My 10 Strategies for Dropping 10 Pounds

 I have ten stubborn pounds I gained over the holidays. I usually go back to normal size once I go back to my normal diet. But, like so many other things that came in 2020, it is not going as expected. It’s time to strategize and get serious getting back to my normal weight because I am not interested in a new normal . . .

Do not drink calories.

This is already a basic habit I have that I plan sticking to. I just drink way too much and too fast to find drinking calories worth it. Especially since most of the time the calories come from sugar. I am making green smoothies an exception to this because I drink them as my meal.

Drink plenty of water. 

I am aiming for a gallon a day. I like to have my water for the day set out the night before. It is a small goal for the day to accomplish. Also, I have noticed that on days I fall behind on drinking my water, I am more likely to crave sweets.

Eat a large salad for lunch every day.

It is a great way to make sure I get plenty of vegetables every day. I aim for a pound of salad but often go over that.

Salad first.

We have some birthdays coming up. It is easy to get caught up in the calorie-dense celebration food and get too full to eat any vegetables. That is why my rule is salad first. It doesn't mean I can't indulge in some special occasion foods now and then (as long as it is truly only now and then) but I need to eat my salad first to make sure that I get those healthy vegetables in.

Meal prep your salads.

 I put a lot of vegetables in my salad. Meal prepping helps me save time because I don't have to pull out all those different ingredients every time I have a salad. I try to make four salads on Saturday and 3 salads for on Wednesday. This covers the whole week. It is also helpful to have it ready to go in a container, because if I find myself unexpectedly on the go, I can take my lunch with me.

Plan your meals.

 I think a lot of times people’s diets get out of hand because they do not put much thought into them. They don’t think about what they are going to eat until they are too hungry to ignore it and, by that time, they are more likely to grab something that is easy and convenient. Usually, this is not the healthiest choice. Planning my meals helps me avoid this.

Have your meals ready ahead of time.

I have started to think of meals as deadlines. It is nice to get done early. I like meal prepping but things don’t always have to be so elaborate. I just try to give myself plenty of time if I can. If I think a meal will take you 30 minutes to make, I try to have 1 hour. If I am trying a new recipe I try to expect the unexpected and give it plenty of time. It is easier to make good decisions when I am not hurried or “hangry.”

You are not a garbage disposal.

Being a mom, this is something I have to remind myself. Food that the kids leave on their plates are not free calories. They count. If you are like me and were made to feel guilty for leaving food on your plate growing up, you may have a hard time with this. It helps me to have the dog and chickens to give scraps to. In retrospect, making myself get fat is not helping anyone that is starving.

No snacking.

I find that I usually snack as a way to procrastinate things I am supposed to be doing. It is a time I crave carbs and sugar. It is time for me to ditch this. If my cravings are persistent I plan to have some tea.

Exercise.

I like walking or running because I can take my baby with me. Lifting weights a few times a week would be nice as well.