Do you ever find yourself wishing you could “get back on track?”

I see a common theme among women that aren’t living like they want to in terms of eating the right foods or taking care of their wellness.

However, with that being said, I also notice that they compare what they do (don’t do) to a diet they were on. Comparing their eating habits to a diet makes them feel worse about their current situation.

Diets aren’t meant to teach you how to love yourself through every phase of life, or to give yourself a break when you eat something you want, like cake or ice cream.

So how do you avoid this food prison and feeling like you’re not eating right?

Simple! I have a few tips that can help you get back to being aware of your healthy habits so it doesn’t feel like a chore or an insurmountable task (aka diet).

Here are some steps you can take to get back on track

1. Decide what it is you want to change.

Example drink more water, move your body, pack a lunch, eat breakfast, cook at home, etc.

2. Decide how you’re going to do it.

Example: I’m going to make my lunch in the evenings or I’m going to wake up 20 minutes early to eat breakfast

3. Decide how often you want to do it.

Example: I’m going to drink 60 oz of water 3 days a week or I’m going to pack my lunch 3 days a week

4. Start! Don’t wait until the stars align. Start now.

5. Track your progress and adjust as needed.

Example: write notes about your new habit in a journal, and after a week reflect on how it went and what you want to adjust

If you want help with this process, I help my clients through this all the time. Taking one step at a time versus going all in on a diet is the best way to stay consistent, lose weight, and enjoy your life. I’m offering a free 30 minute Body Confidence Call to anyone who needs a jumpstart with their weight-loss and food freedom goals.  Click here to schedule it! 💕

Today I want to help clarify the mystical, magical, carbohydrate.⁣ So, let’s talk about carbs, shall we?

You said knowing what carbs were more beneficial would be helpful, and also said you skipped eating pasta during the week because you’re afraid carbs will make you gain weight. It’s a food group that you generally restrict and only splurge on because it’s “bad for you.”

But, I want you to know that there’s a difference between carbohydrates.

Some are simple and some are complex.

The carbohydrates that can cause you to gain weight, develop heart disease, and diabetes are the simple carbohydrates.⁣ Things like sodas, juices, syrups, white sugar, white flour, white rice, packaged desserts, packaged crackers, processed food of any type is really going to be your simple carbohydrates.⁣
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Most packaged food is made with just white flour which is a simple carbohydrate. There’s really no nutritional value in white flour, none at all. So if you’re eating white pasta, and processed, packaged foods regularly, you’re consuming empty calories. Food that does nothing for you nutritionally. It basically goes right through you, spikes your blood sugar, and leaves you craving more of the same, empty food.⁣
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So, if you’re thinking about cutting down on carbs the only recommendation I have is to eat less simple carbs.
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Now let’s talk about the carbs that we need, that are beneficial to our health. We need carbohydrates for sustained energy, a better mood, for less stress and anxiety, and for the essential enzymes, iron, fiber, and vitamin E.
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To make shopping for carbohydrates simple, here’s a list of some alternative complex carbohydrates that you can eat and not worry about gaining weight because your body needs this nutrient to thrive. ⁣
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Complex carbohydrates: ⁣

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Grains: quinoa, brown rice, oats, millett, buckwheat, amaranth, corn meal, kamut, barley, spelt, wheat berries, wild rice, rye berries, cous cous, bulgur⁣
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Beans: kidney beans, garbanzo beans, black beans, lentils, pinto beans, organic soy beans, (all beans⁣)
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Vegetables:  sweet potatoes, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, beets, starchy vegetables will beat simple carbs any day⁣ (all vegetables).

⁣*Side note: If you’re diabetic or pregnant the amount of complex carbs you eat/need will be different. So talk to your doc. 💕⁣

Click the links to get inspired by these delicious recipes containing complex carbohydrates!

Healthy Homemade Oatmeal

Apple Chia Muffins

Banana Bread

PB & J Overnight Oats

if you want your weight to be different, you must stop making this one mistake.

First consider this, how often do you sit down to eat, and smell, see, and really taste your food? Probably not often, right?

It’s because you’re distracted while you eat.

So often we eat while on the go, in our cars, while watching tv, with our phone in our hand, while on the computer, or on the phone.

Distracted eating can be a big hindrance to your healthy weight loss goals. When you eat while distracted you miss your body’s signal telling you it’s full and overeat or forgot that you ate at all because it happened so fast. When you’re less  distracted (not distracted) and eat you can easily tell when you’re satisfied and have eaten enough without over eating.

I used to eat until I was so full I couldn’t breathe or sit comfortably. I had to unlearn what I was taught as a kid to eat everything on my plate.

When I realized I was doing this and got rid of the distractions, I completely changed how I eat and am able to slow down and eat without being so full that I can’t breathe.

My portions are realistic and whatever I don’t finish becomes my leftovers or lunch for the next day. Are you a distracted eater? It’s ok if you are, we all do it at some point.

If you find yourself looking at your phone, scrolling, or watching t.v while you eat try to reduce the amount of distractions around you. Start by sitting at a table or in a chair with a surface in front of you.

I know the distraction is a comfort (for some of you) —It was for me for years. I’d eat mountains of my meal while I watched wheel of fortune on the couch. 😝

But, how can you focus on your food when you’re focused on the Bachelor or The Wheel?

Let’s think about it. Your body is receiving the food that is going to fuel you, give you energy, make your hair, nails, and skin beautiful, your digestion function, and your muscle stronger— som many processes. But, your emotions are tied to what’s going on on the screen so your food is competing with your emotions. If you’re watching something exciting, sad, romantic, or thrilling your body is competing with those emotions to digest your food. 😳

If you dine alone it really only takes about 10-15 minutes to eat your meal. So instead, why not be with yourself and your food for that short period of time? To really feel what’s going on.

Give one of these tips a try one day this week. Sit at a table and turn your tv off and place your phone somewhere you can’t reach it and:

✅Turn on music in the background, something soothing and light
✅Light a candle
✅ Use your favorite napkins
✅ Eat on your favorite dishes

Make the time about you and your food.

A lot of times we take our frustration out on our bodies for not doing or being what we want them to be. However we don’t even bother to make time to eat and be in peace a sacred time.

How are we supposed to be in sync with our bodies if we’re too busy watching tv and videos to eat with it?

We’re  emotional beings and we feel a range of emotions throughout the day. Your emotions can decide what you do while you eat without you even realizing it. Check in with yourself to see what’s coming up. Take a pause before you dig in and thank your body and your food.

Tell me, are you going to try this?