Getting started is one of the hardest things to do!  Finding the right meal plan, figuring out how your going to make the time to get active, scheduling it all around your daily routine…where do you start?   It can be confusing, scary, daunting, and, downright miserable for you and everyone around you.

Here are 5 suggestions to help you start your journey:

 
1.  Count Your Calories!

There are a number of calorie counting sites out there but the best I’ve found is fitday.com.   You absolutely MUST know where your calorie intake is from the start.  In the beginning, don’t do anything different.  Get your baseline calorie intake on a normal day.  Obviously the total calorie intake will vary from day to day but you only need to get a couple of days under your belt.  The most important part?  BE HONEST.  You’re the only one looking at this so there is no embarassment involved.  You will only be cheating yourself if you cheat in your calorie log.

2.  Do Something…Anything!

I am an admitted Desk Jockey.  The majority of my work day is spent behind the desk.  When I get home, I am mentally exhausted and I’m running on empty.  It really is hard to do anything.  I understand!  However, if you’re going to burn any of the calories you consumed during the day…MOVE!  Cut off the TV, do housework, mow the grass, take a walk…ANYTHING!  If you are just starting out, your metabolism is, in all liklihood, very low.  Your objective?  Raise it!  How do you raise it?  MOVE!  Did you know that, next to actually sleeping, your metabolism is at its lowest when you are watching TV?

3.  Avoid Fad Diets

The cold hard fact is there is NO QUICK FIX!  So, why look for one?  Sure, there are diets that will let you drop weight, and drop weight fast, but beware of what I call the bounce back effect.  Lose 10, gain 20!  Avoid the diet du jour and do your research.  Nobody’s metabolism is exactly the same.  What works for some may not work for you.  YOU have to find that out yourself.  Eat healthy, calorie sensitive, well thought out meals.  In upcoming blogs, I will tell you how to do exactly that!

4.  Eat 5 to 6 smaller meals throughout the day

We have been conditioned to eat breakfast, lunch, and supper.  STOP IT!  Here’s the problem…you eat breakfast when you get up and by the time lunch rolls around, you are starving and you eat more than you need at lunch.  The best way to avoid this is to eat every 3 hours or so.  Smaller, nutritious meals will help you control your cravings and help prevent over-indulgence at lunch and supper.

5.  Don’t Skip Meals

Skipping meals is a very common pitfall.  Faulty logic says, “You know, it only makes sense that if I want to reduce calories, I can just skip lunch.”  WRONG!  Why?  Because of the same reason you need to eat more often.  When you skip a meal, your body goes into starvation mode which will actually lower your metabolism.  It holds on to the fat because it thinks your are starving and you will actually end up slowing your metabolism below where it already is.  This will actually make it harder to reach your goals.

These are just a few things you can do immediately to get started.  They aren’t drastic.  I’m not telling you that you should go out an immediately join a gym or start jogging 5 miles a day.  Those days are coming!  For now, get moving and get your diet under control.