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Weight loss! What a phrase... Its just annoying because we all are looking for THE ahhh haaa moment when we find the KEY that works for us. Unfortunately, its not as easy as that but here are a couple keys that I have started incorporating in my lifestyle to assist with loosing those extra post partum pounds in an easy inexpensive, non-stressful and non-obsessive way. As always these are just my thoughts and things I have learned along my journey so make sure to do your own research :)
FIRST
I know I'm repeating what everyone says but DRINK water!!! I have to constantly remind myself to drink more water and I am always on the hunt for another adorable water bottle tumbler thing to make drinking water more appealing! ha but really though lets be real.. 8+ cups of water a day is hard to get into you and that is just the baseline recommendation and its not even making up for the caffeinated drinks I consume in a day ahhhh.
If you think of it you are already dehydrated when you are aware of being thirsty! Our body's organs need to remain hydrated in order to work well for us. I love the analogy of that we need to picture our organs like squishy, soft sponges that are full of water not like a dried up sponge that is stiff and hard to work with.
If you get sick of drinking water then just switch it up and make some different flavored water.
Some of my favorites I like to add into my water: strawberry slices, lemon/limes, cucumber , mint leaves, and ginger.
SECOND
First thing in the morning I drink this concoction. It tastes awful but it is soo good for you! Try not to think about if you wannnttt it or not and just do it!
This drink is amazing first thing in the morning to break your fast period which your body has been in overnight. So before any breakfast or coffee drink this FIRST which is very hard for this momma who just wants to smell and sip on coffee to perk me up.
Recipe:
1/2 fresh lemon juice
1-2 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
1 cup lukewarm water
sprinkle of cayenne
Reality recipe:
Most mornings if I really can't stomach the apple cider vinegar then I just do half a freshly squeezed lemon and lukewarm water which is still something:)
Photo credit for my morning drink: Julia Luymes
There are so many benefits but here are just a few:
Boosts metabolism
Prepares your digestion tract
Kills bacteria
Reduces belly fat
Boosts your immune system
As you can see and can do your own research it is an amazing way to start your day off and kick start your system to get into gear to digest your food and burn fat.
THIRD
Eat slower and don't eat after dinner. Seems silly again but it's does help train our minds to actually listen to our bodies.
Eating/ chewing slower allows your body to actually absorb nutrition and allows your body to send out signals that you are actually full.
For instance the other day I had two pieces of pizza with a salad and I was eating slower than normal trying to enjoy every bite. Then my sweet baby needed some assistance so I left my dinner to help. When I came back to my dinner and started eating again I realized how full I was getting. Now I normally would want to eat like four pieces of pizza and just wolf them down without realizing and then feel nauseous and bloated from eating too much. Ha think I would learn but pizza is just so good :) My point is that I was giving my body a chance to send me signals that I was getting full and had enough to eat.
Intermittent fasting is another great way to love on your body. Not eating after dinner till breakfast (about 12-16 hours) allows your body to have a resting period from digesting food and to burn up some of your fat stores for energy. Some other benefits to intermittent fasting are: increased immunity, increase cognition, increased energy and many more. When starting intermittent fasting some suggest to try a couple days a week and slowly work up especially in woman.
THE PAIR-ADIGM SHIFT
Learn to love your own body. We all have a different and unique body and none of us will be the exact same so stop comparing because you will never be satisfied. If you find yourself striving or thinking too much about why you don't look like other woman/girls around you or on social media then maybe you need to take a break from following certain people or try and catch yourself before you let your mind wander to that negative place. You don't need to fake it and pretend that you are perfect and are happy with where you are at because lets be real there is always something that we can be working on and getting better at.
Buttt know where your true beauty lies.
Genesis 1:26-27
God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
I like to think that God is pretty darn beautiful and I was created in His image and in His likeness. Reminding yourself that you are His child, created in His own image and unconditionally loved by Him helps align your thoughts with what He says is the truth about you.