Last week I finally underwent the surgery that I had discussed with all of you before. The bright side is that it’s finally over and done with. The downside, I have to try to relax and let my body heal. I’m not that great at relaxing. Mainly because I am great at getting shit done. So in my boredom I’ve realized that this is a great opportunity to put down my “I feel sorry for myself” snacks and get back on a healthy and positive mindset. Where the mind goes, the body follows. So here are some ways that I intend to treat my body better, which you can easily follow as well.

Drink. More. Water.

Seriously. Drink a butt load of water. All day long. I don’t care if I have to set an alarm on my phone or carry around a jug. This is something that I need to do more of. As incentive I’ve started making flavored water and keeping it in the fridge. I’m a camel so I can literally exist all day long on the same cup of cold coffee. I’m hoping that the allure of some ice cold lemon, cucumber and mint water will help me stay on track.

Make Some Small Food Adjustments

First of all, I find that if you start to throw around the word “diet”, that you’re setting yourself up for fast failure. Make some swaps here and there so that you don’t feel deprived and jump into a bag of chips. For example, use a vinaigrette instead of thick and creamy dressing. Try some olive oil or coconut oil instead of a big chunk of butter. Swap out your usual white bread for some brown or whole grain. It takes time to get your body and your mind into a routine. After a while though, you’ll add more and more of these swaps into your day.

Try Some Dark Chocolate

If you have a sweet tooth, give your body a taste of what it’s craving. No, I don’t mean buy a pie and eat it in the bathroom. I mean keep a bag of dark chocolate chips in the cupboard and suck on a couple when a sugar craving strikes. Your body can look at sugar as almost an addiction, so you might not feel satisfied at first. Keep going though. After a couple of times your sugar addiction will be curbed and you’ll be excited about your treat that holds waaaay less calories.

Portion Control

This is a big one. A lot to do with losing a couple of pounds is portion control. There are a few simple things that you can do to help. Portion out your snacks. Ziplock bags work great. That way if you want a handful of pretzels, it stops there. Do not. I repeat, do not carry the bag around with you. At supper once you’ve made up your plate, put the leftovers away. That way the temptation of more is gone. Also, if you feel that you really need another helping, drink a large glass of water first and wait five minutes. This one for me is a pretty big one. Sometimes I eat just for the sake of it. I don’t take the time to listen to my body to see if it’s full, then I eat more and then I’m too full and I feel sick. Take the time to see if your body is done. You’ll be surprised by how much you want opposed to how much you think that you want.

Get Off Your Ass

I have a hard time sitting still, so this one has been the easiest for me. However, I don’t mean get off of your ass for a three hour workout. Sometimes there isn’t enough time in the day for that. If you find that you’re sitting and doing nothing for hours at a time, get up and go for a quick walk to get the mail or walk to the store to grab your paper towels. Put some music on and have a dance party while you dust. Do some simple exercises while commercials are on. Just try to slip a little activity in.

Booze Equals Empty Calories

I drink. I really do. I love a glass of wine, or a couple of beer, or whatever I can find. I’ll be honest. Much like anything that’s delicious, it’s terrible calorie wise. The same goes for juice, pop, and sweet coffees. I’m not saying cut everything out entirely, I’m just saying be conscious of it so that you aren’t using up the calories that you could have in a whole meal in one drink.

Don’t Go Hungry

I used to think that to lose weight you had to barely eat. Oh Lordy how I was wrong. Eat some meals and snacks throughout the day so that your blood sugar levels stay in a good range and you don’t crash. Think of your body as a furnace. You have to keep it running. Having breakfast, a healthy snack, lunch, a healthy snack and a light supper will keep your metabolism burning all day long.

Get More Sleep

Lack of sleep can cause you to eat more throughout the day, make you too tired to get in a workout and can also turn you into a raging biatch. Try to always get at least eight hours in. I’m kind of like a vampire, so to reset my body clock I always have one really bad day. That means that I stay up until I usually would, then set my alarm for six in the morning. Keeping myself awake all day is the hard part. When I do it though, I’m ready for bed by ten and I’m up the next morning on my own. Let me be straight with you, I’m the worst person you’ll ever come into contact with during that day though. So if you have to reset your body clock, let everyone you love know so that they don’t disown you.

Attempt A Healthy Breakfast

I have a hard time eating breakfast. Even a small cup of oatmeal or a half of a grapefruit can make me super nauseous. I find that it’s easier for me to drink my first meal of the day. It’s still healthy without the yucky feeling I get when I eat first thing in the morning. Plus, it fills me up. Here is a great green breakfast smoothie that will fill you up and get you ready for the

Morning Green Smoothieimage

Pick One Unsweetened Liquid (1.5 Cups)

Almond Milk
Soy Milk
Hemp Milk
Coconut Milk
Rice Milk
Coconut Water
Plain Water

Choose Your Greens (1 Big Handful)

Kale
Spinach
Beet Greens
Collards
Swiss Chard

Choose Your Fruit (1-2 Cups, Fresh Or Frozen)

Banana
Apple
Melon
Strawberries
Blackberries
Blueberries
Raspberries
Mango
Pear
Peach

Extras (Add As Many As You Like)

1-2 tbsp Plant-Based Protein Powder
1 tbsp Chia Seeds
1 tbsp Ground Flaxseed
2 tbsp Avacado
1 tbsp Hemp Seeds
1 tbsp Coconut Oil, Hemp Oil, or Flax Oil
1 tbsp Nut Butter (Peanut Butter, Amond Butter, ect)
1 tbsp Raw Cacao
1 tbsp Bee Pollen
1-2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Ginger
1-2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1-2 tsp Green Powder
1 tsp Maca Powder

Add A Sweetener (Optional)

1 tsp Stevia
1 tsp Raw Agave
1 tsp Raw Dates

Now blend it all up and pour over ice. It’s as simple as that. I hope that you put some of these tips to the test along with me so that we can share our results together. Also, if any of you have a way to reset my body clock that doesn’t turn me into a raging she-beast, let me know.

xo Stephanie