Feeling Great Starts With Eating Better

Are you one of those people who are trying to lose a few pounds and just can't seem to?  You don't have time to exercise or perhaps you just haven't found the activity that is enjoyable for you to keep doing on a routine basis? Perhaps, you just don't like the idea of getting hot and sweaty after spending time in the morning looking your best. Well, we have some ideas to help you feel healthier every day and to help you keep a bikini fit body.

If any of this describes a part of you or all of you, please keep reading.  We are not diet or medical experts, nor do we claim to be.  We are just reiterating some common dietary fundamentals and through trial and error with our own experiences are sharing what seems to be working for us.  This article is mainly about keeping your body in check and staying trim and healthy.  Most of us would like to be beach body ready at a moment's notice.

Exercise is great for the body because it is good to give your heart a workout and get it beating higher than a resting heart rate.  30 minutes a day or a few times a week is what most people can generally do at best.  It can be as strenuous as a full body workout or a brisk walk. The main idea is to just get your body moving and your heart rate up for 30 minutes or so with a little perspiration on the forehead to top it off.  It has been said that you should not count on this to lose weight.  Instead, look at it as a way for you to eat that small extra snack you crave.  No exercise, means no extra munching. Keep that in mind and only munch as much as you have burned.  

Be realistic with your weight loss goals.  Losing more than 1 pound per week is much too aggressive for the majority of people.  Your body probably won't like you and you will be hungry and putting yourself at high risk of failing.  Losing 1/2 a pound of week is reasonable for most people. Next, set a calorie limit and if you are not sure what is appropriate, My Fitness Pal is a great app tool to help you figure it out.  Once you know what your target daily calorie consumption is, use it wisely to fill it with low calorie foods and snacks throughout the day.  You will feel as if you are eating more, but not necessarily more calories.  For instance, 25 baby carrots is 35 calories and drink water instead of juice to conserve calories.   We found My Fitness Pal to be a useful tool with calorie tracking because it has such a large food database.  You can simply scan the package bar code and it already knows what a portion size should be. Always eat your calorie allotment because putting your body in starvation mode is not the way to achieve long lasting results.  Plus, you will feel deprived, hungry, and unhappy.  It really comes down to making better choices and portion control and to make it a lifestyle modification.  You can still have treats, but not all on the same day.  My Fitness Pal will even show you what percentage of your daily or weekly diet is comprised of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.  This visual summary will help you be more aware, so you can create a more healthy balance in your dietary intake.

There are other great tools out there, but this is just one that we have liked and has worked well for us to achieve our goals, which is to be fit, healthy, and beach body ready all year round.  If you are already on a healthy eating program and it is helping you achieve the right results for you then you should continue on it.  We are happy to hear about people achieving great results in a healthy way.   If you need a great idea for cooking or looking for a new fitness idea, be sure to visit us on Pinterest regularly because we are always pinning!