Today we have a special guest post from my friend and fellow blogger Emily Levenson!

A FOOL PROOF EASY WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT

Ever wish there was a fool-proof easy way to loose weight, be comfortable in your own skin, and rock those skinny jeans with confidence?

Well, there is.

And it’s much simpler than you think. So simple, in fact, that you are going to read the list, roll your eyes, and say “yeah right.” But it works. Time and time again.

Here are five things you can do right now to loose weight and keep it off.

Ditch the diet. Dieting doesn’t work. And if it does, it’s usually only temporary. As in, once you go off the diet, the weight comes right back on (if not more). It becomes a vicious cycle of restriction and deprivation followed by binging and rewarding. What does work is creating a healthy lifestyle. One that includes the foods you love alongside the healthy-good-for-you foods. See, doesn’t that feel better already?

Add in the good stuff. I don’t know about you, but the minute I’m told I can’t eat something, it’s all I think about. I crave it, I dream about it, I fixate on it. And it makes me miserable. Turning our focus to what we can have, by adding in more good things and enjoying the foods we are eating, is a huge step in the right direction. The more good stuff you add in, the less you end up wanting the bad stuff because of how good you feel. It’s a win-win.

Be like Popeye. Ever wonder how Popeye got his super human strength? From eating his dark leafy greens, of course. Sadly, greens are noticeably missing from most of our diets. Greens like kale, chard, collards, spinach and bok choy go a long way in helping to balance blood sugar, clear out toxins in the body, and help us maintain a healthy weight. So embrace your inner Popeye and eat your greens, yo.

Your carbs should be complex. We often feel like the more simple something is, the better it is. Right? Not when it comes to carbs. In fact, the more complex the carb, the better it is for you. Do yourself and your waistline a favor and ditch the refined flours and sugars (white bread, soda, candy), and opt for whole grains instead. Grains like quinoa, millet, barley, amaranth, brown rice, and even whole wheat are your best bets.

Get support. People who reach out for support — either through friends, support groups, or a health coach — when making big changes are four times more likely to succeed. I don’t know about you, but I kind of like those odds. Having gone through major changes of my own, the support I had along the way was crucial to my own success. So call a friend, start a blog, sign up for coaching program. Do whatever it takes to help you reach your goals.

ABOUT EMILY: Emily is a Therapist turned Holistic Health Coach, Blogger, Toddler Mama, Meditation Encourager, Pittsburgh Enthusiast, and Propelle Co-Pilot. She loves to cook allergy-friendly foods and shares them over on emilylevenson.com.

WHY YOU ARE NOT LOSING WEIGHT

Think this is too easy? Still unsure? Convinced that you already do all of these things? Well, here are some things that you might be doing that are keeping you from achieving your goals:

You don’t eat enough. Many of us know more about calorie restriction than we are willing to admit. It can be tough to accept, but when you go below what you need, it actually starts messing around with your metabolism. Not only are you most likely not getting enough nutrients, but you are slowly starving yourself.

You don’t drink enough water. Not only is drinking water a must for beautiful skin, but it also aids in digestion and helps with portion control.

You skip meals. Skipping meals is just as bad as not eating enough. Think of your metabolism as a finely tuned machine. If you don’t give it enough fuel, it won’t work properly.

You eat too much. I know, I know first we say that you aren’t eating enough then we say that you are eating too much. The truth is that it’s all about the balance.

You keep doing the same workout. Your body gets used to doing the same movements over and over again and it’s important to challenge it.

You aren’t being honest about your efforts. This is one of my favourites and applies to what you are eating and how much you are exercising. I can’t tell you how many times I hear someone say that they are very active, but what it amounts to is a casual Saturday stroll. Or that they eat healthy, but conveniently forget all the extra snacking that goes on.

You don’t sleep enough. Did you know that when you are tired, you tend to eat more?

You wear the wrong clothes. If you find yourself spending too much time in sweats, give yourself a reality check and put on those fitted jeans or your favourite skirt. Comfy sweats are great but a stretchy waist band is not.

Read the full post: WHY YOU ARE NOT LOSING WEIGHT

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