Creating a Healthy Lifestyle

The internet is becoming more and more saturated with quick fixes - detox teas, fad diets, wraps, facial sticks -
Most of you have heard my outraged rant about these things in the past.. a side of me that doesn't come out too often! 
My heart wants to help people get the bodies they've always dreamt of and make it happen the right way, the way that is going to last longer, make you feel better and keep you nourished.
I get frustrated because I have all the tools you need in the palm of my hand for an extremely affordable price, and yet you spend $150 on a facial stick that "pops the fat" (Just one example ;). 
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A lifestyle is the way in which you choose to live your life. Lifestyles tend not to change drastically from day to day and therefore includes your regular work routine, your home life and what you do in your free time. 
Today I want to provide some tips on how to incorporate healthy eating and exercise into your lifestyle.

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Busy. Busy. Busy. This is often a huge barrier for people trying to insert healthy habits into their lifestyle. My biggest tip for busy people is take 2 hours on a weekend to plan your week. Plan what day and time you're going do a short 30 minute workout. I have found that scheduling an exact workout time prevents me from skipping it after a busy day. Plan your meals for you and your family in advance. Organize it so you're all eating the same foods -- it can even be prepped in advance to save time each day! 
I have come to love creating calendars from a blank template with my workout schedule and meals for each day. 

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Know your intake target. The number one thing that messes people up is under eating. Most of the detox and fad diets make you go hungry for a select number of days to lose X number of pounds. The problem is, after you start eating a regular diet, healthy or unhealthy, you will gain the weight right back. This is because your body has gone from a metabolic state called catabolic where it thinks it's starving, to a fed state where it thinks it has to store up all the nutrients you're now feeding it for future catabolic states.
Knowing the number of calories your body specifically needs means estimating your caloric intake from your body weight. (I can provide this equation to you if you fill out the form at the end.) Consuming the right number of calories will allow your body to burn off fat over a duration of time, which is the healthy way that creates a consistent lifestyle and longer lasting results.

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• Get members of your household involved for support and to avoid temptations of unhealthy food.
• Keep as much of your regular schedule as close to the same as possible. Insert healthy habits, don't restructure your whole life. 
• Don't have an end date. Setting timely goals are important, but make sure you always know what program is coming next! 
• Consistency is really key.  Doing nearly the same thing every day when it comes to your workout and eating schedule will create a habit.
• Schedule cheat days around social gatherings or events. If it's your birthday and you love cake, eat a piece of cake. If you're at a bachelorette party and theirs pizza, eat the pizza. People get hung up when they don't allow their selves a break sometimes. Create a lifestyle that is 80% clean eating 20% enjoying life's yummy foods = lifestyle. 
• Know your weakness and face it.  Avoiding the things that tempt you won't make your will power stronger when you're faced with it. I know anything chocolate tempts me. So if I know I'm going somewhere with chocolaty foods available 1) I set my limits beforehand, typically allowing myself 1. And 2) Set my mind right. Your thoughts are your weakness and your strength. 
• Search healthy alternatives to favorite meals on pinterest.​