Next is how you are going to make your goals come true. What are your intermediate steps to help get the desired outcome? Proper planning or ‘setting your route’ to make sure you get there is the next critical step in achieving your goals. Prioritize what needs to be accomplished first. Breaking down the big goal into smaller stepping stones will make the tasks less daunting and you can celebrate your successes along the way. Anticipate traffic from time-to-time but know you can alter your route accordingly and still arrive at your final destination.

Finally, forming a network to create personal accountability will help cement your commitment and you will have greater odds of success. Accountability networks can be family members, co-workers, friends, and club members. Not only will their level of support provide positive reinforcement but you’ll also be an inspiration to others. Be the positive energy you want to see and set the positive energy in motion.

Tools and Rules

Through the years of nutrition coaching it’s been my experience that getting the weight off isn’t usually the biggest hurdle, but rather keeping it off. There are a plethora of tools you can use to help you maintain your weight loss and my two favorites are consistent exercise and a food diary. Adopting a daily active lifestyle has health benefits all the way around and the food diary makes you accountable. Establishing your own set of ‘road rules’ can also help you stay on course for the long haul. I recently came across this oath (aka road rules) from Dr. Oz and loved it. Perhaps you can compose your own oath that specifically meets your needs and supports your weight loss efforts.

1. Thou Shalt Not Wear Pants that Stretch
Your clothing is an early-warning system for weight gain. When it’s getting hard to snap your jeans, you know it’s time to be vigilant. Wearing stretchy clothes allows you to live in ignorance of how your body is growing, making it easier to pack on pounds without knowing it.

2. Thou Shalt Not Keep Bad Clothes in Your Closet
When you keep the clothes you wore at an unhealthy weight, it gives you a back-up plan if the pounds don’t come off. Instead, force yourself to stay on track by 86ing your 'fat pants'.

3. Thou Shalt Not Eat Meat That Walks on Four Legs More Than Once a Week
Meat that comes from an animal with 4 legs is higher in saturated fat (the unhealthy kind) than that which comes from 2-legged animals such as chickens, or animals with no legs, like fish. Plus: women who eat large amounts of red meat more than once a week have a 50% higher chance of dying from heart disease and have higher cancer rates.

4. Thou Shalt Not Graze
Plan your meal before you open the refrigerator; get what you need, and close the door. Opening it throughout the day leads to impulsive choices and overeating.

5. Thou Shalt Not Eat After 7:30pm
When you eat late at night you are more likely to be eating in front of the TV (when you won’t pay attention to how much you’re putting in your mouth) and you’re more likely to pick high-calorie snacks.

6. Thou Shalt Not Pile Food More than 1 Inch High or Within 2 Inches of the Plate Edge
Larger portions equal more calories. Enough said.

7. Thou Shalt Not Chew Food Less than 20 Times Per Bite
Chewing allows your body to realize that you are eating food, prompting it to create a sensation of fullness at the appropriate time. When you don’t chew enough, you get ahead of that process, eating well past when you are actually satisfied.

8. Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor’s Plate
Spend your day nibbling bites on someone else’s sandwich or afternoon snack, and you will add on 1,000 calories easy.

9. Thou Shalt Not Carry Small Bills
Nothing loves a small bill better than a vending machine. When you have them at the ready, you are one step closer to an impulsive, calorie-loaded afternoon slip up.

10. Thou Shalt Not Eat While Standing Up
Eating sitting down enables you to be aware of what you’re eating and eat it slowly so that your body can tell you you’re full before it’s too late.
From Dr. Oz: 10 Weight-Loss Commandments 2010

So when you establish your personal road rules state them in positive terms. For example:

1. I will eat sitting down and away from the TV
2. I will maintain regular meal habits and avoid skipping meals
3. I will drink 10 glasses of water per day
4. I will eat what's on my plate and not off of others
5. I will take at least 20 minutes to eat my meals
6. I will feed my body wholesome food and resist processed foods
7. I will avoid artificial sweeteners (that's one of mine)
8. I will eat to fuel my body (vs feeding my emotions)

Notice how they're all in the positive on what you will do vs. what you won't do. I know you already have some so add a few more that you would like to work on that are realistic. Over time these 'road rules' will be how you eat and will come natural just like when you stop at a stop sign or take your keys out of the ignition when you get out of the car. Things you do routinely but you don't really have to think about it.

Belly Fats To Know!

Superficial fat, or subcutaneous fat, which is found under the skin, is meant to keep us warm, maintain normal bodily functions, and give us a level of protection. Belly fat, or visceral fat, is attached to the outside of our abdominal organs and produces inflammatory chemicals in our body. Belly fat interrupts the normal production of hormones such as insulin, which helps utilize carbohydrates to be used as energy. Belly fat is a risk factor for heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, macular degeneration and cancer. The bigger your waist is in relation to your hips, the more you may be at risk for these conditions. Typically the risk is associated with a waist of 35 inches or greater for women and 40 inches or greater for men.

