Do your Research

 There are so many benefits to having a healthy body that people are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve it. Some of the benefits include increased energy and endurance, healthy blood pressure, improved quality of sleep,improved mood and self confidence, etc. So many people actually end up harming their body trying to achieve a healthy body. How?

 

There are hundreds of thousands of diets today. If you think I'm exaggerating, check out wikipedia. Among the top eight diets you'll find Atkins, Zone, Weight Watchers, Raw Food, Mediterranean, etc. All of these diets have different approaches, but typically have a common end goal - weight loss. With the media today, so many women are uncomfortable in their own bodies so they resort to diets to help them achieve the 'sought' after look. But with so many diets being advertised, how do you choose?

 

When trying to find a 'diet' that works for your goal it can be very time consuming, confusing, contradicting, etc. You must remember that these people who have 'created' these diets are doing it to make money. They are after your money and will tell you whatever you want to hear. Let me tell you something - you don't need them. STOP with the shakes, the pills, the pre-made meals, and for heavens sake STOP EATING THOSE LEAN CUISINE MEALS! Do you even know what's in them?  Many frozen dinner options contain trans fat—the substance linked to heart disease that’s now nearly banned, even in fast-food chains. And to enhance flavor, they’re packed with additives, sodium, and even sugar, not to mention a plethora of preservatives.

 

 

While I'm not saying that you can't lose weight on these diets (because you can), I would not recommend it. Most of the weight loss is from water, and what happens when you stop taking these said pre-packaged meals, shakes, pills? I guarantee you will gain the weight back, if not more. You have to change your lifestyle, or you will always be eating the whole package of cookies or the whole carton of ice cream.

 

Food is your friend and should be used as units of energy. No food should be off limits, which I've stated before. You can have your chips, cookies, etc - just in moderation. All you need for weight loss is a calorie deficit, and I don't mean go try living off of 1200 calories ladies! If you are doing this, you are doing it wrong and are harming your metabolism. Most women's maintenance calorie intake is roughly 2200 calories - slowly cut your calories. Don't hurt your body. Don't be the one who is afraid of carbs or fats, the one who does hours of cardio, the one who is spending hundreds of dollars on 'fake food', the one binging on the weekends. Don't do it. Ask for help.

 

Tips:

• Eat wholesome items with 5 or less ingredients.
• If you can't pronounce it, don't eat it.
• Shop the perimeter of the store. You will get your lean proteins, dairy, produce, etc.
• Plan before you shop. Eat before you shop. This allows you to get in and get out without picking up those unhealthy options.
• Eat your vegetables. Have a colorful plate.
• Drink your water.
• Don't say, "I can't have that." Instead, "I can have that, I just don't want it."
• Cardio is NOT needed for weight loss.
• Check out sites like http://www.fooducate.com/ or http://www.goodguide.com/ if you are confused. Fooducate has a great app that I would recommend for beginners.

 

At the end of the day, if you are truly seeking for help - reach out to someone who is educated in the area, preferably a nutritionist. I know I've touched on a lot of topics in this post, so if you'd like me to go into more detail about a certain topic - please comment below.

Welcome to Live Healthy, Be Strong

I am a twenty-something women who loves living a happy, healthy lifestyle. In 2013, I found the fitness/health industry and it absolutely blew me away. I loved everything about it! I was so intrigued that I began researching and educating myself on what is healthy, not healthy, exercises, fads, false advertisements, etc.

My findings? These women in the fitness industry are hard core! These women are dedicated, hard-working, knowledgeable, and inspiring. No one is motivating them, no one is making them go to the gym or to eat right, they are pushing themselves. Seeing these women transform their bodies is truly inspiring. It made me completely change my lifestyle and I can't see myself ever going back!

I've seen so many of the fad diets or popular ways to eat, the shakes, cleanses, pills, etc. These are not the answers ladies! With the use of products, you may see results but they will only be temporary. You need to be able to make a 'lifestyle' change. While it may seem okay to track your calories and macros for a while, you don't want to be doing that the rest of your life do you? Also, you don't want to cut out all of the 'good foods' you once knew (candy, ice cream, pizza, wings, etc). You can still enjoy these items, just in moderation. If you restrict yourself from these items, you will binge.

Binge Eating Disorder, also known as BED, is an eating disorder in which a person eats a much larger amount of food in a shorter period of time than he or she normally would. During binge eating, the person also feels a loss of control. If you have experienced this, you are not alone - I too have been a victim. I would try to say 'no I can't have any candy/chips/etc' and then when I would, I would want to eat as much as I could because I didn't know when I could have it again. TIP: Don't restrict yourself. Eat a piece of candy a day if that will keep you sane and not binge. Also, don't tell yourself you can't have something - instead say 'I can have that, but I don't want it.' Your mind is a wonderful thing!

I will be using this blog in parallel with my facebook & Instagram. I will be sharing health and fitness related tips, motivation, and recipes. I hope you all enjoy. Don't forget to become a member to stay up-to-date!