Taking the first step on a new journey can be difficult and scary. Each time I have had to lose weight, the end goal seemed too far away. When I first changed my eating habits and exercise routine in college I was so overwhelmed at first. I felt I had too much weight to lose, and I was scared I would just give up like I had so many times before, but I just did the next right thing. I chose the right meal for breakfast, and chose to exercise that day. I tried to not look ahead. To not get overwhelmed by the long journey I had ahead of me. I just did the next right thing. That is something my dad always says to me. “Whitter, just do the next right thing.” I know that sounds too simple, but it really is true! But to help you guys out, I sat down and really thought about how I got started, and some things I missed along the way. I didn’t always include God in my health, so that is a new addition, and I hope these help you!
1. Ask God for Help. Give it to Him.
This may sound silly to you, but I assure you it isn’t. We pray for everything else, why not this? Why are we so hesitant to ask God to help us lose weight, to eat right, or to exercise? He gave us life. He gave us this body to serve Him fully. Ask for his guidance. Ask for his support. Ask him to give you the determination to not give up on this journey. Ask, and he will answer. That you can be sure of. Without a shadow of a doubt. God hears us, and he knows our hearts desire. He wants to hear from you, and he wants to know your struggles. Ask and you will most certainly hear from him!
2. Support from Spouse or Friends
Accountability is essential. Ask friends, family, or spouse to support you on this journey. My family knows how I eat, and has always been so great about making sure I can eat wherever we go. My husband eats what I cook. I don’t make him anything special. We are on this journey together. If your friends know you are trying to get healthier, and drop some bad habits I am sure they will step in and support you. If they don’t, well you probably don’t need them anyway!
3. Diet is Key
Clean out your pantry. Clean out every cabinet, and drawer. Set yourself up for success. Diet is key. You cannot out train a bad diet. You can be in the gym every day and never see change because your diet is not where it needs to be. I have tried to exercise and not change my diet, and I got nowhere. The body needs to be fueled and nourished properly in order to perform properly. Pick up some cookbooks, paleo if possible, and start reading. Arm yourself with knowledge about what a great diet can do for you! I have so many cookbooks to draw inspiration from, meal planning is fun because I love looking through all of these beautiful books!
4. Exercise
Don’t set a crazy goal of working out an hour a day every day. It won’t happen. Set tangible goals. Set goals that challenge you but don’t overwhelm you. I am not saying to not challenge yourself, I just think we shouldn’t set ourselves up for failure. If you have never had a consistent workout schedule, 7 days a week is going to be very hard. I tell my clients to start off with 3 times a week. 30-45 minutes if possible. Weight training for 30 minutes, and cardio for 15 minutes. You don’t need a gym. Walmart weights, and You Tube will be sufficient. Make time to be active. Maybe it is throwing the kids in the stroller and doing squats at every stop sign, or going for a jog after work with your friends. Whatever it is, just set an attainable goal and go for it!
5. Proper Supplementation
We are all busy. None of us eat exactly how we should. None of us take in as many fruits and vegetables as we should. We don’t sleep as much as we should. Me included. I don’t sleep enough, and even with my best efforts, I don’t eat as well as I should. Supplements have significantly changed my health. I never knew how much better I could feel until I incorporated them. I am still astounded at my energy level, and how quickly my body recovers now. I am in the best shape of my life, and I lived a very balanced life. Eating and working out is not my entire life, nor should it be but I have achieved amazing results because I incorporated supplements into my routine. I am taking care of my health with Greens, I am building muscle and recovering faster with New You, and I am leaning out and boosting my metabolism with Ultimate Thermofit. If you want to know more about the supplements you can visit the It Works tab on my blog, or click Products and you will be directed to all of our It Works products!
I hope this helps you get started on your weight loss journey! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Good luck!