Tuesday’s Tip with The Kitchen Whisperer – Sticking to your new year’s resolution

On this week’s Tuesday’s Tip with The Kitchen Whisperer I’m sharing with you some simple tips to help you stick with your new year’s resolution of living a healthier lifestyle.

Okay one week done in the new year, bring on week 2.  How are you doing with your new year’s resolutions to live a healthier lifestyle?  Just remember take one day at a time.  I know it sounds cliche but honestly it works.  Now I know it can be frustrating at times especially when you go to the gym and you have to stand in line to take a class or use a machine.  It’s easy to say ‘forget it’ and give up but don’t.  The first 6 weeks of the new year gyms are RIDICULOUSLY packed however come week 7 it starts to thin out and by the end of February it’s back to the normal gym crew that chose to make a lifestyle change rather than a “resolution to lose a few pounds”. Hey I’m not knocking them – I’m all for exercise and making better choices but what I don’t want to see is you becoming another stat of those that cancel their membership come March. You go this!

Now before I go let me state that by no means am I a health expert nor in tip top shape.  I got jiggle and flubadub but I’m working on that – it’s a lifelong process but it’s one that’s in the right direction. So the tips I share with you guys are ones that work for me and have worked for the past 10 years.

Here are some of my tips that work for me and hopefully will work for you.!

1. Snack and snack often – yeah I know what you’re thinking “Snacks??? Lady I want to lose weight, not gain weight!”  Here’s the thing you assumed when I said snacks that I meant something like chips, candy or ice cream.  Nope.  Think healthy but delicious.  I’m talking about snacks like carrot sticks, celery, fresh fruits and veggies, yogurt and nuts.  For me I eat about 6 small meals a day as I find if I ‘snack’ I’m never really hungry and I can still lose weight!
2. Place foods in plain site – keep an edible center piece on your table or counter.  Fill it with fruits and veggies (that don’t need refrigerated). Remove the bowls of candies and replace them with small bowls of seeds and nuts.
3. Swap out the noodles and pasta – yeah I know marrying into an Italian family that’s pretty much committing a crime but by swapping out spaghetti squash or spiralized zucchini for pasta will fill you up, deliver you amazing flavors AND without all of guilt (and carbs) regular pasta noodles give you.
4. Swap the bread for lettuce or zucchini wraps
5. Lighten up your dressings and condiments for greek yogurt or fat free sour cream.  SAY NO TO MAYO!
6. Even at work you can work out – get up out of your chair and walk the halls.  Even if you make 2 laps around your floor every hour it’s exercise.  Also skip the elevator and try the steps.
7. Go smaller – plates that is.  This was probably my biggest issue. We had ginormous plates so growing up I had it in my mind that the entire plate needed to be covered. For me now I use a small salad plate for my main meal and only put my food on that.  Since it’s a smaller plate, the food doesn’t look lost and it actually looks like I’m eating a lot.
8. If you’re hungry – eat, but eat healthy!  I will never EVER deprive myself. If I’m hungry I grab something.  However I hold myself accountable for everything I eat. So if I want a cookie, I’ll eat it (in moderation) but then I know I have to work out.

Remember YOU GOT THIS!