There is a saying that there are two kinds of people: those who eat to live and those who live to eat. I don’t live to eat but I do think about food A LOT. Sometimes it’s what I want for lunch, sometimes it’s about what I should make for dinner, and often it is whether or not I ate too much at either lunch or dinner! Despite what I do to exercise ~ treadmill, soul cycle, resistance training ~ gaining weight is surely easier for me than losing, but I have come to find a system that really works for me!
For one, being vegan has been helpful. Though I can still go overboard on chips and guacamole or sweet vegan goodies, a healthy track to follow overall has been key. A hearty salad full of greans, beans, sundried tomato and corn goes a longer way to keeping you full than a big bowl of pasta. If you want to snack, fine ~ don’t deprive yourself, but go with fresh fruit, non-processed foods, or things that are baked. Everyone loves a french fry but not your waistline, so limit that treat!
I don’t believe you find lasting success in making drastic changes to your eating habits and swinging back and forth between strict low calories and pure indulgence, but juice cleanses, for 1 day or 3, can really help you to jump start and recharge your body and mind into healthier decision making. The weight you lose is really just water, but it’s a great way to reset and doesn’t take long. There are so many options for cleanses these days, and so many of them deliver!
If you belong to a gym, or have a gym at home, you have access to all you need for the non-food part of your maintenance. If not, don’t fret! For less than $100 you buy the X-factor by Weider home gym. It’s a cable system that fits over your door and allows you dozens of different exercises at all different levels, from weighted squats to upright rows and more. I have one as my trainer recommended it and it’s awesome! I also have a love-hate relationship with a 20 lb. kettle bell that is great for upper body sculpting (but proper form is critical or you will surely hurt your back) and medicine balls are also a favorite for more intense core work.
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