10 Easy Tips to Lose Weight and Feel Great! {A Simple Start to A Healthier Lifestyle}

Everyone makes New Year’s resolutions to lose weight, work out more, and eat healthier, but very few people actually accomplish their health and fitness goals. I’ll admit that I’m usually one of the people who say they’re going to go on a diet, and then I somehow end up in drive-thru line even more that week. I’m determined to not let 2014 be like every other year. I feel so much better when I live a healthier lifestyle, but sometimes it just seems hard to gather the motivation necessary to actually make progress. This year, I’ve decided it’s time to finally make lifestyle changes and not quick fixes. Yes, extremely dieting and exercise brings the quickest results, but it’s just not practical in the long run- and it’s definitely a miserable process. 

A week ago on Valentine’s Day, I shared on social media that I was committing to two weeks of actively pursuing a healthier lifestyle. I’m proud to say that a week later, I’m not only still on track, but I’m enjoying every minute of the process. I’ve been following a list of recommended activities from Weight Watchers Simple Start program, and the small changes in my diet and exercise each day are easy to accomplish and actually really fun to do! Every time I make another small change, I wonder why I haven’t always done things this way. Without going on a diet or drastically increasing my exercise plan, I’ve lost a pound this week alone. That’s right- NO diet, NO crazy exercise, just a little more focus on eating healthier and moving more. 

I’ve had such a great experience with my new plan so far, that I wanted to share a list of little ways that you can your fitness and diet that will add up to big changes in your physical and emotional health! It’s definitely not a get-skinny-as-quick-as-possible plan, but it’s a simple way to ease into a healthy lifestyle. So here’s my list of ten incredibly easy (and fun!) ways to lose weight and feel great!

With my hectic schedule, it’s tempting to take the quickest and easiest route. Over the past week, I’ve made an effort to take the stairs every time I have the option to take an elevator. It seems like a small change in fitness, but over the course of a month, you wouldn’t believe how many extra steps you’ll take!

I am incredibly guilty of always parking in the closest parking spot; however, it’s just not necessary unless there’s a safety concern. Parking at the far end of the parking lot only adds an extra minute or two of walking time to your schedule, and again- those steps add up! Making small changes to your day-to-day movement not only helps to burn extra calories, but it gets you in the habit of moving more. After parking far away for a week, I’ve realized that I really don’t mind walking a bit further at all. In fact, I’ve been loving walking in this beautiful weather and taking a minute or two to self-reflect.

This tip might be my favorite because it takes away all of my excuses for not exercising. Your body doesn’t care how you move in order to burn calories, it just needs you to move in one way or another. Fitting in a workout doesn’t mean you have to take a few hours and head to a gym. Think creatively and find fitness activities that fit into your day’s schedule. For example, I teach dance classes (hence my old, dirty shoes!), so it’s not difficult for me to stick around at the studio a little after my class and take another dance class. It’s a fun activity for me and a fantastic workout. The options are endless. You can find a fun new exercise class with your friends, vigorously clean and organize your house,  take a walk around the block, or look up a short workout video online. When you move a little more, you’ll burn more calories and feel better. After a week of making an effort to get in some workout of some kind each day, I feel so much better and am inspired to workout even more!

Don’t have the time or motivation to exercise by yourself? Gather up your family members or a group of friends and find an activity that is fun for all of you to do together. My husband and I love spending time at the beach, and we’re lucky enough to live only 15 minutes away from the beautiful Florida coast. We’ve been making an effort to spend more time together walking along the beach, playing beach volleyball, or simply a job along the beautiful shoreline at sunset. It not only helps our overall fitness, but we’ve really enjoyed spending extra time together. Find an activity that works for your group and stick with it!

Whether you live alone or are married with five kids, it’s hard to eat healthy when you’re a with a group. Make an effort to plan healthier meals for your family or friends or decide as a group to go to a restaurant with healthy options. When you take away the temptation of seeing your friend or significant other chowing down on a hamburger and fries, it’s easier to eat healthy. Every small change to your diet helps lead you along the way to a healthier lifestyle and slimmer waistline! My husband and I have been making an effort to simply order more vegetables and less greasy food at restaurants. It’s a simple change, and we enjoy the food. If you’re cooking at home, give your favorite family meal a healthy makeover. Add more vegetables, a little less oil, and more whole grains. You don’t have to give up your favorite foods, and you don’t have to make them fat-free. Simply make everything you eat a little healthier, and the differences will add up! Another great tip is to have a lively discussion at your family/group dinner and really enjoy your time together! You’ll strengthen your relationships with your family and friends, and you’ll probably eat less overall due to eating slower!

This goal is so simple, but it can make such a difference to your health. Find fruits and vegetables that you love and make an effort to eat some at every meal throughout the day. You don’t have to go vegan, and you don’t have to live off of kale. Simply make an effort to add a little more produce to your diet. I’ve found that leaving fruits and vegetables on the top levels of our refrigerator lead us to eat them more often. By having bowls of fruit or vegetables and yogurt dip ready to go in the fridge, we are more often to grab a healthy snack instead of junk food. I’ve always had great success in making an effort to fill up the majority of my plate at each meal with fruits or vegetables. I’m not eating less, so I don’t feel hungry or unsatisfied.

I’ll admit that I’m prone to eating extremely unhealthy meals when I’m out of my house, which is basically every other day. I went to the store and bought a few cute and practical storage containers, and I’ve been taking five minutes each night to pack healthy snacks for my next day at work/school/running errands/traveling. Thinking ahead saves me money and allows me to eat healthy and delicious snacks throughout the day. Some of my favorite on-the-go snacks are fresh fruit and vegetables, low-fat string cheese, and a handful of almonds.

I cannot tell you what a difference sleep plays in your overall physical and emotional health. It may be impossible to get a good night’s sleep every single night, but by making sleep a priority, you will feel so much in your everyday life. Lack of sleep causes low energy levels, which then causes you to overeat throughout the day to regain your energy. Commit to a healthier sleep schedule for a week, and you will never go back. Be sure to turn off all of your devices, dim the lights in your house, and stretch, read, or relax before going to bed. Easing yourself into bed will help make falling asleep a little easier.