Are you trying to lose weight? Get healthier? Join the club…it seems like we are all trying to either lose a couple of pounds or stop the daily barrage of potato chip eating. And unless you live under a rock, we all hear and read about a thousand things a week that are “guaranteed” to help us lose weight, keep us healthy, happy etc. They all seem so promising! One day drinking a bottle of wine before bed will help you lose weight (sadly…this is completely false) and the next eating an egg will kill you (this is false as well.) Start chatting with your friends, family or co-workers and It seems like everyone has an opinion on what you should do. Add in the fact that losing weight, keeping it off and being healthy can be work. Like…a lot of work. It can all become overwhelming and exhausting sifting through all the things you need to do on a daily, weekly, monthly basis to be your healthiest.

Here’s my two cents: You should do what works best FOR YOU. If you try something and it doesn’t work, no worries. It wasn’t right for you. Example – I started adding coconut oil to my smoothies and promptly gained 6 pounds. So I dumped it. It didn’t work for me but I know that it has helped other people. I used to run miles and miles each week. My body started breaking (literally) and I gave it up. It worked for me and now it doesn’t. But I have friends who love it and run every day and that’s ok! My BFF is totally Paleo and I’m pretty much a vegetarian (I do eat chicken now and again). She does her thing and I do mine and it’s all good. We are all individuals so keep that in mind when you read the next paragraph. Just because it works for me, doesn’t mean it will work for you. How do you know if it will? You try it!

I am going to tell you some things that work for me, my five best tips and tricks that have helped me keep my physical and mental health fairly healthy and balanced. Like all of you, I am a work in progress and some days are a lot better than others. No one is perfect, certainly not me!

– I eat a fruit/vegetable with every single meal or snack I have. This helps keep me eating MOSTLY plants and also keeps my body well nourished by real food. It’s a rule and not one I break very often.
– I eat mindfully at least one meal a day. This means I sit and eat without distraction from phone, computer, TV etc. Eating mindfully has taught me more about weight loss than anything else. It’s one of the best lessons I have ever learned and I love teaching people how to incorporate mindfulness into their daily lives.
– I write in my grateful journal. Every night I take 2 minutes and write down three things for which I am grateful for. This helps keep me feeling positive about myself, my life and helps me stay on track for good mental health. Life is filled with negativity these days. It’s up to us to try to notice the small things in life and be grateful for them otherwise it can seem as if everything is horrible and awful. Being grateful puts life into perspective.
– I drink a LOT of water. Hydration is incredibly important for our bodies. I will admit it’s a pain in the neck having to pee all the time (my husband isn’t a fan of taking car trips over an hour with me…lol), but drinking water keeps your body operating at optimal health.
– I exercise. Every day I try to do something to move my body. Whether it’s HIIT (high intensity interval training), boxing, jogging, walking, yoga….I try to do it every day. I like the way I feel when I am done with a workout. Exercise keeps me mentally and physically balanced.
There are many other things I do but I wanted to give you my favorite top five. I hope you can look at these and maybe try one of them in your own life. And don’t forget…if it works for you great and if it doesn’t…that’s totally fine too. Just keep trying and I promise you, health and wellness will come together for you.