Where Do I Start?

When I sat down to write this blog, all I could think of was, "Where do I start?" How do I effectively offer advice, motivation, and ideas on getting healthy and fit? But then I thought that many people probably ask themselves that very same question: Where do I start to make the changes to transform my body? So I guess that is the best place for me to start.

The idea of changing your lifestyle, diet, etc. can be overwhelming, even daunting. That is because most people think of all the things they have to do or stop doing. They focus on all the food they will miss and how out of shape they feel. And that is when they begin to fail...before they even start.

The best way to begin any kind of change is with small steps. Believe it or not, there are little things you can start doing today that will help you feel better tomorrow.

What Can I Do Today?
Eat Breakfast- Cliché or not, it is the most important meal of the day. While you sleep your metabolism slows to a crawl. So when you get up in the morning, you metabolism needs a jump start. Consider breakfast your jumper cables.
Multivitamin- No matter how diligent you think you are when it comes to nutrition, you are not giving your body all the vitamins and minerals it needs to run at its peak. And that is where a daily multivitamin comes in. At the very least it is insurance for those days you don’t eat the best things for your body.
Write down what you eat- Even for someone who has watched what she has eaten for the past five years, I continually underestimate the amount of calories I eat in a day. When you see it in black and white it helps you to see where all your calories are going and where the pounds are coming from.
WATER! WATER! You have been bombarded with the importance of drinking water and keeping hydrated. But it isn’t all hype. There are many times you many feel as though your body is craving food, when it is actually craving water. A recent study by UNC suggests that people who drink an average of 6.5 cups of water during the day consume close to 200 fewer calories per day.
Increase your activity- I am not talking about going out a running a marathon, or even going for a 2-mile hike. Increasing your activity can mean taking a walk around the block or choosing the steps at work. A little can go a long way or as I like to say “any movement is good movement.”

I hope I didn’t overwhelm or discourage you; I hope I gave you somewhere to begin. Try these 5 things for awhile and when you are ready to take on something else, come back and visit.