Do You Have a Fitness Pal? I do!

This year I made the commitment to get in shape. After I turned 25 my metabolism broke! I could no longer eat what I wanted. After several years of trying to ignore this fact and a failed attempt at shaping up the year before, I made the decision that this year was my year. My fitness plan was something I wanted to be able to maintain and not burn out on after about a month. I go to the Gym 3 days a week, including cardio, weights, Pilate's and yoga. But the key was something so simple: Burn More Calories than You Eat! How hard could that be? I eat pretty good, not a lot of junk food or sweets. WRONG! did you know that 2 TBSP Peanut Butter has 188 Calories, a Baked Potato is 161 Calories, Yogurt around 170 Calories, 1 cup Avocado 240 Calories, 1 cup of Rice 205 Calories, I could go on. My issue was not only I wasn't eating the most low calorie foods but that I ate more than a 1 serving size. How was I ever going to keep track of this???

The answer: I downloaded this little gem to my ipod touch. You can also use it online if you don't have a phone/ipod/ipad. This app helps you count your calories consumed and calories burned. Each day you keep a log of the food you eat. This app has a large food directory, most name brand foods are there. I've only had to add a few items to the list, but once you add it, it will be available to use again. You also log any exercises you did that day, if you don't know the exact calories burned it will give you a standard calories burned for the exercise you enter in. Work out days are my favorite because that equals more food for me. The other great thing is you can track your nutrients for the day or even chart it for the month. This way you can see if you are not getting enough protein, carbs, etc... In my case potassium.

I've lost 10lbs so far over the last 3 months.

If you are looking to drop a few pounds this year, Check it out!!!

www.myfitnesspal.com

Other things I implemented into my sustainable fitness plan:

1. CHEAT: on the weekends - Go out to eat and order whatever you feel like (for me this usually is pasta, steak, and oh yeah French Fries! I wont' give into Pizza because of the Pandora's box that may open)
2. EAT SWEETS: Weight Watchers has a fantastic variety of ice cream treats that are low calorie - this makes me feel like I'm not depriving myself of sweets. Funny thing is I normally don't eat sweets but once I can't have them that is all I want.
3. NO SODA: give it up, toss it out, do with out! (ok once in awhile you can have a diet soda)
4. WATER: drink a glass of water after dinner - water is very filling and it also will help kill your current craving. Another secret to kill a craving - GO BRUSH YOUR TEETH! it's hard to crave a chocolate chip cookie when you have minty fresh breath. Don't believe me, try it!
5. PLAN: always plan out what you are going to eat, making decisions when you are hungry can lead to no good. Also something that helped me was I planned out all the restaurants around my job that had at least one low calorie menu item. This added some variety to my new brown baggin' it lifestyle.
6. TAKE THE STAIRS - my office is on the 2nd floor, there is no excuse for me to use the elevator on daily basis. Therefore, I have not stepped foot in that elevator in months.
7. SET A GOAL: Don't focus on the actual weight, focus on how you look. Set a goal in your head of how you want to look. I still have a long way to go from my goal.

As you can see I do not look like this................................................................YET!