To help trim the belly fat, take a good look at your diet. Minimize refined carbohydrates (sugar, white flour and products made from them), saturated fats (primarily found in fatty cuts of beef, lamb, pork, poultry with skin, and higher fat dairy products), and trans fats (found in stick margarine, snack foods, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils). Aim for a ‘clean diet’ of nutrient and fiber-rich whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes that are chemical-free. Part two of the belly fat equation is your exercise. Exercise needs to be regular and varied to be effective. Staying active most days of the week is a realistic goal however if you’re serious about targeting the belly fat the intensity dial will need to be turned up! Try interval training—alternating shorts bursts of intensive effort with easier recovery periods. This can be done many different ways and it’s highly recommend that you keep things fresh and challenging so you outsmart your ‘muscle memory’. Interval training will promote a greater caloric expenditure and really set your afterburners working post exercise. This means, the higher the intensity of the exercise, the longer you’ll continue to burn fat and calories after you’ve completed your exercise session. Now that’s nice.

Super Must Have Foods

Broccoli – Broccoli is outstanding for overall health. It is full of antioxidants and has phytochemicals that strengthen the immune system and anti-cancer properties. Broccoli is high in Vitamins C, K, and A, dietary fiber, diindolylmethane, and selenium. It is a low carbohydrate, nutrient dense snack that you should include in your diet every day. If broccoli is hard to get down…try adding yellow mustard on top!

Almonds – Either check my pocket or check my purse…I typically carry almonds with me every day. Almonds are another low carbohydrate snack that is easy to take with you and help keep your appetite under control all day long. A serving of almonds is 23 so keep your portions in check with a maximum of 40 almonds per day, for calorie sake. Almonds have healthy fat, fiber, protein, calcium, potassium, folate, and iron which are all essential for good health and they will give you energy throughout the day without adversely affecting blood sugar levels.

Salmon – is a great source of protein and omega-3 fats which will definitely help reduce your silent inflammation and work towards wellness. Make sure your salmon is wild and not farmed and that goes for fish oil supplements as well.

Green Tea – Research has shown a positive relationship with green tea and fat burning properties. Green tea is also known for its antioxidants called Epigallocatechin gallete or EGCG. Target an organic source if possible to avoid toxic chemicals and if you find that green tea tastes too earthy---try adding honey or a Stevia-type sweetener for a little sweetness.

Water – Water is the basic substance of life and makes up over 70% of our bodies, yet most of us are chronically dehydrated. The body’s signal for water is sometimes misinterpreted as hunger, so you can immediately see the advantage of staying hydrated. Water is essential for flushing waste and toxins out of the body, and this is even more important when you are losing weight and/or training. Just a two percent drop in your hydration status can impact your physical performance by 20 percent.

Berries – Berries are an excellent source of antioxidants and fiber which will help with reducing silent inflammation, enhance bowel motility, and aid in satiety for weight management. Berries have a high water content and are lower in calories per serving than most fruits, making them a welcome addition to your protein shakes, yogurt, or cereal.

Optimal Performance and Wellness

What does that really mean? Some people might think of wellness as being well because you are absent from a disease. But I agree with Webster’s Dictionary ‘the quality or state of being in good health especially as an actively sought goal <lifestyles that promote wellness>’.

Research has shown that nearly every illness started with inflammation in our cells. So having a better understanding of what inflammation does to the body, and the lifestyle choices you can make to prevent it, will help with the ultimate goal of achieving wellness.

Inflammation

Some might think of inflammation as swelling, redness, or heat in the body…and that’s one kind. But there is a ‘silent inflammation’ that can occur in the body that you can’t feel and is dangerous because it’s the one that causes illness and premature aging. It’s the inflammation that impacts your arteries and organs. It’s simple; inflammation ages your body by making your arteries less elastic and increasing your chances of heart disease and stroke, it compromises your immune system and impacts your DNA, a gateway to cancerous cells. And if that wasn’t enough to motivate you to work towards a healthy diet and lifestyle then think about how this silent inflammation can even affect your sexual performance because of impaired blood circulation to your sex organs. Inflammation is controlled by eicosanoids (i-co-san-noids) ‘signaling messengers’ in the body. By consuming ‘healthy’ eicosanoids, which come from polyunsaturated essential fatty acids like omega-3s, colorful produce and lean protein sources, you can reduce inflammation and the ailments that go along with it.