1. if your jaw actually aches after eating granola or nuts.. or anything.. it’s a good sign your body doesn’t want anymore. stop eating.
2. if you nibble while you cook.. cook healthy, then it doesn’t matter if you nibble.
3. if you nibble while you cook but can’t cook healthy because your boyfriend is addicted to sugar, chew gum while you cook.
4. To slow yourself from slugging a glass of wine add sparkling flavored soda water and fruit …and cheers to sangria! or as they say in Spain, salud! (means health – look you really learned something from my blog!)
5. if you must make brownies or cookies or any sweet.. add some chocolate or vanilla protein powder to at least make you feel full. Now you can eat a small salad or bowl of vegetables and count the whole ordeal as a meal! Also look for healthy substitutions using this chart.
6. Smooth move organic tea is your friend. Drink her well and often…but not around company, and for sure not when your planning on having a romantic slumber.
7. Dying for an ice cream sundae from your favorite childhood ice cream place? Get one and savor every hot fudge bite. …Still craving one a day later? Opt for frozen yogurt with fruit. and get it in a cup. You had your day, don’t be a glutton.
8. Nuts are not healthy if you’re getting honey roasted and eating 6 servings in one sitting while blogging about skinny dieting tips. (true story — thank god for the smooth move though, am I right?)
9. First thing when you wake up in the morning drink lemon & ginger tea and set a good eating intention for your day. Be mindful of eating slowly and purposefully.
9. Incorporate plant based protein shakes into your diet. I recommend Vega One, Garden of Life or Vegan 1. All have added probiotics, vitamins and enzymes without any additives or artificial sweeteners.
10. Skinny girls eat organic whenever possible and they drink water, lots of it. When dining out they select the healthiest option, when cooking in they take care to prepare nutritious and satisfying meals. At the grocery store they buy whole fruits and vegetables and organic meats and fish. If they are not gluten or dairy intolerant, then they enjoy these two in moderation.
11. Be a substitution wizard. Craving soda? Have a naturally flavored sparking water. Dying for sweets? Have a few frozen grapes. What about a bag of chips? Try some homemade popcorn with sea salt and garlic or a handful of nuts. Make pasta from zucchini, try a cauliflower crust on your next pizza, use greek yogurt in place of sour cream, and the list goes on.
12. If you find yourself returning to the kitchen every 10 minutes to grab another bite of this or that stop yourself in your tracks and ask why? It’s probably stress. Take the dog for a walk or make some tea instead. There’s nothing more satiating than will power, believe me.
13. Be a gym maverick! Maximize your workouts by switching up your routine frequently. Yoga one day, a hike the next.. take a spin class with a friend. And don’t be afraid of a little weight training… I know you’ve heard it before, but it will torch weight. I mean literally melt it from your body faster than however many hours you log on the elliptical.
14. Dedicate a day to count out how much a serving really is of your cereal, protein, vegetables, honey roasted peanuts (what! i really cannot stop eating them, they’re so good!), etc. You’ll be horrified. Channel that feeling and use it to will (guilt) yourself into portion control. No but really, this step is an important eye opener.
15. Once you’ve recovered from the traumatizing experience of measuring one measly serving of trail mix, schedule another day to dedicate to HOW you eat. Slow down and enjoy each meal sitting at a table. Count how many bites you take, cut your food into smaller pieces, put your fork down between bites… the works. Really delve into the process of eating and try listening to your body for a day.
16. So. there’s no definition of the perfect physique, because everyone is so different (okay, well maybe Gisele is the definition, but you get where I’m going). embrace this. Love you full breasts? well for gods sake dont starve yourself until they’re gone! Into your sculpted arms? then ease up on the self hate for the belly fat that has taken residence on your abdomen, and show off your guns. We’re all beautiful, but we need to feel it – diet to get into the best shape, but that’s it. be easy on yourself – life is meant to be enjoyed.
