Don't put it off any longer! Make a few small changes now, and you'll be feeling good by the time beach weather hits...
Housewalk to Readymade Playlists
One of the biggest obstacles to exercising is time. You don't have time to go to the gym, you don't have time to get sweaty and then put yourself back together, you don't have time to be in an hour-long class, etc. But you can burn calories at home with
Housewalking (which is exactly what it sounds like!), and high-energy music playlists make it easy. Amazon Music Unlimited ROCKS and actually has a
FREE 30-day trial. You’ll get access to playlist categories like Energetic & Fast Tempo, Happy & Upbeat, and Workout -- all perfect for mixing up your at-home calorie-burning routine. Just when we thought we couldn't love Amazon more...
Plan Ahead
The name of the game is meal prep! Having a stash of good-for-you food is a savvy way to ensure you don't make poor impulse decisions. Ready-to-eat breakfasts like
these make-ahead morning meals are perfect.
Making your lunch the night before is a super-smart plan. And we suggest filling your freezer with
calorie-slashed meals, so you're always prepared when hunger hits. The key is to whip up healthy food when you
do have time, so you're not stressed out when you
don't.
Drink Water All Day Long
It's one of the best things you can do for your body. Staying hydrated keeps you energized and satisfied. Sometimes when we're a little dehydrated, we think we're hungry... but all we really need is a tall glass of water! Carry around a refillable water bottle at all times, and replenish yourself frequently. Bonus: Drinking lots of H2O is good for your skin! Find it hard to chug regular water?
Click for tips.
Start Snacking
We're not suggesting you adopt a habit of mindless grazing. There are two types of smart snacks: scheduled snacks and
emergency snacks. For the former, build between-meal snacks into your daily plan. You can lighten up your meals to balance out the additional calories. This way, you'll never arrive at a meal feeling famished, which is when we're more likely to overdo it. Choose satiating snacks with fiber and/or protein. As for emergency snacks, these are portable picks to keep on hand at all times; they'll keep you from making unhealthy food choices due to lack of options. Think jerky, 100-calorie packs of nuts, snack bars, and more. Keep 'em in your purse, backpack, briefcase... wherever!
Make Friends with the (Food) Scale
If you haven't gotten yourself a digital food scale yet, now is the time. It's the best possible way to make sure that your food portions are spot on -- eyeballing it or even using measuring cups leaves a bit of ambiguity. This means you could be taking in more calories than you think! A food scale is especially great for calorie-dense foods like meat, nuts, and avocado. And it doesn't have to be a major investment.
This highly rated find on Amazon costs about ten bucks, batteries included!
Cut Yourself Some Slack
If you go on a hardcore diet that you can't sustain, you're likely to bail and backslide before summer even rolls around! The key is to set realistic expectations and abandon an all-or-nothing attitude. Stick to the 80/20 technique: Make healthy choices 80 percent of the time, and let go a bit during the other 20 percent. Live your life, and enjoy yourself. Just make good choices most of the time, and the rest will work itself out!
One on One with Joy Bauer… This Week on the Hungry Girl Podcast!
On
the latest episode of Hungry Girl: Chew the Right Thing!, Lisa chats with
TODAY show health expert & personal friend Joy Bauer. Joy is a registered dietitian, bestselling author, and all-around awesome human being. Listen in as she shares…
⭑ the 3 healthiest foods you should always be eating
⭑ her refreshing 4-ingredient mocktail mojito
⭑ a sneak peek at her newest kid-friendly cookbook
… and so much more!
Click to listen! Or search for
Hungry Girl: Chew the Right Thing! in your phone’s podcast app.
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We may receive affiliate compensation from some of these links. Prices and availability are subject to change.
We may have received free samples of food, which in no way influences whether these products are reviewed favorably, unfavorably, mentioned with indifference, or mentioned at all. Click for more about our editorial and advertising policies.
*The WW Points® values for these products and/or recipes were calculated by Hungry Girl and are not an endorsement or approval of the product, recipe or its manufacturer or developer by WW International, Inc., the owner of the Points® trademark.
Questions on the WW Points® values listed? Click here.
Hungry Girl provides general information about food and lifestyle. This information and any linked materials are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment. Click here for more information.
