Your Guide to Summer Parties and Staying in Shape

summer bbqSummertime is party time for many people and there will be plenty of barbeques and nights out that may test your dieting endurance. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to become a hermit just to keep your body in beach ready condition. Here are some tips on how to enjoy your summer fun and still keep slim.

1. Make smarter drink choices.

Most of us think of drinks as being calories free, but the truth of the matter is there are some out there that could put a big meal to shame. For example, one margarita can have more than 400 calories. Have more than one and you won’t be wasting away anywhere. A white wine spritzer on the other hand comes in with just 80 calories on average. Now, that is a big difference.

If you’re not a big drinker, you’ll want to avoid the soda trap instead. Each soda has around 150 calories and roughly ten teaspoons of sugar. Try water instead or even sparkling water if you want to add a little fizz to your life.

2. Avoid the snack trap.

Let’s say you’re planning on having fun at a party and you know you will be drinking. A margarita sounds awfully good, so to make up for it, you don’t eat all day. By your second (or even first depending on the size) you will have forgotten all about your diet and your snacking inhibitions will have flown the coop. Eat a sensible meal before going out and never try to replace your meals with alcoholic beverages. It’s just not worth it.

3. Avoid the late night taco run.

After a night on the town, you’re probably tired and a little bit hungry. This means fast food since who really wants to cook at that hour any way. If you must go out for fast food, stick with the smartest choices possible and only eat half. It won’t be easy, but you’ll thank yourself in the morning.

4. Don’t be a BBQ downer.

Instead of arriving at a BBQ and finding out they have nothing you can safely eat without trashing your diet, let your hosts know ahead of time that you are trying to watch what you eat. Have them throw a chicken breast on the grill ahead of time for you. Most people will be more than willing to accommodate you. Otherwise, you’ll just make everyone uncomfortable if you’re not eating and they are.

5. Keep your eye on the prize.

It may be hard at times to stick to your diet when it seems like the rest of the world is enjoying themselves. You have got to stick with it and remember why you are doing this. A healthy lifestyle is so much more rewarding than a margarita. Chances are, your healthy lifestyle will be contagious and your friends will be inspired to keep up with you and get healthy on their own.

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Do You Own Your Body?

your bodyIf you are struggling with your weight and your self esteem, there are many different things that you might find that you are not doing. Whether it’s wearing a favorite outfit, going to a gym to exercise or even just having fun, many of us end up self exiled hermits due to our weight. While this can be a great motivator, for most, it is self defeating behavior that may make it harder to lose weight. Here are some tips on how to start owning your body and getting back into life.

1. Start respecting yourself.

How many times do you avoid mirrors, or grimace at your own reflection? It’s time to stop that self destructive behavior and start finding things to life. It may be difficult, especially if you have spent most of your life putting yourself down. The secret is – when you don’t believe in yourself – no one else will either. You’ve got to start upping your self respect if you want people to respect you. Your exercise is: Find one thing that you like about yourself, such as your eye color, how shiny your hair is, or a favorite body part. Look at yourself in the mirror and declare that you are beautiful/handsome and that you love yourself. Repeat until you no longer feel silly.

2. Start hiding yourself in your clothing.

When you are dealing with a weight problem, your outfits of choice are probably black and not exactly form fitting. You may even develop an attachment to these clothes and use them to cloak your true body and personality. It’s time to break free of that mental block and start freshening up your wardrobe. Although black is slimming, it’s also pretty boring and it gives people the impression that you are overly somber. Loose clothes often make us look bigger instead of camouflaging our weight. Your exercise is: Buy one shirt or clothing item in your absolute, all time favorite color. Now, wear it immediately. No ifs, ands or buts. Put in on and you will probably notice that you collect quite a few compliments that day.

3. Stop hiding and get out there.

Self confidence is the most attractive thing in any human being. If you lack confidence, you’ll project that and as such, people will either overlook you, or worse. You’ve got to start working on building up that self confidence. The first exercise will help you stop beating yourself up, but now you’ve got to take it to the next level. You are beautiful/handsome and you deserve the best right now – not when you lose weight. By adopting this attitude, you’ll find that many different things in your life will start to turn around. Your exercise is: Every night before you go to bed, repeat twenty times: I am confident. Every day when you wake up repeat twenty times: I am confident. You’ve got to fake it until you make it and watch your life start to change!

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