Time to Start

This message is close to my heart. There are so many people close to me that I have conversations like this every day. They want a quick fix. They want something that is easy. They don’t want to exercise. They keep eating junk. They just can’t get their mindset in the right place. But…they do want to feel better.

Or…they just feel like it is too big of a mountain to climb, so they just don’t start. It seems like too much to tackle, so they just don’t start. They think they won’t succeed, so they just don’t start. Life is so much already, they just don’t want to add this too. The beginning is the hardest and they have to believe that they will start and that they will continue.

Listen, the thing is, there are so many things in life that take time and everyday small steps to achieve. Think about your life and what you have achieved so far, and what you continue to work at every day. Faith, school, work, finances, parenting, relationships, a new business, serving and giving….none of this is achieved overnight, or will stick around if we give up on it. Our health is the same. If you can keep working on all of these things, you can improve your health too.

Yes it takes time.

Yes it takes effort and work.

Yes, you can do it. You can absolutely do it and you will be so thankful you did, I promise you. As soon as something changes, you will feel amazed and so proud of your accomplishment.

The beginning is hard, that is the truth. I believe many things that will improve us are hard to start. Start you must, and continually tell yourself that you can do it. Find a support group. This is a must. This can be a friend, spouse, Facebook group, a group at your gym, another mom, or anyone for that matter that will support and encourage you, and is possibly going through the same as you. Let me know if you can’t find support. I will help you.

Below are some basics to help get started right now. Each of these will help you feel better, and help improve your metabolism. But first, BELIEVE in yourself, because you CAN do it.

1. Drink plenty of water. At least 8 glasses each day to start. This should increase as you exercise more.
2. Eat 4-5 small meals a day. Small means you stop before you are full and you do not want to stuff yourself.
3. I repeat…do not stuff yourself and do not go back for seconds. Make your plate the first time, knowing that this is it. This is hard in the beginning if you have a habit of eating too much, but this will also make the biggest difference if you can be strong, and just fill yourself enough to almost be full. Drinking lots of water does help.
4. Do NOT skip meals ever. So many people do this and this will just mess up your metabolism.
5. Eat lots of vegetables and salads. Avoid heavy dressings. Choose light, vinaigrette, and no preservative dressings.
6. Eat all-natural, avoiding artificial ingredients and preservatives. Clean eating is huge. The more you eliminate additives and preservatives, the better you will feel.
7. Be active every day!! Start by just walking for 30-45 minutes 3-5 days a week. You can add intensity and other workouts as you get better with your routine.
8. Get enough sleep. Rest is important for your metabolism and feeling your best. When we are tired, we are more likely to want junk food, eat more, and not want to exercise. We all need 7-8 hours every night. Be sure you are getting this.
9. Use the 80/20 rule. 80% of the time, make really good choices and realize 20% of the time, may not be good choices, and that is ok. This is important for your attitude and mindset. If you think that you are not allowed to mess-up, you are more likely to binge or want to quit. It is ok to have balance and enjoy treats in moderation. It is also ok to have a day off of exercise. Your body needs it.

These are basics to help you start without spending extra money or starting a specific program. This is everyday work to make better choices, feel better and reach your goals. You can start one of the above every day if it is too much to think about at once.  If you make these choices, I promise you will feel some change. You might feel better, less bloated, more energy, or just feel healthier and good. Either way, think about how you feel in the beginning. This will keep you going. As more time passes, you will notice more physical change. You might need more intense workouts and more healthy recipes. I post a lot of these on my community Facebook page and I have a support group on Facebook with a great team of encouragement. Message me and I can add you.

As many of you know, I also work for a wellness company that has many all natural products that I absolutely love for weight loss, more energy, athletes and aging. I will be writing more about this next time, but you can reach out if you want more information.

Most importantly, just START. Even if it is 2:00 when you read this, you can still start today. Focus on water and what you eat. Think about not stuffing yourself and maybe you can go for a walk later.

I strongly believe if you can change your mindset, you can change your life.

Start today!