Saturday Fitness Tip: Beginner? No problem!

I am bringing Saturday Fitness Posts back! Who's excited? ;)

I asked you on Twitter if you have any ideas what should I cover in my next post and @Rbeautythoughts asked me to do "tips for beginners". Well, it's your lucky day, because I'll cover that today :). Let's just start ...

So, what can you do when you're a total beginner in healthy lifestyle and don't know where to start?

 

Source: Pinterest.

1. Start doing baby steps.
Make small changes in your everyday meals or fitness. For example: first week: start including fruit and vegetables in every meal, start moving, second week: eliminate sugary drinks, drink more water, third week: eat 4-6 times per day, fourth week: substitute white flour with whole wheat or try to eat gluten free, fifth week ... You get the picture, you can adopt this to your own needs and you know your body best, so you're your own best nutritionist or fitness trainer. Just don't let your ego win ;)

2. Clear out your taste buds.
We tend to spoil our taste buds. Pizza, for example, is very tasteful and flavourful dish, that's why we don't find simple, one-ingredient foods exciting anymore. The more you're used to man made food, the more you crave it, the less you like real food. I suggest you try to eat fruit and vegetables as much as you can during the day. Don't limit yourself, try everything at anytime. This will help you clear out your taste buds, after some time you'll find them tasty again as your taste buds will get used to them.

3. Cook for yourself.
When I started with 90 day separate diet for the first time, I started cooking for myself, because no one in family ate the way I did and no one actually supported me at the beginning. Since then I've been cooking for myself even though I still live at my mum's. They got used to it, I like preparing my own food - that's the only way I know what I put in my body.

 

Source: Pinterest.

4. Do not keep junk in your kitchen.
If you don't have it at home, you won't be able to eat it, will you? Don't go grocery shopping with an empty stomach, keep your food shopping simple - buy fresh (preferably organic) fruit and veg, beans, chickpeas, lean chicken, turkey, tofu, eggs, (dairy, almond, soy) milk ... One ingredient food, no man-made packaged foods. Simple as that.

5. Do not diet!
Even though I started my weight loss journey with a diet and learnt a lot from it, I don't recommend it to anyone. Why? Because diets are for certain period of time and you're forced to start eating completely different in just over the night. Once it's over, you'll be more likely to go on your old unhealthy lifestyle. There's no finish line in Fitness and Health. It should be life long journey ... so return to the first point - baby steps and clearing out your taste buds will do the trick ;)

6. Read food labels.
I keep repeating that and I know it may be annoying, but let me tell you: it is NOT time consuming, because when you see a long list of ingredients, put it back on the shelf. Don't waste your time reading ingredients that are unfamiliar in the first place.

7. Keep a food journal.
This is not just for beginners, but it can help you to be organized with your meals and is an effective way you know when, how much and how many times a day you eat. It can help you even with any health problems - maybe you'll discover if you have any food allergies etc.

 

If you cheat, you only cheat yourself.

Source: Pinterest. 

8. Take before and after pictures.
When you'll see results, it will keep you going, you'll be more motivated, you'll continue with exercising. Also, take measurements or you could even weight yourself. I wrote about how to know you've progressed here.

9. Educate yourself.
Read health blogs, magazines, fitness sites, like them on Facebook ... (or just read my blog :P) It's good to be educated about food you're putting in your body, maybe you'll stop eating certain food this way or maybe it motivated you to start moving.

10. No excuses!
I think I'll cover excuses in next Saturday Fitness post, but in short words: If you want something so badly (fit body, health, look and feel better ...) no excuse/person will stand in your way. You're creator of your own life, every detail of it and you deserve only best.

 

Source: Pinterest.

11. Think positive!
Yes, you can do it, yes, you are worthy, yes, you are beautiful the way you are at any weight, but you'll feel better if you take care of your body - and your body will thank you! And keep in mind - we are all amateurs at the begining, no one can know everything overnight.


