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Achieving Your Health Goals Can Be Selfish—Here’s Why That’s a Good Thing!

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Nobody wants people to see them as selfish, but when it comes to your health and wellness, putting yourself first is a good thing! Nobody can eat that broccoli for you or go on that jog in your stead, so it’s all on you to make your health a priority and get after it. If you feel like the hustle and bustle of the day is getting in the way of your health goals, here’s why you should double-check your priorities. Your Health Should Come Above All Else We all have priorities. Whether it’s your job, your kids, or your personal health, how you prioritize things can have an overall impact on your happiness. The thing is, your health and maintaining your body should come above all else. You only get one body—and its gotta last! Unlike your car, you can’t get a new one once it starts slowing down, so it’s essential you’re doing what you can to keep things running smoothly. It can be tempting to sacrifice your personal needs for others, and to a point, this is laudable behavi...

Is Your Current Weight Loss Program Doing More Harm Than Good?

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So, you’ve been on this diet for a few weeks. How’s it going so far? Even if you’re starting to see the needle move, if you’re on the wrong diet or eating program, you might crash and burn. Is trouble ahead? Here are some huge red flags to look for.  It Isolates You From Social Events You need flexibility in your program, and if you’re stuck eating the same three foods at the same exact time, you’ll likely become that person. There’s nothing wrong with sticking to your carrots when you go to a barbeque, and your goals should come before all else. But, if your diet has you bringing food containers to an event (and not to take home their yummy leftovers) then you should think about how flexible it really is. Want to know a secret? There are meal plans out there that let you actually live and enjoy your life! Weird to think, huh? Whether it’s a combination of intermittent fasting weight loss and carb-loading, or a low-carb, high-protein split, you can find something that keeps ...

5 Milestones to Celebrate on Your Health and Weight Loss Journey

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When you’re first starting out on your health, weight loss, and fitness journey, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. From the things you have to say “no” to, to the change in your daily habits, just the thought of altering your lifestyle forever can be intimidating. Which is part of the reason why the key to anything life-changing is taking baby steps. It’s also vital to allow yourself to celebrate and take pride in those small steps. So, whether you’re well on your way to achieving your final goal or you’re just starting your health journey, here are five milestones worth celebrating along the way. You Move the Needle The first and perhaps most celebration-worthy milestone is when you move the needle of the scale for the first time. After years of either not giving fitness and nutrition any thought or following the wrong diet or exercise regimen, you're finally seeing results. It can only get better from here, so pat yourself on the back and keep moving forward. Your Clothes Stop...

Does the Early Bird Get the Results? A Few Reasons to Consider Exercising in the Morning

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To some, mornings suck. Waking up and working out first thing seems like a faraway dream that isn’t worth the effort in the end. Not true! If you aren’t a natural morning person, going without hitting snooze at least once can feel like a huge accomplishment in and of its own. That’s step one. Keep going, let’s get you up, moving, and sweating in the mornings. While exercising in the evening is better than not exercising at all, here are a few reasons why the early bird truly does get the worm when it comes to reaching your health goals. Feel the Early Burn If you’re an avid follower of intermittent fasting weight loss , then you'll know how effective fasting for set periods can be at boosting your metabolism and kicking your body into fat-burning mode. When you exercise in the morning as opposed to in the evenings, you can shift that process into high gear first thing in the a.m.—one study even found that if you exercise on an empty stomach as opposed to a full one, you can b...

Brunch Date Coming Up? Stay On Your Weight Loss Plan with These Tips

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Spring is here, and with the weather warming up and your favorite spot opening their patio space, you know what that means—it’s officially brunch season! Brunch is a sacred time for most of us and gives us a chance to pause, catch up with the girls, and enjoy some sunshine on the patio. What could go wrong? Well, there is that one little thing you might have forgotten—your diet. Luckily, you’re following a flexible, brunch-friendly weight loss meal plan . But even so, you can’t just go hog-wild after merely smelling some French toast. If you have a brunch date (or many) coming up, these are some easy tips that will help you stay on track with your health goals.  Plan Ahead A huge part of keeping your meal plan in check is planning well in advance what you’re going to eat when you get to brunch. If you just show up and wing it, chances are you’ll eat a big plate of pancakes and syrup with a side helping of regret for later on in the day. On the other hand, if y...

Hit a Weight Loss Plateau? Here Are Some Things to Try

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No matter what diet or weight loss plan you follow, it seems you’re bound to hit a plateau eventually. Hitting a plateau is essentially when your results start to slow down and finding the motivation to keep going can be a bit frustrating.  It happens to the best of us. Whether you’re on a low-carb plan or are following an intermittent fasting weight loss program, the plateau can feel inevitable. The good news is that many have overcome it and you can too if you have the right mindset and consider the following tips. Inspire Yourself It’s easy to let the number on the scale dictate how you feel about your progress, although your weight loss goal is really only part of the equation. When that number hasn’t moved much in a week or two, it’s easy to get discouraged and feel like this is as good as it gets. Having a positive mindset is probably the most crucial part of breaking through a plateau, so take a moment to look back and inspire yourself. If you took ...

Five Low-Carb Substitutes for Your Favorite Foods

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Meeting your health goals, be it to lose weight or eat healthier foods (or both!), feels nearly impossible for some, while for others the process appears effortless. The truth is, anyone can conquer their health goals, including weight loss, with the help of an effective weight loss meal plan and the right fitness routine.  In recent years, low-carb diet phasing has shown success for many people, but as you go down that path, you might start missing your favorite carb-filled foods: buns, bread, pasta, potatoes, and more. The good news is you can have variations of these foods with a low-carb twist if you know what to use. Here are five low-carb substitutes to try: Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti is an all-time favorite comfort food for many. It’s filling, tasty, and versatile. The thing is, this crab-loaded dish doesn’t fit in a low-carbohydrate diet. Luckily, nature invented a vegetable version of pasta in spaghetti squash that is just as fork-twistingly fun to ...