a 12 week Journey to better health
and fitness with me.
Neither one of us enjoy the phrase,
"As you get older..." when talking
about things that are changing-
like our mid sections or our
dropping energy levels!
I don't buy it-
at least not entirely.
He does better with stated guidelines,
so I made a list of Do's and Don't's
for us to follow. In case you are wondering,
because I want this to be a way of life,
not a trendy diet, our whole family is
obeying MOST of these rules as well.
1. Drink Plenty of Water including
a large glass of water before every meal
& DO NOT drink your calories!
Not revolutionary- but absolutely important
2. Eat a portion of Protein at every meal-
this is especially important if you are
lifting weights as part of your exercise
you should aim for 60-80 grams of protein per day
 |
| Fresh Raspberry Glazed Chicken Breast |
3. Rid Your Diet of White-
white flour, rice, pasta, potatoes-
you have to really watch this, many
wheat breads have white enriched flour
as their first ingredient!
4. Know what Fiber is and Eat it-
Fiber comes from both plant and grain
sources; know it, love it and EAT it
30-50 grams per day
5. An Apple a Day...
get your fruit. Apples and Berries have
unique health benefits, make sure
you are friends with them every day
 |
| Berry Topped Greek Yogurt- tons of protein & the anti-inflammatory benefit of berries |
6. Think Lean & Green for Dinner-
think no carbs after lunch
7. Know what's in Your Food-
if it has a label read it & banish
salty foods altogether!
Pay careful attention to sodium, fat,
trans fats and especially words you can't say-
if you can't say, your belly can't process it
8. Measure Your Food-
Be real about how much you are eating and
what a serving size really is
9. No More Added Sweeteners-
artificial ones too baby!! these only increase
your sugar cravings
10. Say Good-bye to the Drive Thru-
no more fast or fried foods! Plan ahead,
pack a snack. if all else fails, buy a banana
when you stop for gas!
11. Eat Breakfast-
you can be certain I am a firm believer
in this topic- I don't care who you are,
or how busy you are, it's called the most
important meal of the day for a reason!
 |
| Protein Berry Banana Smoothie: my favorite pre-workout breakfast |
12. Make Your Own Food- if you
are a frequent eater outer, make a goal
to cut how often you eat out by half
not only will you eat better, but you will
find your family life is better as you join
around the kitchen table for some good ole'
fashioned family conversation- plus habits that
will last a lifetime.
 |
| A few simple recipes, some delicious spices, oils and vinegars & you can do it better than any restaurant |
13. Eat Your Veggies-
you should aim for twice as many veggies
as fruits- this is as important as the water
plan for it, do it and succeed!!
 |
| Roasted Carrots with Shallots and Gremalato |
14. Go To Bed Hungry-
avoid eating at least 3 hours before you
plan to go to bed, the benefits are plenty
and I promise you won't starve in your sleep
15. Make sure you are getting enough sleep-
this is soooo important. your body needs time
to replenish, if you're not getting enough sleep
find out why and fix it- you can't lose weight or get
fit if your not sleeping- true story!!
16. Eat often and DO NOT skip meals!
aim for eating every 3-5 hours, and if you've
done a strength workout try to eat 20 grams of protein
within an hour. this keeps your body burning the calories
it receives.
17. Keep a Food Journal-
my favorite is www.myfitnesspal.com
do what works best for you, but the best way
to see if you are eating too much is to see it all
tallied up
18. Set Your Goal-
are you here to lose weight, gain muscle,
find joy, relinquish stress? Set a bar- make it
a high bar- remove your obstacles and
go for the Gold!
19. Know Your Obstacles-
if you are going to remove them, you'd better
know them. keep in mind some obstacles aren't
going anywhere, they are part of your journey,
learn to work with them not against them!
20. Plan for a Splurge Meal Once a Week-
and once you plan it, ENJOY it! this helps avoid the
guilt if you enjoy birthday cake at your kiddos party!
don't feel guilt- but only one guilt free splurge per week!
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