Preparation For A Balanced And Healthy Life

Preparation For Change

Cypress, Rose, Myrrh

When life happens and change is about to occur, the following blend will allow you to transition ahead with inspiration and a passion for the change.

Cypress

Cypress is a tree that exhibits much strength, especially when you are faced with change. There is an inner peace in the upcoming transition that is to be undertaken, and allows you to leave behind all that is draining you, the emotions or the people that are keeping you in one place.  Cypress allows you to tap into your willpower and to transition into the change with wisdom and a sense of inner peace and a soft power that will move you ahead.

Rose

Usually associated with romance and love, in this blend, the Rose is allowing you to tap into your inner vision and freedom, with love for self and your choices.  Rose has the ability to aid in balance in your choices, and the changes that are facing you.  It gives you the motivation to take on the change, while ensuring a peaceful and gentle harmonisation between what is now, and the change.

Myrrh

The three wise men used Myrrh in their offerings and in this blend it allows you to tap into your dreams of what is possible.  Myrrh is inspirational and allows you to be curious about what is possible, as well as to seeing it.  All the while, it keeps you grounded in your dreams, so that you can manifest them.  It is easy to be a dreamer, but Myrrh gives you the grounding to realise those dreams and not to stay in the clouds dreaming.

A blend of these oils will transition you into the future change with inspiration and love, enabling you to manifest the powerful dreams that are inspiring your change.

No Gym? No Excuse!

To Gym Or Not To Gym?

I first started going to a gym because I felt I had to, when I was in my early 20's. Yes, I was overweight and the prevailing weight loss thoughts in those days was that you could almost outrun your eating! By increasing your exercise, you will lose weight!

Well, that was the beginning of a long and hateful journey with the gym. If you are anything like me, you resent going to it. It means:

• hard work and much pain tomorrow
• lots of dirty grubby sweaty clothes to wash
• being laughed at by all those 'skinny' people
• early morning starts, or late home after work as you HAVE to go
• the feeling of being forced to do something you don't want to do

It should feel like this to go to the gym:

But in reality, it feels much more like this!

How I managed to turn this around for me.  

I now have a gym at home (well, I have a treadmill and a weights station) and I dip into and out of it as I please. I even enjoy doing the exercises.  I also walk a lot, and I mean A LOT - up to 4 or 5 times a week, because I want to. There is no longer that feeling that I need to do it.

What changed for me?  Well, after nearly 25 years of feeling that I had to go to the gym to lose weight, I was mentored by a great friend, and discovered that I could lose weight in the kitchen first, and that then increased my motivation to move my body.  The idea of moving my body in a gym was a little off putting for me initially, so I went walking. I'm fortunate to live in an area that has many rainforest walks and I went off into the rainforest for some good old fashioned walking.

I saw much beauty while I was walking (knowing I was completing my gratitude diary daily helped me look beyond what I was doing and towards the beauty that was surrounding me).

I felt so much clearer in the head (yes, I had previously had a lot of brain fog) after my walks.

The walks started as 15 - 30 minute walks and eventually grew to an hour as my energy increased.  Still I wasn't at the gym.  I was happy with that, as I was enjoying moving my body without the stress of going to the gym in my oversized tee-shirts.

After a couple of months of walking, I saw an advert for a weight loss/exercise challenge at the local gym. My mindset had changed enough by this time (as I had already lost some of my weight) and I was confident in my nutrition program, that I decided it was time to tone some of my external 'flab'.

I joined the gym for a 3 month period and went 4 times a week, I still continued with walking, sometimes taking the time to walk to and from the gym, as I wanted to be out in the fresh air still, as well as working on resistance training.

Knowing that resistance training was helping to keep my bones strong, was the key to my mindset on the gym. I was there to tone and build my bones, not to lose weight. That I did as a side effect.

For me, the biggest change was my mindset, I had changed from wanting to improve my weight and appearance for others, to wanting to do it for me. I changed from accepting that I was a big boned girl to truly believing that I was fine boned. I changed from believing dieting was about restriction and deprivation to believing that it was about living life in balance.

The tools I used on my journey are self development books, essential oils, nutrition program and a coach.  You can use these tools very easily for yourself as well.

The first self-development book I read was The Four Agreements.  This is a book that we have now read and analysed within the Book Club group I run (click here to learn more). The changes in how you see where you are, stem from understanding where your beliefs come from. This was a huge change for me and for those that also have read this book.

