Atlantic Coast Chiropractic

Spring is officially here. It is time to get the yards ready, ramp up our diets and workouts, gear up for more activities, and the beach of course! With that being said, the following is my A-Z list of how to lose steady weight.  The majority of it is psychological as most weight gain is related to between the ears and not around the thighs. This is something I have wanted to do, much like my cheat list of how to navigate through the grocery store. If you are new to my blog, go to older posts and check that one out. It is probably my favorite.  Without further due here is my ABC’s of weight loss:

Always plan your day. Remember if you fail to plan you plan to fail. Have your meals planned out the day before. Cook for a few days ahead of time and always have healthy snacks available to curb appetite and prevent cheating.

Begin your day with more protein and healthy fats rather than carbohydrates. Starting your day with a heavy dose of carbohydrates causes your blood sugar to spike and insulin to be released. Once insulin is released, weight loss halts for at least 3 to 4 hours. Carbohydrates are everything from grains, breads, cereal, and even fruits and veggies. Although a smoothie is healthy it is high in sugar and will cause insulin spikes meaning a halt on weight loss!

Consistency! Be consistent and don't let others throw a wrench in your program. Take great courage to change possibly years of bad eating habits.

Drink lots of water! You want to lose weight, drink water. It's that simple!

Exercise. This is a no brainer, but diet alone is not nearly as effective as diet and exercise. Start simple even if it is only a few minutes a day and as you get into better shape, keep striving for more to prevent plateaus.

Focus. Stay focused! Keep a log of how you are feeling, your progress, and what foods you are eating to see how it affects you. Everyone is different and foods that prevent weight loss for one person will be different from someone else.

Go the distance. Look ahead and have a vision of what you want and how you will look 4 to 6 months from now. If you don’t have your eyes on your goal, you will never know where you are going. How can you make it home from work if you don’t have your eyes on the road!

Have fun! Do not get bogged down with everyday life. You are beginning a new era of feeling good and getting healthy. Choose a new activity that you enjoy. Exercise with friends and family. Learn something new. Make your daily chores more active to burn calories! Just move.

Invest in your health! Join a gym. Buy an exercise ball, therabands, exercise video, etc. Make sure to have proper gear like running shoes, compression sleeves, and good workout clothes. Don't forget your doctor’s check-ups and your chiropractor of course! Whatever it is treat yourself well. You're worth it!

Just do it! Procrastination is the competitor of good health and any type of progress in general. Make today the day to improve. Remember every day you get better or worse, you never stay the same. Had a bad day, so what? Don't make it a bad week. Every day is a new; every moment is a chance to improve.

Keep a protein shake, health bar, or bag of nuts in the car at all times in case of emergency.

Live for today. Don't think about what happened yesterday or what will be tomorrow. Start each day with empowering and refreshing thoughts. "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift, that is why we call it the present."

Munch on healthy snacks when you can’t fight the hungry urges. Choose celery, broccoli, cucumbers, and carrots. You can even use dips like hummus or guacamole to spice it up. Easy assessable snacks can be nuts, fruits, and health bars. I recommend kind bars, fig bars, square bars, and Lara bars.

No cheating! The problem with most people during a weight loss regimen is that they cheat 2 to 3 times a week. Your body is like a rollercoaster, it needs to build up momentum for steady weight loss and if you give in to small quick cheats, weight loss will be very slow. Tell yourself that this is only for a short while, but it is needed to get you to your goal. Remember, nothing taste as good as healthy feels! Moderation will come again, but get to your goal first!

Optimize your surroundings and relationships. Do not allow cheat foods in your house. Keep yourself busy to avoid bored eating. Associated yourself with people that are active and into clean healthy eating. You are your environment. If you associated with mostly unhealthy people than you will have unhealthy habits.

Plateaus will happen! Do not get discouraged. Your body is just adjusting to its new weight. This is called your body’s Set point. It is like setting your air-condition to a new temperature. The AC unit will work hard at first but once it hits a temperature it goes into maintenance. When you plateau just let it happen for a few days and you should continue to see weight loss within a week. If not, this is your body telling you it is time to do something different, be it a new type of diet, or different workout routine.

Quit the bad habits. Losing weight is about adding by subtraction. Quit the things that got you unhealthy in the first place and replace it with a new activity or eating style.

Reward yourself. Give yourself a pat on the back for each milestone you hit. Whenever you hit a short term goal have an idea of a reward for your success. Reached that first 10lbs weight loss, take an overnight trip somewhere. Reached 20 lbs lost, enjoy a glass or 2 of wine. Ran or walked your first mile. Go see that movie. Rewards will help motivate!

Support. Take advantage of friends and family that truly care and love you. When you are having a weak moment or a tough day, do not hold it in, share your burden and just by talking to your support, you will feel better and more in control.

Take care of yourself. Make sure you are getting enough rest, taking care of your hygiene, and staying balance. Good habits breed more good habits.

Understand your weaknesses. If you know your weaknesses and strengths than you can set your path to make sure you rely on you good qualities and avoid your weaknesses. Have problems eating healthy in social environments like me? Just avoid social activities for now until you reach your goal. Can’t say no to dessert? Tell the waiter during your dinner for the check, before they can even ask!

Victories. Have short term weekly and monthly goals. You can’t get to California from Wilmington if you don’t have your eyes on the first mile. Each mile adds up until you hit the west coast!

Weigh in only once or twice a week first thing in the morning and on the same day every week. You will look forward to it and you will be more consistent and less discouraged.

Xample. Be an example for your family and friends. Part of being healthy is to help others be healthy as well! There are so many people out there that need our help and support to lose weight and feel great. You could be the inspiration they need!

Zeal. Energy, gusto, spirit, zest. Have the eagerness and interest in the pursuit of something. Live your new life with gusto.

The ABC's are just the beginning of a long life, positive attitude, and empowerment. Go out there and make it happen!

Sign up now for a free consultation!

Monday

8:00 am - 12:00 pm

2:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Tuesday

8:00 am - 12:00 pm

Wednesday

8:00 am - 12:00 pm

2:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Thursday

10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Friday

8:00 am - 12:00 pm

Saturday

Closed

Sunday

Closed

Monday
8:00 am - 12:00 pm 2:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Tuesday
8:00 am - 12:00 pm
Wednesday
8:00 am - 12:00 pm 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Thursday
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Friday
8:00 am - 12:00 pm
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed

Location

Find us on the map