iRoyalty

I WILL begin following these simple instructions.

FIVE EASY WAYS TO START A DIET

1. Drink only water, with the exception of your beloved coffee in the morning. According to studies, this would eliminate 20% of our caloric intake and help all of our body functions run more smoothly.

2. Cut down your portionsI'm not even going to say what to eat and not eat. I'm just saying if you are having that sub at lunch cut it in half. We all overeat, so just eat until you are full. I'ts difficult to do, so halve the food and get it away from you. If it's sitting there you will want to eat it.

3. Don't skip breakfastYou will have a 70% chance of overeating throughout your day if you skip breakfast. 4. Keep a food journalThis will help you see exactly what you are eating and when. You will even be able to see patterns of grabbing food at stressful moments, etc. Journaling just makes you aware and in charge of your food--not the other way around.

5. If you can avoid it, don't eat after 7 p.m.On business dinners or birthday gatherings don't worry about it. But when you can, try to finish eating earlier in the day.
See, that's not hard to do. Now as you progress in this area, I have some other rules to help you improve your relationship with food.
· Don't eat fast food (unless you have no other choice).
· Avoid microwaving your meals. Cook it yourself.
· Limit tons of sugar and wheat-based products (in anything).
· No diet, or fat-free, food. They contain a lot of ingredients that no one can pronounce.
· Fill your plate during the day with foods of all colors.
· Eat slowly and chew your food well.
· Eat when you are hungry and not because you are sad, mad, or stressed out.
· Limit your red meat intake.
· Foods that have a 10-year shelf life should not be eaten. Go for the real stuff.
· Don't snack yourself to weight gain. Eat real meals that are satisfying, not snacky foods that will kill your waistline and make you feel blah.

EAT SMARTER TO TACKLE YOUR FOOD ISSUES

1. Do not skip breakfast.
People are 75% more likely to overeat the rest of the day if they skip breakfast. Now, if you have a hard time wanting food in the morning, make a nutritional smoothie: Throw in some frozen fruit, greens, protein powder, a little almond butter for satisfying fat and your liquid of choice. Oatmeal is an easy one in the morning. I have said this a lot, but remember that sugary cereal (aka cardboard with sugar) and bagels are not breakfast. Boil eggs and eat with a slice of toast or some avocado. Get your day started right.

2. Bored at work or home? Find a distraction other than food.
If you're at work and have a break, go for a walk or bring a healthy snack to eat. If you're doing "the kitchen roam" and find yourself with the fridge open, call a friend or give yourself an indulgent 10 minutes online. This will be one of the only times I say this, but go look up something silly or even informative online to distract yourself from food.

3. Eat only when you are hungry.
Don't just mindlessly shove food in your face because it's something to do. If you can not stop eating when you are bored, then try substituting it with a new habit.

4. Eat until you are full.
Put it in front of me and I will eat it. Hey, I was always taught to clean my plate, so of course I will eat until all my food is gone, even if it's long after I'm full. Either control your portions, or buy smaller dinner plates. If you are out to eat, (even if it feelstacky) have them put half your food to go as soon as you get it.

5. Avoid fast food and vending machines.
This never ends pretty. Most of the food is fattening, tastes really good (so you overeat), and doesn't have much nutritional integrity. It's like dating a hot male or female that you know is psycho. Fun, exciting, but not going to end pretty. If you are on the road and have no other options, then try to pick the best of the bad. Don't super size your order and avoid fried anything, sodas the size of 5 gallon buckets with a free refiill, and bread. In general, reach for chicken, salads, and, if you can, drink water.

6. If you are stressed out or having a personal crisis reach for the phone, not food.
Call a good friend or ask someone to go on a walk in a peaceful place so that you can vent. Don't sit at home, alone, crying into a bowl of ice cream.

7. Find other things social to do that don't always involve food.
This is tricky because when you look at how we structure our days and lives, a lot of social interaction is around food. That's fine, but create a strategy for where you meet and eat. If you can combine it with some exercise and a healthy meal after, even better! This will provide a positive example for everyone.

8. Write it down. Keep a food journal.
You will be able to pin point exactly what foods and beverages are getting you where.

9. Have some fun.
Paul Chek told me that if we do the right thing 80% of the time in our lifestyle habits, then we can have some fun the other 20%. Moderation, not denial.

A SIMPLE PLAN TO LOSE WEIGHT

And don't forget, you need to have a plan. This means writing down your physical activities, and keeping a food journal.
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
- 3 sets of 10-15 squats using your body weight
- 3 sets of 10-15 sit ups on a stability ball
- 3 sets of 10 push ups (go on your knees if you have too)
- 3 sets of side skater lunges, 8 per side
- 3 sets of 10-12 bicep to shoulder press using 2 to 10 pound dumbbells.
Remember only do what feels safe and go as low in each move as you can. Only use the amount of weight and perform the number of reps that reflect your fitness level. It's not a competition.
Tuesday, Thursday, and SaturdayGet out there and walk, bike, swim or any other activity that you can handle for 20-45 minutes. Do your best to safely break a sweat and if you can only go for 15 minutes, so be it. Just get moving. You can always increase your time as the weeks go on.
SundayToday is a rest day. Now if Sunday is a better day to train, then rest on another day. Create a schedule that works for you.
FoodI'm not going to tell you what to eat I'm just going to begin by giving you a few pointers.
· Keep a food journal. That means write down everything you eat and drink during your day. Try to not eat a heavy dinner or eat too late.
· Eat only until you are full (for most of us that is about eating half of the food we already consume). If you need to, just get it off your plate right away.
· Don't wait to eat until you're starving. This leads to overeating.
· Always carry a healthy snack to help you get to the next meal: handful of almonds, some fruit, or even a mini sandwich. No snack foods (chips, candy, fast food, fries, cookies, etc.).
· Only drink water and your beloved coffee without all the other ingredients that turn it into a milkshake. This means no juices or sodas of any kind.
· Choose your one night to have alcohol if you must, and it's better to have wine rather than beer or sugary cocktails (mojitos and martinis with sexy names).
· Don't nuke it! Make your food yourself.
· If you are feeling really motivated, then avoid food made of wheat (pasta, bread, and all baked goods of course). Be mindful that sugar and wheat can really impact your body weight.
· On Sunday, eat what you want. This is not a license to go crazy -- this just means that you can relax, and get that much more fired up for Monday.
The beginning is always the toughest time, but if you are serious about wanting to make a change, this is a really simple way to do that. Lets stop talking about change and begin making it happen today.
Go get 'em and good luck.