My essential oil blends worked on my self esteem, on my motivation and on my desires and wishes.  I have created a series of blends for different purposes and am now in the process of publishing these further. I will be sharing recipes on my Facebook page regularly, watch out for them, and for the emotions they are targeting.

The nutrition program I followed is very similar to the Paleo way of thinking, having some days without food, having days with food, eating more protein and less carbohydrates, and ensuring that I was covering my nutritional needs as far as nutrients and vitamins as well as a balance between protein, carbohydrates, fats and fibre. To find out more about it, visit my website, or email me, or send me a message on my Facebook page or through my website.

My coach, well, what more can I say, having someone believe in you, having someone call you on your excuses, having someone in your corner to hear you cry and to give you strength. Priceless. From this coaching experience, I have learnt at the feet of a master, and I now (along with her help as well as many others) provide the same experience for my ladies. To find out more, contact me now.

Treadmill or Road Running?

Gym Or Outdoors? 

Where do you do your exercise? Inside a gym, or out in nature?

There are definite benefits to exercise, no one doubts that statement. BUT, is there a benefit to being outside or is there a benefit to being in the gym?

I know, if  you're like me, running (or walking) on the treadmill is just not the same!  I'm very thankful that my treadmill allows me to be in nature at the same time as being on the treadmill, a truly integrated gym I believe!

However, that's not always the case for everyone. So, here are some reasons why it's good to get outside into the outdoors:

1. Treadmills can alter your running form
2. Treadmills don't properly activate your posterior muscle groups
3. Running outside is more enjoyable
4. Running on treadmills burns less energy

Treadmills alter your running form
When you run on a treadmill, you take longer strides. Also, your method of speeding up is different on the treadmill, your ground speeds up as well as you!  So, running on ground that is variable is better for your technique.  I agree, I seem to be able to 'run further' on a treadmill than I actually do on the road.

Treadmills don't properly activate your posterior muscle groups
Running on a treadmill reduces your hip extension, this, combined with sitting more in your workplace, can lead to less bottom workouts, and possibly more injuries!  When I trained for my half marathon, I found that I transistioned poorly from the treadmill to the road, it created some sore gluteal muscles, and that affected my training, now I know why! The change of extension!!

Running outside is more enjoyable
It can feel like a chore, or that you're trapped when you are running on a treadmill in the gym.  By being in nature, you feel like you're running further, faster and having fun!  I definitely agree, as much as I love my backyard gym, being out walking and seeing things like the waterfall, always makes me feel better about my exercise!

Running on treadmills burns less energy
It has been shown that running at the same speed on a treadmill burns less calories than the same speed outside.  I know where I'm heading for then!  The more energy you burn, with a perceived less effort, the better in my book!!

So, if you can't train outside, and your only option is a treadmill in the gym, how can you attempt to overcome these issues?  Here are some tips I recently found:

• set the treadmill on a slight incline (I use 4%) to replicate ground running
• cross train, use other equipment, such as a cross trainer, a bike etc. When I was in the gym, I used a stairclimber, a bike and a treadmill, the variety suited me well
• use sprint intervals on the treadmill, tapping into high intensity interval training. I usually sprint hard for 1 minute, then walk for 2 minutes, repeating this 5 times, it's certainly keeping my fitness levels!

Enjoy your treadmill and cardio training, get out into nature as often as you can, and realise that the tightness in your gluteals or hamstrings is because of your work on the treadmill!!

For more information, visit www.sandravenables.com

Is Your Workout Affecting Your Sleeping?

Answer: If you're NOT training, then YES!

Athletes tend to sleep better than non-athletes.  Why? Because they are doing running and weights training daily.

Lack of sleep is also linked to weight gain, lack of cardiovascular fitness and poor management of blood sugar and blood pressure.

Did you know that doing your exercise early in the morning shows the greatest improvement in your sleep quality?

Did you know that resistance training improves your duration and quality of sleep also, regardless of the time you do this training?

So - when do you exercise? And what type of exercise do you do?

Suggestion:

• cardiovascular workout first thing in the morning
• resistance training, preferably then also, but if you can't, after work instead!

This may improve your quality and length of sleep.  Oh, by the way, if you do this daily, you may also notice a change in your body shape and size, and the speed of your metabolism! www.sandravenables.com

Constipation and Dieting

Constipation Can Be A "Stuck" Issue When Dieting

Constipation is known to be an issue when you're dieting.  If you're like I used to be, you were dieting by calorie restriction, thus food restriction.  This leads to poor choices, a slow metabolism and constipation!

