How To Lose Weight

    Hey loves! As you probably know by now, I've had my share of ups and downs with the scale. It can be a frustrating process and even a frustrating mind set. Sometimes we backslide and when we no longer feel apart of the "progress" we feel stuck in our current weight and wonder if we'll EVER get to our goals. The truth is, it's totally up to you. 

    While it may be hard to believe right now - your dream abs, thighs, or arms etc, are totally within reach. Nothing is stopping you, except you. When I first realized this concept it was a tough pill to swallow because it meant accepting that I was NOT at my goal weight/body also because of ME. YIKES! What a wake up call. Losing weight since that point hasn't been "a breeze" but I felt a sort of relief knowing that I could do it. 

    There's no magic pill to losing weight, toning up, or "getting abs", but there are definitely steps! And as much as it's tempting to buy into the "next great thing", the BEST thing you can do is to focus on being healthy. Don't worry about the Paris Diet, the Atkins Diet, or how many points something has. Just ask yourself "Is this healthy?" And if it is, then good. If it's not, have some in moderation. Your eating should be about 80% healthy and 20% treat. If it's manmade, it's not as healthy as it should be. Low-fat ice-cream, low-sodium chips, fat free granola bars.... are all things that are man made. It's tempting (and confusing) to look at these things and think they're healthy, but in truth - they're not. 

    If you're starting at square 1, the easiest place to start is not to look at what you "can't have" and instead to focus on having more of what you SHOULD have. Let me explain that..

    Focus on ADDING to your diet, instead of removing. Start adding more fruits, vegetables, grains, and natural protein sources. When you focus on adding foods to your diet you'll be less focused on avoiding the unhealthy foods.

    While I highly encourage tracking what you eat in a day, that can feel restricting and overwhelming in the beginning. If you're a beginner, just start with adding healthy foods to your menu. Once you've gotten a grip on that, then you should start to track what you eat each day. Don't worry so much about calories! Focus on the quality of the food you're eating. Proteins, fats, and carbs! 

    If you want to lose weight you need to active as well! And honestly, sometimes this part is so focused on that people get stressed about it! Just get your blood pumping. Go on a walk if thats all you have available to you. But PLEASE don't go to the gym and spend $50 on a gym membership, it's NOT necessary and chances are you will be as confused as I am in there, and end up wasting time & money. Go for a walk, a jog, get some cheap badminton rackets and play with a friend at a park, or do home workouts (with me!). 

    Like I said, there is no magic pill to weightless, but there are steps. Focus on eating the right foods & be active.

    Chances are you already know what to do and just need some help or accountability to make it happen. Thats what I'm here for! I'm always excited to welcome new people to the Fitness Doll Challenge, and if you're not ready for that that's OK! You can email me at jessica.herle@hotmail.com or add me on facebook and we can start talking about other little ways you can get healthy first. Baby steps are greater than no steps!

Talk soon! xoxox