Spring into Wellness: Progress over Perfection

You know, a lot of folks I see are hunting for a "quick fix" when it comes to getting healthier or losing weight. They believe that if they change EVERYTHING about their lifestyle all at once, they'll see great results in no time. It's true to an extent, but let me tell you, I've seen this backfire so often - folks end up gaining back all the weight they lost, and sometimes even more.

Did you know that as a nation, we spend over 60 billion dollars every year on weight loss? Yet, more than 60% of us are still overweight. In Hamilton County alone, the obesity rate is at a staggering 65%. This tells us one crucial thing - no diet or surgery is going to help unless we change the way we think about food and make gradual, manageable changes.

Now, don't get the wrong idea - I'm not saying you have to go to crazy extremes like extreme dieting, deprivation, or surgery to lose weight. But you do need to take some action!

When I started my health journey, I took some baby steps that made a HUGE difference. Here's what I did:

Drink More Water – Initially, I was living on Diet Mtn. Dew and coffee with flavored creamers. But then, I made a small change - I started drinking a glass of water for every soda or cup of coffee I had. And guess what? My energy levels skyrocketed! So how about you try it?

As much as I want everyone to experience the benefits of drinking ½ of their body weight in ounces per day, I started out just by simply making sure I drank one 12–16-ounce glass of water with every soda and cup of coffee.  That got me in the habit and it grew from there.  Now my body craves water and I can’t stand the thought of drinking soda.  That is a huge leap for me, which I thought would never happen!

Cut Out Processed Foods – We all love our bread and pasta, but did you know that these foods can actually make us crave more carbs? When I first started, I just stopped eating any bread that wasn't touching the meat or other stuff in my sandwich. It's a small change, but it helped me cut down on those empty carbs.

Enjoy Your Food – Before, I would just eat whatever was in front of me. But then, I decided to make a change - I started to consciously choose what I wanted to eat and only ate things that I truly enjoyed. This helped me cut out fast food and stop eating stuff that made me feel sluggish or sucked my energy.

And that's what I talk about when I say "uplevel" your choices. Don't just settle for fast food when you're hungry - choose a healthier option instead. Sure, it might take a bit of planning ahead, but trust me, it's worth it.

Remember, we're looking for progress, not perfection. And one more thing - every choice you make, big or small, matters. So, this spring, let's commit to making better choices and living life to the fullest, feeling fantastic every single day!

And hey, don't forget to share your progress with us or reach out if you need help. We're all in this together! 🌼