You don't have to be dieting to experience constipation either, if you took the time to ask the question, I'm sure most of your friends have experienced an episode of being 'backed up'!  

So, how do you deal with constipation?

Here are 5 easy steps to changing your lifestyle and diet to get things moving, even if you're not dieting!!

1. Eat more dietary fibre
   
   This one is an easy fix, but I hear you ask, what type of fibre can I eat.  Well, you need to improve your intake of fruit, veges, whole grains, beans and legumes. Most people don't get enough fibre, some sources quote that Americans get on average only 15 grams of fibre a day. You need approximately 25 - 35 grams of fibre (soluble and insoluble) a day.  The soluble fibre supports that 'feeling full' sensation, while the insoluble fibre will push waste along in the digestive tract, acting like a broom, cleaning the bowel out!
   
   Sources of soluble fibre include: oatmeal, oat cereal, lentils, apples, oranges, pears, oat bran, strawberries, nuts, flaxseeds, beans, dried peas, blueberries, psyllium, cucumbers, celery, and carrots.
   
   Sources of insoluble fibre include: whole wheat, whole grains, wheat bran, corn bran, seeds, nuts, barley, couscous, brown rice, bulgur, zucchini, celery, broccoli, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, green beans, dark leafy vegetables, raisins, grapes, fruit, and root vegetable skins.
   
   Tip:  increase your fibre intake gradually, and remember to also increase your water intake
   Swap your white break for wholegrain bread
   Snack on raw vegetables
   Add legumes, nuts and/or seeds to your salads, stews or soups
   Eat whole fruit rather than drinking fruit juice
   
   
2. Move your body more
   
   Introduce little 10 minute walks into your day.  This improves movement within your gut.
   Try walking for 10 minutes after a meal to reduce discomfort
   
   
3. Drink more water
   
   Try to drink at least 8 - 10 glasses of water a day.  When your digestive tract is dehydrated, things slow down, harden up and dry out - what you want is a smoother passage for your waste, water moves things!
   
   Tip: coffee and alcohol do not count as water, as they also dehydrate your body
   
   
4. Get magnesium into your diet
   
   Not only is magnesium good for your heart and the function of your muscles, but it has also been shown to relax your digestive tract muscles and draw in more water.
   
   Tip: you can source magnesium from your foods, e.g., dark leafy green vegetables such as broccoli, kale and spinach, or nuts, such as almonds and cashews (just don't have the salted versions!!)
   
   
5. Good gut bacteria
   
   Using good probiotics to support your healthy gut bacteria is good for your ability to absorb nutrition from your foods and promote good digestion, also helping things to move along.
   
   Tip: kefir and yoghurt are good sources of probiotics.  Remember also to have prebiotics (these support your good bacteria, and can be sourced in your fibre!)
   
   Remember: if you have chronic constipation, please see a medical practitioner.
   
   
   
   Eat dark green leafy vegetables like broccoli, kale and spinach, or snack on nuts such as almonds and cashews for great sources of magnesium. - See more at: http://anz.isafyi.com/5-ways-to-deal-with-constipation/?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=FeedBlitzRss&utm_content=5+Ways+to+Deal+with+Constipation#sthash.8qhe4KWm.dpuf

The Laundry & Your Workout

How do the two of these go together - you're hardly going to be running into the laundry, or pumping iron in there either!

Well, recently I read an article concerning the care you take of your workout gear.

Now, be honest, how many of you actually clean up your workout gear immediately after the workout?  Or are you more like the majority and leave it damp and mouldering away in your gym bag all day?

I know, when I was working in a 9-5 job, I'd go to the gym before I'd head off to work, no pitstop at home to hang the clothes up to dry out.  But, with the new fabrics that are all the go for our workout gear, it's almost vital to ensure they are not left sweaty and damp in your gym bag for a long time.

The best idea for your new gear is to hang it up to dry out as soon as possible.  Have a hanger in your car, or in a locker at work, where you can hang them to dry out.  If you do go home, hang them over the edge of your laundry hamper. This apparently stops the fibres breaking down, or becoming too clogged, so that you can ensure your fabrics last up to a year.

