What do you need help with? Let’s Talk!
Dr. Daisy Sutherland is the Founder/CEO of Dr. Mommy Online. She is a doctor, author, mentor, speaker, wife & mom to 5 children. Dr. Mommy's mission is to ~ Help Busy Women and Men with her 'Get Real' approach to living a happier and healthier lifestyle. Watch for new book: 'Letting Go of Super Mom' coming out August 7, 2012.
Looks like I am back to step one…I will start with the water part of the assignment!
Thanks for the reminder that this is within our own power to fix…no excuses!
Hi Michele,
It’s okay to start over…and yes..you have the power to fix it!:) Have fun!
Daisy
Great article!
It seems we are on the same page. I look forward to some collaborative opportunities!
Thanks Carl! Oh yes…we must all take the first step when it comes to our health ~ responsibility…then the rest is a piece of cake
Thanks for giving me another switft kick in the butt to do better nutritionally. Especially when it comes to drinking water. I just forget throughout the day. But as a sportsparent I preach it to my kids all the time! I guess I better listen to myself!
Your very welcome!!
It’s funny how we forget the simplest of things…:)
GREAT advice. I especially like the tip about using the stairs…I do this even when in a hotel.
Thanks Kim! It’s amazing how complacent we can become…it’s time to kick it up a notch and take the stairs
I’m with you on this one, Daisy! This is the part I like:
“… nothing in your life will come quickly, it all requires work and of course ~ moderation. So stop using the lame excuses..let’s get moving!” Thanks for the great post. x0x
Thanks Norma…tough love always seems to work
Great ideas again, Daisy. Water is a no brainer for me. I keep a water bottle on my desk and re-fill it three or four times a day. But there’s certainly room for improvement everywhere else.
And if only I could keep with the hiking every day–it’s so much more fun than just a walk in the ‘hood but tough to get all the work done when I’m out playing in the woods.
Great reminders for getting fit and healthy.
Oh yes…we can always use friendly reminders:) Thanks for stopping by Marie
Love the attitude–tough and supportive at the same time. It takes a LOT of messages like these to keep me focused–love hearing them from you
~elise
Hi Elise! Oh yes…tough and supportive is a good combo, don’t you think? Simple reminders will keep us all focused and healthy:) Thanks for stopping by!
I think that somethings that helped me over the years were that I stop focusing on dieting and instead ate 5-6 meals/snacks- a day- and that means fruit and healthy things, no pop – or juice with sucrose/glucose- that is just another form of pop. I eat when I am hungry. We need to actually listen to our body. Pushing the buggy helped, and now when I go for groceries I have a cart. The fact I have no car, means that I always have to walk or take a bus (bus is too expensive) so I walk everywhere, now I’m biking more. The last thing, and I think it’s important, if I want a little “sometimes treat”, I have it. I remember I would end up eating a whole bunch of something, rather than just enjoying that chocolate bar, or cookie. The guilt was all consuming, and a vicious cycle ensued. So if you want a piece of chocolate, get it, and enjoy it with a hot cup of water. Walking is so great as it helps your brain and body really handle stress and let’s face it, don’t alot of people eat because they are stressed.
Oh that’s my last little tip. Drinking a cup of hot water has really helped. In the beginning, when I stopped drinking coffee I drank like 10 cups of hot water a day, but now even in the mornings I forget I poured it and it gets cool…but hot water really is fab, seriously it curbs your hunger, it may sound gross or weird, but you will like it, trust me. Let’s face it, coffee is hard on the system for so many reasons, add in sugar and cream well it all adds up. I’d be curious to hear from others what happens when they give up pop and coffee. Cheers! Sending you love and positive energy!
Hi Tina! Thanks so much for sharing your suggestions…loved them all..especially the walking. I must add that moderation is the key…and that also applies to coffee. Coffee actually has some good qualities and often gets a bad reputation. It contains antioxidant which are necessary for our bodies to remove the toxins..but again in moderation..:) Thanks again:)
You know, this is all wonderful advice…..if you are healthy. What advice do you have for someone like me? I have a neuro-muscular disease called myasthenia gravis. I have a very severe case of it, called MuSK+ MG. It is refractory, meaning resistant to treatment. I’m on a lot of medication. I take steroids, which has caused me to be diabetic. MG causes weakness in repetitve muscle movement. I also have central sleep apnea, and have just started using a vent at night to stay alive. I have a trach. I drink 80+ ounces of water a day. I don’t eat more than the average person, yet I am severely overweight.
I know you have good intentions, but it’s frustrating to always read articles about “eat less and move more” when you can barely move in the first place.
I’m so sorry to hear of your situation. Of course my posts are not meant for those facing the conditions that you face. For you of course, none of the recommendations would make much sense. However, there may be things you can do, but that would mean I am prescribing which I cannot do. All I can do, especially online is recommend..there are different drinks that are available but again not knowing your dietary restrictions, cannot recommend. Unfortunately because you are unable to move, it may be difficult to lose the weight since that does require activity and not merely dieting. I will continue to research different alternatives that may help you, but until then don’t give up and I’m sorry that this article frustrated you.