One of my friends sent me an email where she mentioned the struggles of her friend and how she was trying to help her attain her goals of getting fitter and thinner. She was asking for any advise I might be able to provide for her to help her friend and here is what I responded with!!! Hope you enjoy!
1) Counting calories. I have used www.myfooddiary.com since I started my weight loss. I track what I eat.... EVERYTHING I eat. I found that we all think we are eating well because we over look the "just one." For me, "just one" was just one soda, or just one bag of chips, or just one cookie. It is the stuff you don't count when you aren't tracking what you eat. Make sense?
2) Small rewards for big gains. There was a time when at night I would drink a couple glasses of wine or eat a gigantic bowl of pasta and I would think to myself, "I deserve this..... I was good all day!" Well.... that is not really how it works. Being good for 10 hours does not mean its time to reward yourself! This is a life change..... not a daily one. I stuck to the plan 100% for one month before I gave myself a reward. And on the 30th day my reward was 1/2 of a diet soda. Soda was my drug, so this was a big deal for me. But allowing myself a treat did not mean I had to go completely overboard. 1/2 of a soda said "good job" without saying, "you can do and eat WHATEVER you want" because you did something right.
3) The art of telling yourself "no." It is as easy and as hard as it sounds. Yes, you want that cookie. You REALLY do!!! That doesn't mean you should eat it. So tell yourself "no" and feel good about it because in the place where you could have that cookie, you are having a grilled chicken breast and a yummy salad instead. Its ok to miss the cookie. But think of the bigger reward and be ok with the void that the cookie leaves behind.
4) Drink water. Drink lots and lots and lots of water. Lots and lots and lots of water. Drink it. A hydrated body is a happy body. Drink lots and lots of water.I think ya get the point on that one. HAHA.
5) Don't let one mistake ruin the meal, day, week, month, etc. Although we have already covered the rewards part...... that doesn't cover the whoops. Weaknesses happen. We all make mistakes. Don't let it completely derail you! Don't talk yourself into cheating. Eating one brownie doesn't mean the entire day has gone to the crapper. Should you have eaten it? NO.But does that mean, you "might as well have some more" since you already screwed up? Naaaaaa..... so scold youself, suck it up, and move on.
As far as exercise goes..... cardio is easier and not as likely to discourage your friend. It is little things.... like walking. On a treadmill or outside for 30 minutes..... it does not sound like much to someone that is thin or is used to working out..... but its a HUGE deal for someone who is not active and not eating right. Baby steps. It is hard for naturally thin or fit people to help those who its harder for. Even with the best of intentions, its hard to relate. The idea of "pushing yourself" comes naturally to some people. Others have to learn to do this. If they are pushed too hard by those around them, it makes them feel like a failure or that they will just never measure up. So for anyone trying to help a friend, remember to make the first steps small and achievable ones. Great intentions can land flat without helping people in the way that they WANT to be helped and in a way that makes them feel positive and like they can do it!!!!!
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