- If you drink tea or coffee every morning, start by cutting back from half-half or whole milk to lowfat milk or almond milk. You will be AMAZED at how quickly you’ll see a difference with just this tiny change. AND, as crazy as it may sound, I also recommend switching from artificial sweeteners like splenda to sugar in the raw, because I find I crave more sweets all day if I use an artificial sweetener than I do if I use real sugar. (I used to be a splenda addict but I avoided it when I was pregnant and now I notice that Splenda leaves a sweet taste in my mouth all day that I can’t get rid of and I don’t get that with sugar).
- Find a high fiber and protein, low sugar and calorie breakfast that you can enjoy and try to stick to it. I only eat Kashi Go Lean Crunch or oatmeal every morning. It gives me a lot of energy, keeps me from getting hungry too early, and is one less meal I have to worry about.
- If you have an infant who isn’t able to eat what you eat yet, keep things like fresh veggies, hummus, and pita’s around for a quick and healthy sandwich. If you have a toddler, just make one lunch for the two of you to share and only make a small amount more than you would normally make for yourself.
- Drink as much water as you can. The exact amount you need varies depending on altitude but generally you should be drinking about 64 oz a day (which I really need to work on).
- Try to spend at least 30 minutes out for a walk, playing with your toddler (ie chasing them, not playing peek-a-boo!), cleaning, running up and down stairs, or doing an aerobic video of some sort.
If you make these changes, I really believe you will notice a difference!