Eat More to Weigh... Less!!

Did you make your yearly Lose Weight resolution yet?  A couple of my friends have asked for advice on how to lose weight. So here it is. :) My first advice is always STOP DIETING. Seriously. Sure, you'll lose weight at first but then as soon as you start to slip back into your old ways you will put that weight on faster than you can reach for the next cookie. :)

Secondly, STOP STARVING YOURSELF. You really need to eat more. If you don't eat enough food your body's metabolism will slow down to a crawl in order to preserve and hold onto every morsel it can get. In order to rev up your metabolism and balance your blood sugar you need to eat 5-6 small meals a day. Preferably every 2.5-3 hours. This strategy also helps to conserve lean muscle and encourages your body to burn off extra fat instead! Whoo hoo!!

Portion sizes are key too! A friend of mine said she'll never lose weight eating that much in a day. I had her write down everything she was currently eating and she was quite surprised with how big her portions were and just how much snacking she did. A meal should consist of a portion of lean protein (the size of your palm) and 2 cups of veggies (or 1 cup veggies/1 cup fruit). Every time you eat, ask yourself where is my protein? Where is my veggie?

It takes a little planning and prepping but is having a body you're happy with worth it?!?! Fruit, veggies, yogurt, cottage cheese, tuna, and grilled chicken breast are all great examples of in-between meals.

I work out about 5-6 days a week and this is what works for me. Find what works for you but make sure you eat something with protein and packed with nutrients every couple of hours. =)