Blueprint

I’ve lost over 50lbs so far and hopefully will shed another 20 in the next year. I owe a lot of my success to my basic guidelines.

Foods I Avoid

  • High calorie/low nutrient foods - these are empty calories that absolutely do nothing but confuse your body
  • Foods with nutrition labels that have “salt” or “sugar” as the second ingredient.On food labels, ingredients are listed in order of predominance, with the ingredients used in the greatest amount first, followed in descending order by those in smaller amounts.
  • Sodas of all kinds, including those sweetened with stevia and diet. I literally haven’t had soda since June 2010 and I am astounded that people still drink it so regularly. If you’re serious about being healthy or losing weight or both - you need to stop drinking it.
  • Fast food - It should probably go without saying, but just for the record, I’ve been avoiding fast food and I do not miss the guilt that comes with sitting in drive-thru lines at all. You won’t either.
  • Foods that have ingredients I can’t pronounce, chemically engineered OR include corn syrup, especially high-fructose variety. Your body CANNOT process these. Research these chemicals and ingredients to see what happens to lab rats who consume it! I seriously can say I lost at least 5lbs without trying just by eliminating HFCS & other chemicals.
  • Refined or processed foods overall are icky! Your body needs whole foods! If it’s from a package, you probably think carefully before you eat it. If the packaged food you’re about to eat will outlive you…toss it.
  • Red meat
  • Dairy (excluding greek yogurt & sometimes light string cheese)
  • I cut down coffee to a bare minimum, less than 8oz/day, if that.

BFF Foods

  • Fresh, live, delectable produce - fruits & veggies of all kinds.
  • Tofu
  • Spinach smoothies
  • Carrot juice 
  • Black beans
  • Tuna
  • Raw nuts - almonds, cashews, walnuts
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Tea
  • Brown, black, wild rice
  • Stir fri veggies, I love bell peppers

Effective Tactics for Overall Health

  • One of the most effective ways I ensure I stay-on-track is by keeping a physical, tangible journal. It’s really beneficial to write down things anyway but I benefit in a plethora of ways. I track my intake, my exercise, my sleep, my ‘cycle,’ the way I feel, etc. I revisit it for motivation and maintain a level of accountability and responsibility
  • BREATHING. We never think about this. Take 5 minutes every day to really focus on breathing.
  • Every 30 minutes you spend online, get up and do jumping jacks, jump rope, push ups, whatever, for 5 minutes
  • Sleep enough. Duh.

Effective Tactics for Eating Well

  • The Clean 15 & The Dirty Dozen 
  • Water 24/7 - with lemon, cucumber, oranges, cinnamon, whatever. Waterwaterwater.
  • I keep my fridge stocked with healthy produce - lots of fruits and veggies. I usually eat more vegetables this way so they don’t “go bad” and result in wasted money.
  • Portion control. Start serving yourself smaller sizes, eat half of the food on your plate, save the rest for lunch, don’t eat until your stomach hurts.
  • Sweet begets sweet - the more sweet/salty food you eat - the more you want it! So, break the cycle now and your cravings will be less intense and ultimately stop.
  • I prepare healthy snacks ‘to go’ like cut up celery, carrots and granola in baggies
  • I mostly try to avoid alcohol. I am a huge fan of dark craft beers but I’ve given these up for the most part for the health benefits. If I’m drinking with friends I exclusively order vodka/water or vodka/soda and limit myself to 2 drinks.
  • I DON’T allow my ‘avoided’ foods in my house…because, I will eat them. All in one sitting, like a bulldozer.

Effective Tactics for Exercise

  • Just go!
  • Just do anything
  • Just lift weights
  • Listen to awesome music
  • Mix it up - variety! You don’t “need” to do elliptical to get a workout - also do lap swim, hiking, cycling, circuit dvds, dance classes, etc.
  • Don’t go 2 days in a row without some type of heart-throbbing, sweat-inducing exercise. Just don’t.
  • Leave workout clothes/shoes/equipment, whatever, out in plain view
  • If you just ‘get yourself there,’ even for 10 minutes, it’s better than not going at all. Showing up is 80% of the battle.

TIPS to stay MOTIVATED

  •  Back to the concept of a journal—I always write inspirational quotes in mine. They work!
  • I sometimes put really pretty clothes hanging up on the wall - displayed like art - that I can’t fit into. It always encourages me to stay motivated, because I really want to wear it again!
  • Tell people about your journey. You don’t want to let them down, it will keep you accountable. Tell everyone about your goals.
  • Think about an event coming up that you’re looking forward to - that you want to be in tip, top shape for.
  • Attitude is absolutely everything. Be positive - you can do whatever you set your mind to. If you don’t feel positive or confident - pretend you do, fake it until you make it. 
  • Be a fitblr

These guidelines are based on my preferences and success, so interpret them in a way that works for you.