Want a flat stomach? How about weight loss? How are you doing there? What if I told you if you want to lose weight you can NEVER eat pizza again.
Or fill in the blank. You can NEVER have chocolate again. You can NEVER have tacos again. You can NEVER have ice cream again. How crazy does that sound to you?
We all dream of flaunting a flat stomach. We want to look and feel good, but deep down, we know it’s not as simple as cutting out our favorite treats or targeting just one body part for exercise.
And yet, we’re still tempted by diets that demand we abstain from certain foods or, even crazier, consume a single food like cabbage exclusively for weeks.
Sure, cabbage has its merits (check out my yummy crock pot cabbage soup recipe), but living on it alone for two weeks? No, thank you; we’d rather keep our sanity intact.
We understand that variety is the spice of life, but sometimes we fall for the allure of strict diets in the quest for a quick fix. Why? It’s the idea of shedding pounds in a snap.
However, what we need is a reality check. It didn’t take us a week to gain the weight we now want to lose, so why do we expect it to disappear overnight?
Everybody and EVERY body is unique, and what works for one person may not work for you. Our bodies also change as we age, so what worked wonders before might not be as effective now.
So, what’s the plan? First, decide to prioritize your health and well-being, and then explore nutrition and exercise programs tailored to your individual needs.
For weight loss, you have a smorgasbord of nutrition programs to choose from, including Weight Watchers, Whole30, or even Paleo. After picking a nutrition plan, take a moment to ensure it aligns with your lifestyle.
If your work involves frequent travel, a more flexible program like Weight Watchers or Paleo, which accommodates dining out, might be a better fit. I have tried and actually did very well on Paleo.
What happened is somewhere along the line, my taste changed, and it caused an aversion to meat. I do still recommend it though for those that do not have this issue.
These are a delicious snack you can have while following Paleo to not feel deprived: Hu Kitchen The milk chocolate bars are out of this world!
As of today, I have been following the Mediterranean diet for quite some time and have been doing quite well with it. This is the book that started the journey for me: Mediterranean Diet for Beginners
I love this program because it was easy to use for my lifestyle. It’s essential to make your nutrition easy to incorporate into your daily life; this increases the likelihood of staying on course.
On the flip side, a diet that’s overly restrictive and tough to maintain day-to-day will likely lead to frustration and a quick surrender.
The same principle applies to exercise. Even if you can spare just 10 minutes, that’s better than nothing. Ever tried a kettlebell? This little iron ball with handles can deliver a solid workout in less than 15 minutes. Admit it; you can find a small window in your day for a quick exercise session.
As for me, when someone tells me I can’t have something, it’s ALL I can think about. That’s why I prefer a program with a little wiggle room for those inevitable slip-ups.
Yes, I have them, and you will too. But do they matter? Not in the grand scheme of things. Just keep moving forward and working toward that flat stomach.
What matters is what you do next: get right back on track. You’ve got this! The links below will help you on your journey:
