feel great and look better

since we are now mid summer, and many of you are just now thinking of ways to get your high school bikini bod back (no its not too late), i thought i would take a moment to let you in on some health secrets. i personally am the type of person that really needs motivation to get going, but once i start my health kick, i'm on it and ready go. however, i know that we can all agree on the fact that once you do begin to loose weight, the compliments feel good and your clothes look better (who would not want that)! there are several different diets out there, and it is important to find which one works best for your needs and your level of commitment. my two favorites are calorie counting (try using LoseIt, the iPhone app) and the Dukan Diet. although these are two very different approaches, i have found success from both of them. if you were to ask me to choose my very favorite it would be the Dukan Diet because it keeps you full, and it provides quick results. 

when you consume more calories in a day than you burn, you eventually will gain weight. a pound of fat is 3,500 calories, and your body naturally stores calories as fat. so for every 3,500 extra calories you consume, without burning, you gain a pound. (this does not mean that you have to burn 3,500 calories a day... that would be impossible). on average a gril should be eating around 1,500 a day to maintain their weight) 

if you eat fewer calories or exercise, you start to burn fat. for  example, if you were to eat 250 calories less than normal each day and burn off 250 calories, then that is 500 fewer calories a day, and if you keep it up every day you will loose 1 pound a week.

• fruits and vegetables will keep you full which will prevent you from snacking
• try to limit your alcohol, i know that can be tough for us ladies, but if you say no drinking during then week, then you save yourself a lot of bloat and unnecessary calories 
• drink plenty of water, it fills you up and keeps you hydrated. if you have a hard time drinking a lot of water try adding a tiny bit of crystal light or fruit juice to your water to help you keep drinking
• start your day with a glass of lemon water, this helps to detox your system and get your day started out on the right foot 
• try eating out less, that way you are aware of exactly what you are eating because you control not only exactly what you eat, but most importantly how much you make (portions are key)
• exercise for a least 30 minutes a day. not only is it vital to loosing weight, but it is a really good stress reliever 
• carbs should be consumed in the morning and in moderation as they are harder to burn 
• stay away from sugar, or at least eat it in moderation. try eating one small piece of dark chocolate to curb your sweet tooth 
• weigh in! although you might think a scale can be scary, weighing yourself every morning will help you to not only loose weight, but to also keep the weight off because it is a constant tracker of your progress 

enjoy and please leave your favorite health tips below!