28 of my Best Dieting Tips!

Oh wow!! It's been so long since I blogged, I'm slacking on my family blog and this blog too! I'm not going to make any promises about blogging regularly, but I'm going to try to do better.  I hope this blog can become a really great source of Health and fitness info.

Anyway, with the weather feeling like Spring and those Hot Summer months getting close I know a lot of you may be thinking about shorts and swimsuit weather.  You may dread it or you may be excited about it. Now, I know for sure I don't like to feel frumpy in the Summer.  I want to feel comfortable around the pool with my kiddos and theres no more of that hiding in a frumpy baggy sweatshirt from the winter months.  I remember a time when I dreaded those pool days and my kids wanting to go everyday.  It's no fun to dread having fun with your kids and doing fun thing just because you are insecure! You don't have to have the best body in the world, you don't need to compare yourself to those that flaunt there stuff in bikini's.  Just be happy with you, right now, no matter what stage of Health and Fitness you are in.  If you start living and being happy where you are, the happiness train in your attitude will follow and soon you will become healthier too.  Mmmmmm....not sure that made sense, but it made sense to me..haha.

Here are a few of my best diet tips that I've learned and that I feel like have helped me.  Maybe they will help you too! In no particular order.....

1. Eat whole foods.... that should be 80-90% of your diet. Prepare your fruits and veggies, cut up and ready to go in tupperware so you may actually eat them because they are easy to grab.  If you don't feel like eating them, eat them anyway, because it's what you have prepared and it's good for you!! :)
2. Take one day a week to prep your meals/snacks for the week ahead.  I promise you it makes a HUGE difference.
3. Keep junk and processed foods OUT of the house, not just out of sight.
4. Eat MORE protein and Healthy fats.
5. Don't be afraid of Carbs...good carbs (complex carbs, whole grains/oats, fruits/veggies) are good for you, bad processed carbs (chips, cookies, pastries, packaged snacks) are NOT!
6. Drink A LOT of water.
7. Do exercise that you enjoy and actually like to do.  When you like it you may actually look forward to it instead of dreading it.
8. Don't be afraid to lift weights!! Strength Training is what will get you the body that you want, NOT a ton of cardio!!
9. I know as Moms we like to multi task, I use to eat my lunch while I responded to emails or checked facebook.  If you sit at the table and try to enjoy your food instead of scarfing it down and doing other things at the same time, you may actually feel more satisfied and feel like you remembered eating it. :)
10.Don't eat too fast.  Chew, chew, chew, then swallow.  Eating more slowly can help you feel fuller, because you tummy might actually have time to realize that it's full.
11. Imagine what your food is doing inside your body.  Did you really eat good fuel? or bad fuel that will make your engine stop? Try to look to food as fuel mostly!! Imagine that piece of cake stuck to your butt or stomach...haha.
12. Don't eat AT LEAST 2 hours before you go to bed and eat AT LEAST an hour within waking up.
13. Keep a journal of your food intake.  Writing it down simply helps you remember what you ate and keeps you accountable for everything you put in your mouth.  It also help you know what triggers you to eat certain foods or notice when you mostly have cravings.
14. Don't wear baggy clothes/pants.  When you wear yoga pants all the time you might eat more, but when you wear tighter jeans you stop when you feel full because your pants are getting tighter...haha.
15. Keep a vision board or quotes and reminders that you can often see of your goals and what you want to achieve.
16. Don't go grocery shopping when you are hungry, and shop mostly on the perimeter of the store.  Your bulk of stuff should be from the perimeter not the inside aisles.
17. Brush your teeth when you feel cravings.  Sometimes the minty and fresh clean mouth helps. Brush 5 times a day if you have too, your teeth and your body will thank you!
18. Sometimes in the evening when I feel like having something sweet I warm up some unsweetened almond milk or half almond milk/ half water, a little cocoa or protein powder, tiny bit of salt and a tsp or so of pure maple syrup and make my own "hot cocoa." The warmness and liquid make you feel full and the slight sweetness helps with cravings.
19. Don't let yourself get soooo hungry that you want to grab anything.  Eat every 2-3 hours.
20. START eating when you feel hungry but not starving and STOP when you feel satisfied not overly full.
21. Don't be afraid to try new foods.  I never use to like avacados or peppers or spinach.  I now LOVE them.   I don't know how, I don't know why.  Try it until you like it and pretty soon you just might!
22. Keep that vision of where you want to be or why you want to be healthy... always keep it in your mind.  If you get tempted ask yourself what you want more....Health and your dream body or that dumb snack? :)
23. If you are always on the go, take healthy snacks with you
24. Learn to reward yourself with better/funner things that have nothing to do with food!! When you reach your goal get a new shirt, a new piece of makeup you've been wanting to try, hubby has to rub your feet ;), get a pedicure, a bubble bath, a movie with a friend, etc.
25. Look in the mirror and learn to look at your accomplisments or what you like about yourself instead of looking at the things you don't like.
26. Don't deprive yourself completely.  I like to have a cheat meal or treat once a week.  It helps me stay on track.
27. But, try not to look at eating healthy as depriving yourself.  You are finally giving your body what it wants and needs instead of overloading your liver with way too much junk to sift through.  Now it can help it work like it's suppose too...yay!
28. Don't be naive to the foods that are labeled "healthy," Low-carb, fat-free, etc.  they are not always healthy, just a way to grab your attention.  Get use to reading labels and look for real foods, not chemicals!!

I could probably list a ton of tips, but that's it for now!! What kind of tips do you have? I'd love to hear them.  You can comment here or on my Facebook page. I love questions and I'd love if you follow along!