I hope this helps to some of you! I really enjoyed writing this post! :)
If you have any other tips and ideas ofr complete beginners, please share them in a comment!

P.S.: If you have any ideas/recommendations for Saturday fitness posts, please share them in a comment section ;)

Why I'm not losing weight?

Do you want to lose weight and it seems you are stuck at the same point for the longest time... or even going few steps back? You have to pay attention to some of the main "mistakes" or however you want to call them.

1. Negativity. If you tell to yourself you're fat, that you cannot lose weight or you have any other negative thoughts about yourself, you will attract more of those things. Losing weight has to be done in the most positive way possible. Love yourself in whatever situation you may be or however desperate you may be ... There is always something to be grateful and happy about. Even people around you should be supporting. Tell people to cheer you up, watch comedies, read motivational books (they ALWAYS make me the happiest person alive) ... You cannot cure a disease with negative thoughts. In this case, obesity is a disease.  Do whatever makes you the happiest and think positive.

2. Lack of motivation. It's easier to make a perfect plan to lose weight than to actually follow it. There are motivational sites online that can motivate you. Chose a partner to workout with to support each other, buy only healthy food (it's easier if your roommates, partner, family eat the same as you do. I have quite a problem with that :)). Whatever has more than five ingredients, should not be in your kitchen. It can be a little bit time consuming at the beginning to read ingredients on each product, but once you know which one are healthy and good for you, shopping becomes faster.
No excuses, please. There is no such thing as: "Oh, I have three children, I cannot be slim anymore.", "I'm genetically obese, it's in my family.", "I have no time or money." blah blah. If you think so, then you cannot be slim and fit and healthy. There are many incredible stories out there. Even Jillian Michaels was obese in her teenage years and look at her now ... She is one of the taughest fitness gurus out there. Her books are A-mazing, her site is amazing, check her out, she is such a great motivation.

3. Overeating. Even though you eat healthy, portion sizes are very important. Here is a little picture of how much you should eat:

Buy a smaller plate, eat five to six times a day every three hours rather than just pig out in one meal. Always have a snack with you so you don't get tempted by fast food at every corner. Drink loads of water, it helps you control hunger ... Just listen to your body. Whenever I eat something highly processed I feel sick, sometimes even for two days. My body just hates it. And when I want to eat something bad or just want to pig out, I always say to myself that I worked so hard to get where I am now and that I love my body, and my body is the only place I have to live ... I don't want to camouflage my hard work with food. Do you?

4. Stress. Nowadays stress can be a really serious and common problem. It makes your life harder, you are nervous, you can find "comfort" with eating or you completely forget to eat or can't eat at all.  No problem cannot be solved.  Start every morning with a smile and say to yourself that you're going to have the best day ever. Try to meditate to relax. Here is a great short guided meditational video, I try to listen to it every day if I can and it really helps. Or maybe just close your eyes and breathe slowly and think positive. Write down some positive affirmations, such as: "I can handle whatever comes.", "I can find balance in my life.", "I can accomplish anything.". Google it, there are plenty more great ones.

5. Be patient. Losing weight can be a long process. And living healthy should be lifetime long. You will not lose weight over night, because you didn't even gained weight over night in the first place. It may seem long, but trust me, it's so worth it at the end. When you are healthy, you are happy. You feel like you can do and accomplish anything. It all just comes together. It may sound cheesy, but it's true :).

So I was thinking for the longest time if I should post this picture or not ... but what the heck, it's already online, so why not :)
The first picture is me about 4 years ago, about 25 kilograms heavier. The other two pictures are from last year, I think they were taken in February. And I actually haven't changed a lot since then. I gained muscle, which is fine with me :).

If I did it, you can do it, too. :)

Stay healthy,
xoxo Deja

P.S.: If you have any more questions about anything, please ask in a comment section of you can e-mail me (dejazu.blog@gmail.com). :)