Want to lose weight, well there are 7 strategies you have to do to psychologically and physically set yourself up to lose weight!

1.   Organize Your Home: A disorganized home can interfere with achieving your health and fitness goals. Assess the mess in your home by going through every room and decide what needs to be dealt with (purge too), and then figure out a way to keep it organized permanently.

2. Shop Healthy: Stop buying junk foods and replace them with high-quality nutritious foods.  You’ll ultimately save on those doctor bills because you will get healthier. Cut costs by creating a weekly meal plan for breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, as well as snacks, and then tally up the ingredients you’ll need and prepare a shopping list.

3. Cook and Prepare Meals in Advance:  If a busy schedule is keeping you from making homemade meals, knowing that there is already something healthy in the fridge or freezer that you can simply reheat will help you resist fast food or other unhealthy dining options. Cook a few meals in advance each week to serve midweek or later. Soups, casseroles, and stews made with lean protein and plenty of vegetables and they can be frozen and used later on.  I cook things on Sunday and have them throughout the week.

4.  Take Time to Eat at Each Mealtime: Taking the time to savor your meals can actually aid your weight-loss. When you sit down to enjoy what you’re eating, thinking about every bite, you’ll feel more satisfied and eat less. Mealtime is also designed to give you a break from your hectic schedule and allow you to catch up on what’s happening in the lives of your family and/or friends. This is also good role modeling for your children.

5.  Healthy Snacks:  Regular mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacking can be a challenge, particularly when you’re on the go. But with some planning and preparation, you can put together a healthy assortment of snacks to help curb your hunger and prevent cravings. Bring a bag containing healthy options like part-skim mozzarella cheese sticks, chopped veggies, low-carb protein bars or shakes, measured out nuts or nut butter, hard-boiled eggs, and/or lean deli meats.

6. Prioritize Consistent Exercise:  I have classes and incorporate them into my weekly calendar.  I think of it as like going to my second job.  I just do it. Regular exercise can help keep your metabolism revved so you lose weight faster. In addition, exercise can also help prevent the onset of diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, by reducing belly fat, high cholesterol, and high triglycerides.  Get at least 20 minutes of either cardio conditioning or core-strengthening exercise on most days of the week. But you should also aim to move more every day. The smallest movements add up and will improve your weight-loss results.

7.  Get Sleep!  You can never be truly healthy if you don’t get enough quality sleep. Recent studies show that people who sleep less tend to weigh more. Being sleep-deprived can also increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems. Also, if you are groggy throughout the day, you are more likely to snack and therefore, mess up your diet. If you continue to have trouble sleeping, see your doctor about assistance.  Try taking herbal supplements and turn off the electronics a good 30-60 minutes before bed.  The light from these items can affect your sleep.