Hey there, mama!
True talk today: It’s day 839398 of quarantine and most days I don’t know up from down. Despite my best efforts, our home often feels like a vast wasteland of snack wrappers, Nerf bullets, and feral children who have forgotten every good habit or redeeming quality I’ve ever taught them.
I’ve adapted the mindset that as long as we are alive, happy and healthy, we’ll be ok.
They can relearn where the trash is, how to bathe and basic manners when life resumes, right? This too shall pass.
We are all doing our best right now and that looks different for everyone. With the current status of our world, some of us may feel like we’re thriving, and others may feel like we’re hanging on for dear life. For some, the idea of taking on a new fitness and nutrition program and making major progress can seem overwhelming.
Let’s talk about reality here. Even maintaining our weight right now would be a win, right?
In all my years as a fitness trainer, I have always taken a ’real life, sustainable’ approach to weight loss. I’m not into quick fixes.
When I stopped to really think about my eating habits that have led to postpartum weight loss and ultimately, have helped me maintain over the years, I realized that what has become common practice for me could be put into tangible steps to help women get control of their eating habits.
Today we are going to talk about healthy habits I have used to MAINTAIN my weight since high school. These are habits I teach my clients and easy tips that will work for you right now, no matter the state of the universe.
Here are my top 5 tips that you can begin to implement TODAY that I’ve used to maintain my weight over the years:
Drink lots of water. You’ve probably heard this many times before. That’s because it’s important! Aim to drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water a day. This will help keep you hydrated and full. When our hydration dips, our energy dips and naturally our body turns to carbs to bring our energy up. You’ll never see me without my water bottle. My kids still come to me (not something I’m proud of) 🙂 when they’re thirsty because they know I always have water on me. I chug from it all day. I aim to refill it a few times throughout the day. When you feel hungry, start with water. Drink at least 16 ounces and then reevaluate whether or not you’re feeling true signs of hunger. Oh, and don’t forget to stop drinking (sips are ok, of course) a couple hours before bed so you’re not up all night going to the loo.
Don’t let yourself get hungry. When you go into a meal famished, that is almost a guarantee you will overeat. When our blood sugar dips, our body will naturally crave carbohydrates to bring it back up to a normal level, which in turn can lead to overeating. Eat before you’re hungry. Make sure those in-between-meals snacks are mostly protein and fat. I carry around a bag of almonds with me everywhere I go. I have a bag in my car, in my purse, at my desk. My kids tease me about this. “Oh, you’re hungry? Want some almonds? Mom has almonds.” Keep a portable snack close by all day to prevent ravenous binges.
No food is off limits. (This could be its own blog post!) NO food! Putting ’good’ and ’bad’ labels on food messes with our mind. Don’t use food as a reward for reaching a weight loss goal or for denying yourself for a period of time. Want a piece of chocolate? Have it! A glass of wine? Go for it! When you are consistent with a balanced fitness and nutrition regimen, a little treat every once in a while will not throw you off. It is when we deny ourselves that we set ourselves up for failure. Intentionally work those treats in periodically.
Eat tons of veggies! Green, leafy veggies are the best, but all veggies are good! Watch your portion size on the starchy ones (potatoes, carrots, corn). Load up half your plate with veggies for most meals. Make it a goal to have a large, colorful salad each day. Eat the rainbow! Raw or lightly steamed will give you the most nutrients. Vegetables are chock full of fiber, which helps you feel full. Not to mention vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and so much more goodness.
Eat s-l-o-w-l-y. I am the slowest eater I know and proud of it. 🙂 Serve yourself less and put your fork down between meals. Limit distraction from devices during mealtime and be present with your company. Chew your food. Taste your food! Give yourself permission to not have to finish everything on your plate.
There you go! I hope you’ll join me LIVE in the All Mom Does Facebook community on Thursday night at 7pm PST where we can dive deeper into these principles to help you gain control and implement these healthy habits NOW!
About the Writer
For over 20 years, Shelly Simonsen, a fitness and nutrition professional, has been helping others in their pursuit of healthy living. As a mom of 4 children and a cancer survivor, Shelly is on a mission to help women find their voice, get unstuck and create the confidence to live a life of freedom.
