A few more tips and tricks from Alex

I hope you took my challenge and tried at least one of my suggestions from last week.  Here are a couple more you may want to try out!

Put it in perspective - While getting healthy is a completely worthy goal, make sure you put it in perspective.  Don't be overly hard on yourself if you aren't losing weight fast enough or don't have a 6-pack...looking like we are "supposed to" is not as important as being healthy and happy.  We are all unique individuals and children of God who are beautiful in different ways.  It is good to have righteous desires, but don't become depressed if you aren't a size 2.

Do it to music - Studies show that music helps you exercise more efficiently.  Watching tv while on a treadmill or reading while biking reduces your concentration and thus you don't work out as hard as you would without such distractions.  However, music can boost your workouts.  Try and have a playlist handy to get you going...it could be while you are walking, at the gym, or even just doing chores around the house.  Music with a quick pace will really get you going!

Focus on what you can have - Ever heard that what you focus on increases?  It is so true!  If you try and think about all of the foods you can have instead of all of the yummy things you are cutting out, your desire for all of that junk will decrease.  It helps me to have a spreadsheet or chart where I can mark off when I eat a serving of grain, veggies, etc.  I can barely think about eating a piece of cake when I have really had all of my fruits, veggies, and glasses of water for the day...I am just too full and satisfied!  So instead of thinking about what you are cutting out, focus on what you can have each day...if you are still longing over that brownie after that, allow yourself to have a small bite to reward yourself for getting all of your mandatory daily servings in.  (I bet you won't want even a bite of it!)

Fruity dessert - I have a major sweet tooth and here is yet another cure that works for me.  I get a can of fruit cocktail and a can of mandarin oranges and drain well...pour them into a bowl and slice a banana into the mix.  Add a few mini marshmallows and just enough whip cream to kind of hold it together a little bit...and viola!  A fairly healthy dessert that you don't have to feel guilty about!  Yay!

Give thanks - This is how I try to put my weight loss goals into perspective...I keep a little book/journal where I write down things I am grateful for at least once a week.  Perhaps I might not be able to run as far as I want, but I do have legs that work and for that I am blessed.  I may have given in and had a big bowl of ice cream, but I am fortunate enough to be able to have plenty of food and to have provided it for myself.  You get the point.  It is easy to pick yourself apart- especially when your main goal is go change yourself- but you need to document and be grateful for all of the good things in your life too.  This will make you an overall happier person and it will be less likely that you will fall into the trap of stress-eating, etc.

In future posts I will be taking some of these tips and talking about them in more detail and how they worked for me...let me know which ones are working for you!