Another tip is for your workout shoes.  How often do you leave them damp?  A good tip is to stuff them with newspaper post workout, this will allow the sweat to be absorbed.  Did you know that placing your shoes in a washing machine and then a drier would break up the cushioning??  What I want to know is: WHO DOES THAT TO SHOES?????

Another tip is for your bra - it needs to be washed after every workout, this allows the sweat absorption fibres to be clear and able to absorb more sweat, salt and bacteria, next time you wear it!  Hmmm, lovely thoughts!  Also note, washing your bra in the same wash as your jeans, will damage the bra material, as the rough zipper will rub against it!

Oh yes, and finally, the best tip of all - don't use detergents with added perfumes, or fabric softeners or dryer sheets - these all clog the fibres of the material (bra or workout gear) thus reducing it's ability to absorb your sweat!

It seems that the wonderful new fibres we have in our workout gear today are actually very sensitive and should be replaced every 6 - 12 months.  Will be looking through my gear again soon, seems they must be at their use-by date already.

Drinking And Dieting

Do you sometimes find yourself in a situation where there is alcohol? And you're on a DIET??

What do you do about this?

For me, I have a couple of solutions that I follow:

1. Make every second drink a glass of sodawater (with a slice of lemon, then I look posh!)
2. Ask for my wine to be a spritzer (1/2 wine, 1/2 sodawater)
3. Know how much I have to work out tomorrow to burn off these empty calories!!

So how do I know how much exercise I have to do tomorrow to negate the effects of those no-nutrient, high calorie drinks, while potentially nursing a hangover?

Here's a quick guide to help you remain true to your resolve of not drinking at all

Note: jogging is at 9km/h and walking is at 6km/h

• 1 bottle of cider (345ml) = 39 minutes walking, OR 17 minutes jogging
• 1 nip/shot of vodka (30ml) + cranberry juice = 36 minutes walking, OR 16 minutes jogging
• 1 glass of wine (150ml) = 21 minutes walking, OR 9 minutes jogging
• 1 nip/shot of vodka (30ml) + diet softdrink = 14 minutes walking, OR 6 minutes jogging 

As you can see, any of these would  not be fun with a hangover.  Best policy is to avoid the alcoholic drinks, but if you do weaken, make sure you're prepared to do the exercise tomorrow (extra to what you'd normally do), to negate the 'fun' you had tonight!!

How To Move Each Day

Looking for quick and easy ways to increase your movement during your day?

Here are 3 quick tips:

1. stand rather than sit
2. walk rather than drive
3. take the stairs rather than the lift

BONUS:
Do any of these as a break between tasks when you are sitting at your desk.  Take a 5 - 10 minute break every hour of  your working day. Get up and walk briskly to the printer, or to the street for some fresh air, or to visit your friend on the next floor, or to go to the toilet.  There are many ways you can make sure you get up out of your chair and walk briskly to where you need to be.

This can include getting off the bus one stop early, or catching it one stop later! Remember to set your alarm a little earlier so you can catch that bus okay!

The Perfect Workout For Busy Gyms

It's that time of the year again, when all the New Year's Resolutions have to be undertaken - and one of them is going to the gym more often.  Do you find that the gym gets really busy at the start of the year, and your usual equipment is not always available?  Here's a great article that will give you and idea for getting around this.

By: Craig Ballantyne, CTT
Certified Turbulence Trainer
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Imagine you’re about to workout and suddenly notice it requires two different dumbbell weights or two different machines, used back to back without rest (a superset).

Now this sometimes isn’t a problem, but usually the gym is busy, making it virtually impossible to quickly get through the workout as it was intended. UGHH!

So what are you supposed to do?

Well, you could…

1. Stockpile dumbbells around your bench - this will surely anger others around you.  Plus, with the gym so busy to begin with, you probably wouldn’t be able to grab more than one set of dumbbells anyways.
2. Ask someone if you can work-in with them on a machine, or borrow their dumbbells. Since you’ll now be accommodating someone else’s workout, you’ll inevitably have more rest time, and ultimately lengthen your own workout.   

Now while these suggestions can work, they’re NOT recommended for those who want maximum results in minimum time.

And so that’s precisely why I designed Turbulence Training 2K6.

With this workout at your disposal, you should be able to use the same dumbbell weight for pairs of exercises in a superset, or you’ll find that I’ve combined a dumbbell exercise with a bodyweight exercise. 

So you’ll no longer need to change your weight or get new equipment for the second exercise.

