Not Another Diet

It is the start of a new year- new month and all you can think about is all the calories you consumed during the holidays and the classes you missed out on because you were "busy".  Everyone on Facebook is sharing their weightloss goals and shakes and new work outs and all you can think is...

Ya I should prob start working out

 ( as you are eating a donut and binge watching your favorite shows). 

Did I describe you? Well I know I described me haha. I swear every January I am dreading getting on the scale or putting on actual pants other than leggings. But I will say this- even though losing weight is hard it CAN BE DONE!

 No, it is not easy. Hell you might even mess up on that diet you are doing but with determination and modifications you can get there. Remember one thing friends, there is NO MAGICAL pill that will make you lose weight overnight. There is no shake that will get you to your high school 

body in a day.

 However, I will say I have tried some shakes that have HELPED me lose weight!  But it takes TIME and DEDICATION just like any goal you might have. The main thing is you CAN NOT give up! 

Just stay focused on the end result. If you have a day where you eat icecream or pizza don't call yourself a failure. You are human. Just do a few extra sit ups before bed and try harder the next day.

I have been on my personal weightloss journey for about a year now. 

I have lost almost 30lbs ( ya go me!)  but I am still a work in progress. I don't follow a strict diet or exercise plan. I do TRY to eat healthier and work out 3-4 times a week but I am not perfect. 

Here are MY tips to lose weight and keep it off (ish)

1. START! Thats right just START a plan! Stop talking about it and get into ACTION! Trust me it is NOT easy by any means. I would rather be sitting on the couch watching tv too but I promise it does get easier. Make a goal sheet.

2. Take some measurements. I know this might sound silly but you might not think you lost weight. Hell the scale might even say you weigh the same BUT when you measure yourself each month you can really start to see the inches melting off.

3. WATER is your BEST FRIEND!!! The thing that has helped me truly is water. Not only does it help fill you up but it also going to help clean you out. Plus NO CALORIES! If you have to add a flavor try adding lemon or cucumbers.

4. If you have the available funds then I suggest joining a gym. Find a partner to work out with. I also suggest trying different classes. I am not the one to join a gym where I have to use machines. Only reason is... I don't know how to use them. Quite frankly, they intimidate me. I personally joined a gym in my area called SolSprint. So if you live in my area come do a class with me! I have done cycling, bootcamp, pound and pilates but they are adding other classes to the mix. I never in a million years thought I would like classes but for me they help. They tell me what to do and I just follow suit. Plus, I have made some amazing friendships there. If you don't have the money for a gym you could always try finding videos on Youtube or the internet. Hey its a start right!?

5. If you are craving pizza or chocolate JUST EAT IT DAMN IT! Ya you read that right! Just eat it. However- just eat only half of what you would normally eat. I find that if I am craving something and I deny myself I will just over eat later. So if you really "need" that piece of chocolate just eat it for crying out loud. It is not the end of the world.

6. Remember this is NOT a diet! This is a lifestyle friends. You can't just be healthy for a moment and expect to stay at the weight you are at. This will be an ongoing thing.

7. Those shakes you see people selling on the internet do help! I will say this though- Don't drink a shake and then eat 483902732 calories. That doesn't work friends! But support your friends! Those shakes can help you have a healthy diet. They are packed with some awesome ingredients but most are a MEAL REPLACEMENT shake not a milk shake friends haha. But they can help you! Just talk to your friend who is selling them. They know more about them than me.

8. Keep a food journal or pinterest healthier meals. Eating healthy can be hard. Trust me I am still learning this one. But Pinterest has so many people who will give you the steps to make the best foods. Keeping a food journal will also help you see what you are consuming in a day. So if it is all fastfood and junk you can see where the issues lies. My problem is Dunkin Coffee and Tacobell hahah .. hey I said I was a work in progress - not perfect!

9. Don't compare yourself to others!! Let me say that again.... DON'T COMPARE YOURSELF to others. Remember YOU are beautiful! You are loved and You are worthy! Some people might lose weight faster than you and that is OK! That is THEIR journey NOT yours! The only person you should compare yourself to is the person you were yesterday.

10. Have fun! This is a journey you guys. This is not the end of the world here. So try your best! If you have a mess up day just push yourself a little harder tomorrow.

Remember life is about having fun. So don't get so hard on yourself. I am no saint and I am no weightloss expert. Hell I am sure I have people reading this saying "Wow Jamie you give awful advice" but you know what... I don't mind. That is THEIR opinion. What matters at the end of the day is that YOU love yourself! 

Follow me on Instagram to watch my weightloss journey. 

Check out the HIGHLIGHTS on Instagram called "FIT-ish" for my healthy snacks, work out routines and more!