Let me first start off by saying that I personally have not struggled with weight loss before. I don’t say this to boast, but rather to be transparent. A lot of nutrition and fitness coaches are inspired to help others because of the struggles they’ve endured and overcome. I am inspired because of how I’ve seen nutrition and fitness change other people’s lives and because of how amazing I feel day-to-day by practicing what I preach. Fitness and nutrition have played a big role in my life ever since I was in elementary school. I played basketball and softball up until mid-high school, indoor soccer for a few seasons, after school field hockey one year, was on the jump rope team for a little, tried out dance for a bit, took weight lifting class as much as I could in high school and have considered the gym my second home for the last 8 years...you get my point...I’ve always craved movement. Though I didn’t fully understand nutrition when I became a vegetarian at age 12, this is when my curiosity for food and how it impacts the body began. My passion and interest in nutrition and fitness has only continued to grow and deepen over the years.
One of the most important things I’ve learned in regards to health, is that you can’t expect lasting effects if you’re only willing to put in the temporary work.
Not a Diet, It’s a Lifestyle
“Join our juice cleanse and lose 25 pounds in 2 weeks” Urg! I hate seeing newspaper headlines advertising quick weight loss like this. I don’t advocate for diets. They are usually short term and very restrictive. Instead, I promote educating and empowering people to live overall healthy lifestyles. Eating healthy and providing your body with movement should be something that becomes a normal part of our lives. If health and wellness hasn’t typically been a priority to you, this may seem like a daunting task. A diet is a quick and temporary fix, if you want to better your life for good and feel better than you ever have before, it’s going to take some hard work. The good thing is, once you commit and put in the work, living a healthy lifestyle becomes second nature.
As much as I wish everyone could experience the awesomeness of living a healthy lifestyle, it’s simply not for everyone. You know why? Because it takes HARD WORK! Everyone has different priorities in life. If health is not one of your top priorities, chances are you aren’t going to want to put the work in and will feel as though “this whole healthy living thing” is a sham and way too difficult. But...if you are sick and tired of where your current state of health lies and you are feeling empowered to make the change and lose the weight for good, you are one step closer to making it happen.
Below are a few tips (in no particular order) I recommend if you are serious and ready to take control of your health.
Stop drinking pop/soda (these drinks literally provide nothing beneficial to your body)
Drink mostly water
Reduce (or preferably eliminate) meat and dairy products
Incorporate more whole foods into your meals
Add more movement into your life (If working out isn’t your jam, find movement in other ways. Go on walks, do yard work, dance…)
Cut back on added oils
Set aside time to educate yourself about food so you understand what you are putting in your body (watch documentaries like Forks Over Knives and Game Changer’s, read articles, listen to Podcasts, etc.)
These tips are big picture concepts. When I am helping clients, we typically focus one one goal at a time and break them down further. Maybe only have 1 soda a week for the first week, write down each whole food you eat in a food journal to track your progress, add in a walk after work on Wednesdays, drink 60 ounces of water each day and so on.
The ultimate goal is to create healthy habits that follow you throughout your life. These healthy habits naturally reduce body weight and encourage a physique that is more apt to take on life’s challenges. Be patient with yourself and remind yourself frequently of your reasoning behind wanting to get your health in check in the first place.
If you are inspired to take charge of your health but need some assistance, feel free to reach out to me at emily@meatlessmeals.net regarding my plant-based nutrition coaching services.
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