Plus, if you want either a little variation from the traditional interval training workouts or just simply an off-day workout, then you’ll love the “Total Body Ten” bodyweight workout that I’ve also included in the program.

I’m pretty sure neither of the two scenarios listed above sounded very appealing, especially if it’s results you’re after.  And when all is said and done, TT 2K6 is a great way to help you overcome busy gyms. In fact, you’ll be flying through these workouts so fast that you probably won’t even know how packed the gym is!








About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Want To Annoy Your Fellow Gym Goers?

As it's still January, many people are still going to the gym.  They are still flush in their efforts to 'work off' the extra pounds or kilos they ate onto their hips over the holiday season!!

Most of these people are labelled January Joiners - a great label, as they sign up in January, usually fade away by February and are never seen nor heard from again, until January next year, when the cycle is on "rinse and repeat"!!

As a regular gym goer in the past, one of the things that used to get to me with these 'newbies' was their lack of ettiquette in the gym!  Do you notice this?

Things such as:

• not putting the weights away after they have finished, imagine having to lift that 200lbs off the machine
• not wiping down the machine they have just melted over, with the antibacterial solution provided
• jumping onto equipment you have been patiently waiting for, i.e., queue jumping
• not bring a sweat towel to the gym with them
• not wearing deodorant
• not looking around to make sure they are not in your way before they start their exercise
• wearing your gym gear from yesterday

I recently read an article that also outlined the health hazards in the gym - I'm not going there, as it was by far too scary to read about, let alone write about. Let's just say, keeping your own hands clean before and after using equipment is a must!

I'm sure there are plenty more you can tell me about - what's your pet hate with the January Joiners?

Did You Know: Orange Juice Is BAD?

Apparently, orange juice makes you eat more.

There is a study published that shows if you drink orange juice when working out, then eat your meal afterwards, you eat up to 250 calories more.

Interesting huh?

What do you drink at the gym?

Me? I drink water, or an energy drink that I love (doesn't contain sugars, mainly Vit C), though orange flavoured (due to the Vit C), it's not orange juice.

A protein drink after a workout is essential to feed your muscles too - this I also do - it's all about recovery of your muscles, and carbohydrates (i.e., sugars) won't build muscle, protein does.

I usually have my protein shake within 20 minutes of completing my workout - what do you do?

Cut Out the Fluff Exercises And Get More Results, Faster

I love learning about new equipment to try out at the gym though sometimes you need to make sure it is giving you and effective training, check out this article by Craig Ballantyne, CTT Certified Turbulence Trainer
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

You’ve probably used or at least seen a Bosu Ball in your gym before (those blue half balls with one flat side), but what you might not know is that they’re really just fluff exercises.


What do I mean by that?

Well, let me share a personal story with you…

Tony, a personal trainer and former client of mine, came to me one day asking for help. You see, Tony’s a pretty fit guy, but his personal training business had started to pick up, leaving him with less time to workout.

So we reviewed his program together and I immediately noticed it contained too many fluff exercises.
Tony needed maximum results in minimum time and Bosu Ball training wasn’t going to cut it.  So what I ended up doing was designing him two workouts that essentially included only the most effective exercises for gaining muscle and losing fat.

In fact, the first superset of 1-leg squats paired with dumbbell chest presses alone was more effective than an entire Bosu Ball workout.  And the second workout challenged him to one of the hardest upper body workouts he had ever done. So you can just imagine how happy Tony was with his new workout program.

And this is just Tony’s story.

I realize working out is often a huge struggle for many of you, either because you don’t have the time, or you’re growing frustrated with the lack of results.

But with the two workouts I’ve designed in Turbulence Training 2K5, one total body and one upper body, combined with newer, advanced interval training programs, you’ll discover a workout program perfectly suited for today’s busy lifestyle.

So, if it’s maximum results you want in the minimum amount of time possible, then this is a program tailored just for you.


About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Did You Know: Rest Doesn't Work?

Did you know that taking longer rests between your exercise routines doesn't affect your body shape? However, a recent study showed that by reducing your rest intervals by up to 75% gave you significantly greater enhancements in your body composition?

Interesting isn't it?

How long do you rest for between sets?  I usually give one minute, but I'm now going to reduce this 'significantly'  Maybe go for 15 seconds instead - that will make the workout tougher I'm sure!!

Good luck with your workouts this weekend

Secrets To Keeping Weight Off!

