Month: April 2015

We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.

—  Aristotle

Have you found yourself gaining and losing the same weight.  Trying every new eating fad or weight loss pill/powder.  Joining a gym and never going, signing up for a boot camp or class series and skipping out cause you don’t feel like it.

You have to consistently eat healthy and be active, to maintain a healthy weight.  Which is a commitment and no it’s not going to happen every day, but every day should be a goal to workout and make good food choices.  On most days that goal should be achieved.

Make a commitment to yourself to find an activity level that you are comfortable with and can enjoy.  You will notice when you make good choices and are eating healthy you will feel lighter and have more energy. Workouts and activities will become rewarding.  Planning out your meals will get easier and quicker.  Eventually this lifestyle will be a habit and you will only have one size in your closet and it fits!

Where do  you start?  Start out by walking or riding a bike around your neighbor- hood.  Hire a trainer, get with your friends and workout together at a set time a few times a week.  You start by just doing it, finding a workout and/ or an activity and do it.  It doesn’t have to be the same thing every week. Explore the wonderful world of fitness and try it all!  Get your body moving!

It doesn’t take a board certified nutritionists to tell you fried stuff and sweets are bad for you, stop eating that. If it’s wrapped in plastic and put in cardboard you probably shouldn’t eat that either.  Focus on eating lean protein, vegetables and fruit, cheese and yogurt.  Explore your food pallet make it fun, liven up your meals with special herbs and sautéed veggies.  Practice makes perfect, the more you do it the easier it gets.  BUT you have to start doing it.

Being consistent with healthy food choices and committing to being active daily will only have a positive effect on your life, no matter your weight.  You don’t get bad results when you make good choices.

“A failure to plan is a plan to fail” – Ben Franklin

So you are trying to lose weight, gain muscle, be healthier, whatever the goal, as long as it involves your body, you need to eat healthfully.  If you do not naturally gravitate towards whole foods consumption and lean proteins, you need to plan out your meals.

This is a three-phase process:  1) Plan a weeks worth of Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Snacks.  2) Go to the grocery store and get the stuff you need.  3) Prep for meals to make them easy to grab and go.

Suggested plan as follows:

For Breakfast you need a combination of Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats

Eggs and Toast with sliced tomato or strawberries (that is a fruit or vegetable.)

Lunch:  Same thing, A Sandwich, use yummy whole grain bread, spinach or lettuce (a vegetable) Lean meat…. maybe some cheese, mayo with olive oil, mustard.   Make it enjoyable!  Eat it with an Apple.  Drink some iced tea.

Dinner:  Lean meat (steak, chicken, fish or pork loin)  steamed veggies or a salad.  Sautéed veggies are always good.

Snacks,  Protein!  apple/ string cheese, protein shake or protein bar, peanut butter.

With a few Google searches, my website and Pinterest you should find many combinations of meal plans.  If you really want to reach that goal, drop the excuses and start working towards it!

If you need more help contact me for online nutrition consulting @ hollyculpepper@gmail.com