3 simple steps to get you started on losing the holiday weight!

Isn’t it always the case (at least in the northern hemisphere) that over turkey and minced pies we’re lost under so many layers of clothes that we blame the fluffiness on the down. Till one unsuspecting morning we catch a glimpse of ourselves in the mirror and think “Ok wow. Woooooow. That happened.” 

Then comes the loathing, the guilt tripping and the overwhelming sense of defeat. How could I let this happen...?! Summers just around the corner...!! I need to get back in shape...!! 

But how…one might ask.

After countless transformation stories on insta, ranting with my gfs and evaluating what’s worked or not worked in the past I’ve decided to start with 3 simple things:

How to lose the holiday weight:

1. New habits (and educating yourself)
   
   Let’s be honest. I know exactly where that weight came from: What I ate. When I ate. How much I ate. How much I DRANK (oh my word did I drink). And how little I exercised. Big sigh...BUT it’s a new year, let’s enforce some new habits. Goood habits! What habits you might ask? That’s for a later post. But for now, distinguishing which habits have set you back and deciding what can propel you forward begins with educating yourself and understanding the body, YOUR body. That takes trial and error, and really paying attention to what makes your body do or feel a certain way which brings us to our next step.
   
    
2. Listen to your body
   
   I know this sounds really airy fairy but why is it that I’m quicker to listen to people on YouTube or to my Fitbit rather than to myself?! It blows my mind that I need a little machine to tell me how fit I am. As we rely more and more on technology and are more and more preoccupied by the stresses of our day it’s so easy to be disconnected from our bodies and simply go through the motions without registering what’s actually going into our bodies. So I am learning to look inward and to listen to my body. Does that food feel good in my body? Am I tired after that meal? Did I over eat or am I satisfied? How hungry am I right now? Stuff like that. And log it! Record it. What you did and how you felt.
   
    
3. Give yourself time!
   
   I have a bad habit of wanting to see results immediately! And if I don’t, then I get frustrated and discouraged and throw it all out the window and give up. Which is a horrible attitude. Then there will be times I’ve been eating well and exercising well for a week or so consistently and I feel good and I catch myself in the mirror and think ok wow...yes...now we’re getting somewhere. Nothing happens overnight. There are no magical solutions (that are sustainable at least). So be patient with yourself, don't be too hard on yourself. Take your time and enjoy the journey of learning about your body! The human body is an amazing thing, you only get one, so take the time to enjoy learning and growing with it. 

SO those are 3 simple steps to START the process. They're simple but can be difficult yet effective when committed to. Of course it doesn't stop there, it's a long journey with much to consider so take your time to start with these 3 steps and we'll move on when we're ready. You got this!