There is a lot of discussion on the internet and within the media about the obesity epidemic and consequently ways to lose that weight.  In fact, at this time of the year, about every second advert is for a weight loss company.

Did you know though, that it is estimated that only 20% of overweight and obese Americans that lose weight MAINTAIN that loss? 


I'm sure you've heard of the title "Yo-Yo Dieter" and this is the option for the majority of people who lose their weight through a fad diet, something that doesn't become their lifestyle.  How can you possibly keep up the grapefruit or lemon diet for longer than a week or two? It doesn't become your lifestyle, merely a fad that you can maintain for a couple of weeks before you lapse back into your old habits.

The National Weight Control Registry in the US was established to increase the conversation about maintenance of weight loss. It has monitored the habits of successful dieters over more than 20 years and recently published these tips. 

1. Ensure your diet is similar to your maintenance plan. This means that you are still eating meals, and following a dietary plan that is easy to follow when you have reached your goal weight too. No fad diets can be maintained for a period of time, how can you live on lemons?
2. Keep active. Ensure that the activity you have been doing to lose weight becomes part of your regular routine.  I would suggest you undertake about 3 - 4 hours of activity a week, and make it FUN!!! I include dancing in my fitness routine, as well as walking in nature - they're my fun things to do alongside my gym workouts.
3. Watching less TV.  Keeping active also often means that you reduce the amount of time you spend in front of the TV, as you're spending this time at the gym, or visiting friends to go walking, or going out dancing. The other reason for watching less TV is that this is the time most people snack - it's thoughtless eating, you don't take notice of the food you're eating, so you don't feel full until it's too late. It usually occurs whent the adverts are on, so the trick I use is to record a show, then you skip those 'boring' adverts!! Also, this snacking is happening in the evening, not a great time to be snacking!
4. Keep your meals consistent. Knowing what menu plans are successful for you to lose your weight, also gives you ideas for your maintenance.  Splurging and eating high calorie foods, if they creep back into your routine menu, will soon stop being a treat, and quickly become a common occurrence. Before you know it, the pounds are creeping back on again!  Keep your menus consistent to consistently maintain your weight.
5. Accountability, or a support team.  Keeping your accountability partner in your maintenance plan will ensure you are regularly following your plan. Support from partners, online communities or even your fitness app are great ways to ensure you keep regular in your fitness plans, your meal plans and your mindset. Support for any goals is vital to achieving those goals. In this instance, your goal is maintenance.  I have a workout partner and we catch up for a workout (and a great chat too) once or twice a week, depending on our schedules. We never miss!
6. Positive outlook. Maintain a positive outlook. I use a positive/joyful/gratitude diary to ensure my maintenance. This can include reflections on what you have achieved, what it's like to be able to enjoy your exercise, the types of exercise you can now do, how long you've maintained your weight for. Set yourself little goals, e.g., maintain weight for one month - then celebrate that achievement! Note it in your gratitude diary also, so you have something to reflect upon.
7. Get sleep.  Ensure you have a regular routine for sleep, so that you don't become sleep deprived. Do you know what most people do to fuel themselves when they're sleep deprived? You guessed it, they reach for food that stimulates them, and that is mostly food high in sugar!  Ensure you are not becoming sleep deprived.
8. Regularly measure your weight.  Once a week jump on those scales! This is an easy way to establish if a sneaky pound or two is creeping back on, and you can then quickly do something about it before it becomes a larger problem to deal with. Choose a day, I choose Wednesdays, and stick to weighing yourself every week on that day, at the same time, in the same outfit (okay, I do it before I shower, so it's simple to have the same outfit!). This way, it becomes part of your routine.
9. Never, ever, say negative things about what the scale says. Stick to number 6 above, stay positive. You've lost a lot more weight in the past, so you know how easy it is to lose a pound or two now.  When the scales tip back upwards for a week, get back into your routine of menu plans and exercise that aided you to your goal weight. Generally a week will do it, then back onto your maintenance plan.  Also take a look back at the treats you've been having, and possibly contributed to this creep. Once you know what they are, consider how you can swap them for a different treat that fits into your lifestlye of health!

With these tips, you are more likely to become one of the 20% that maintain their weight successfully. 

Best Beginner Weight Loss Workout

A great start to your exercise routines!  I love each one of these routines, you'll be amazed at how this provides you a great workout - you will notice this tomorrow!!