- No sugar! Ok I know this is a hard one. I personally have to admit that I don't follow it all the time. What I do is I allow myself one bad carb (i.e. White bread/rice) or one sugar item (i.e. Starbucks!) each day. Just make sure that you don't choose something too sugary or carby(?).
- Go easy on the salt. Now this one is not one that you can have leeway with. I'm serious. Having a bit of a salt is good, but your kidneys don't like it when you overload. Right now, it's hard to think ahead, but you definitely don't want any kidney disease or cancer from salt. Cutting back now is best, and plus, you're a step closer to your dream body!
- Whole, not Multi-Grain. Studies have shown that whole grain is way better for you then multi. Whole grain also takes your body longer to digest, so you'll stay full longer.
- Get those spices in your belly. A lot of studies have proven that eating paprika or chiles in your diet can speed up your metabolism. Also, the more spicy stuff you eat, the more water you'll drink, the less hungry you'll be. Which leads me to...
- Be a WATER BABY! So along with that perfect body, everyone wants that glowing, acne-free skin. Drinking water is amazing for that. It's like killing two birds with one stone! And like it said before, the more water you drink, the less hungry you'll be. Plus, that beautiful glowing skin is a big plus! :)
- Greek yogurt. This fun substitute for regular fat-free yogurt is chock-full of protein, and keeps you full for a long time. I eat about 2 cups of plain greek yogurt, 1 cup of blueberries, and 1 cup of non-sugary granola each day for lunch. I'm usually so tired just chewing all of this, that I'm not even hungry to eat anything else. Plus, this meal is full of protein, and has almost all of the food groups: carbs, sugars, dairy.
- BLUEBERRIES!!! I love these small fruits, so when I heard they boost metabolism, I got really excited. Make sure not to go overboard, because while the sugars in it are good for you, you still can't eat like a ton of them. I think about one cup will be sufficient.
- Almond butter. I've mentioned this before, but almond butter is great for you. It has protein and tastes amazing. I like spreading it on whole grain bread in the morning. It gives me a brilliant kick start to my day!
- Exercise! Do NOT think that you can just diet and not exercise and get away with it. Being healthy is our goal here, and exercise is vital to our regime. I personally adore doing yoga in the nighttime, before bed to kind of great ready to sleep. I choose to do my cardio in the mornings. And guess what? Nobody is a huge fan of cardio, but it works wonders. My personal routine consists of 100 jumping jacks, squats, and curl ups, with minute long planks as resting periods. Side planks are also a part of my routine. Comment if you want my routine!
- Get a buddy. Doing it with other people keeps you motivated!
- Don't eat out. I know how tempting it is to pick up the phone and order Pizza Hut. Don't do it! Although it's convenient, you WILL regret it the next time you weigh yourself.
- Yoga. I love doing yoga, because it melts the pounds off and feels relaxing. It just clears my head!
- Reward yourself! Remember, this is pretty hard stuff! So make sure to reward yourself. Set goals, like every two pounds I lose, I'll buy one musical album from my favorite artist. Or, my favorite, I'll go shopping and see how I look in those skinny jeans that didn't fit a month ago. :)
XOXO,
Ash
