So the new year is here and we’re all about to get on the “new year, new me” bandwagon. The typical eat healthy, train hard mentality that lasts 2-3 weeks at most and then we most likely fall off. Been there done that. Instead of holding ourselves to these high standards and then becoming discouraged when we can’t accomplish them, why not start small? Slow and steady wins the race! Here is a list of our 7 baby steps to success.
The yo-yo dieting needs to go! In order to give yourself full food freedom you need to say goodbye to dieting and hello to a plant-based lifestyle. I say “lifestyle” because that’s what this is. It is not a diet. Before going plant-based, I used to track my meals, macronutrients, and calories. Now, I eat wholesome foods until I’m full and have lost weight without even trying. The only way I was able to accomplish this was by going plant-based and let me tell you, it’s the BEST feeling to get out of the diet spiral. Plant-based doesn’t mean that you need to eat salads everyday. Surprisingly, you will rarely ever see me eating a salad. My daily meals consist of veggie burgers, pasta, pizza and hearty soups. Sound enticing?
If you’re not already vegan, try adding a meatless Monday into your weekly meal plan. One common New Year goal that makes an appearance on everyones list is to eat better. Instead of going on the standard american diet of high protein/low carbohydrates, start adding food that can actually heal your body. Once you are able to get the hang of conquering one day, start adding Tuesday, Wednesday, and so on. If you’re already vegan, (Good job!) head over to my next point!
Try to eat 80% whole foods and 20% processed. We now live in a world where everything seems to be processed but in order to get the true health and weight loss benefits of a vegan diet you need to eat this ratio or better. Eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. In layman terms, food that only has one ingredient. This is my personal opinion and where I feel that I am able to live a balanced lifestyle, lose weight and still reap the health benefits.
I absolutely love this weekly planner
I’m not asking you to go to the gym 5 days a week or run a marathon. If that’s already your regime, that’s great! My tip can be as simple as getting off of the couch and folding laundry or tackling a messy closet that’s been building up. Simply be aware of how much you’re sitting each day and make a goal to move more frequently, in turn, burning more calories.
This is a simple trick to automatically increase your water intake and detox without really detoxing. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve encountered that do a 3-5 day cleanse after the holidays. Once they are finished, they are back to their poor eating habits because the cleanse took too much out of them. This is a simple detox in which you should incorporate into your daily regime. Lemons offer many powerful benefits and contain vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc and so on. Make sure to add a bag of lemons to your grocery list each week a long with a lemon squeezer
Watch more documentaries and read health books. Knowledge is power and if you don’t have that then you won’t know why you’re doing what you’re doing. Before jumping into any type of lifestyle change, it’s important to do your own research and consult a physician. To get started, below is a list of our top recommendations.
Some of our book recommendations are:
- The Forks Over Knives Plan: How to Transition to the Life-Saving, Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet
- Plant-Strong
- How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease
A few documentaries that we love currently on Netflix are:
- What the Health
- Forks over Knives
- Earthlings
Good luck on your journey and please feel free to message us with any questions, we’re here to help!
