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Health & Fitness

4 Things I Wish I Knew About Weight Loss 4 Years Ago

You might not have recognized me 4 years ago.

At the time, I was going through all sorts of personal stuff, battling a health issue, and feeling fat and unhappy. I knew the basics of health and weight loss, but was just starting this amazing journey to where I am right now.

Then it was all about healing my body. There was no time or concern for vanity or how I looked in a bathing suit.

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As I learned more and more about health, weight loss, and the power of eating whole foods, I found that was the cure!

Like every journey, I learned a multitude of lessons along the way. Here are 4 that I wish I knew at the start, that I want to share with you as you start your own journey toward a happy and healthy body that you love.

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1. The journey needs to be enjoyable. If you hate what you’re doing, you won’t stick to it. I know that you think that working out and “dieting” is total drudgery and torture – because so many of the weight loss programs and diets out there ARE.

Making healthy and lasting changes can only be done when there is enough internal motivation to keep you going. If you hate the gym or kale or salads, or whatever it is for you, SKIP IT and find something else that turns you on.

2. If you don’t like eating healthy, you’re doing it wrong. Maybe you fall into this camp: you’ve been eating so much processed and restaurant food that your taste buds have morphed and you’re not even able to enjoy healthy food. Or maybe you fall into this camp: you know you don’t like the standard veggies (broccoli, carrots, celery), so you think you don’t like any vegetables.

There are so many delicious, amazing foods – that will promote you losing weight!

Healthy meals can taste AMAZING, you just have to learn a few tricks of the trade. Get yourself some good cookbooks (even check ‘em out from the library) and hit up the local Leucadia farmer’s market held every Sunday! You’ll be surprised with what you can come up with.

3. You need to have 5% indulgence to enjoy. When you deprive yourself, you are just ASKING for trouble. We’ve all done this and know the power of it. That’s why I always say 95% healthy, 5% indulgence.

Allowing yourself that little bit of wiggle room will help you make better choices and avoid those crazy binges. Plus, that triple chocolate cake will taste SOOO much better when it’s not a daily occurrence! Make your 5% a special occasion and everything will be even yummier. Promise!

4. Love and accept yourself as you are first. It’s easy to think that once you’re skinny, you’ll be so much happier with your body. You’ll feel confident, sexy, and be the woman you were meant to be.

I’ve got news for you – you’ve got it all wrong. I know, I’ve been there. This is the first and most important step to any weight loss endeavor. Sure, healthy food and exercise are pieces of the puzzle. But, without self-acceptance that weight will come right back with a vengeance.

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