Five Effective Ways to Lose Weight

1. GET EDUCATED- In recent years, there have been many documentaries created on food and nutrition in order to inform the public and raise awareness. A few that have been helpful to me in my own journey towards a healthier lifestyle are Hungry for Change (see trailer below), Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead, Food Matters (see trailer below), and Food Fight (actually, I have not seen this one, but it looks good). With knowledge can come the motivation to break free from poor eating habits and avoid foods that are toxic to your body. Once you decide what information you feel is important to apply to your own food choices, start making it happen one step at a time. Don't get overwhelmed by feeling like you have to change everything all at once. You might begin by switching your regular eggs to the cage-free kind and ditching the Crystal Light in your cabinet for some Tru Lemon.  Whatever it may be, changing something is better than changing nothing! (Please note that I do not agree with everything stated in the documentaries)

2. GET STEVIA- In other words, get off sugar and all other harmful sweeteners, such as aspartame, splenda, and nutrasweet. There are countless studies that prove these chemicals are dangerous to your health and overall ability to function. Remember, sugar is not just in candy and cake, but hidden in white breads, white pasta, and packaged snacks. High fructose corn syrup = sugar. Low fat = high sugar. As previously stated, educate yourself on sugar and sweeteners and discover healthier substitutes. In the Decker household, we use stevia to create chocolatey concoctions and coffee coolatta's; sweeten strawberry smoothies and yummy Greek yogurts; (ok, you get the point). Addicted to soda? Try these stevia-sweetened alternatives. 
On a side note, watch out for temptress Pintrest! Scrolling through dozens of pictures of delectable desserts will not only make your mouth water, but send you straight to the kitchen in the name of "creativity". It's fine to have a little fun baking every now and then, but if you find that sugary Pintrest treats are daily sabotaging you, just stay away from the site :).
 *Be the first person to share the link to this blog post on your facebook page and send  me an email saying that you did and I will send you 50 packets of my favorite stevia! 

*1 winner only--offer only valid to those within the 48 US states

3. GET MOVING- This is a pretty obvious one, right? Your body was not created to live a sedentary life! There are so many benefits of exercising in addition to weight loss that it deserves it's own separate post. You may find it difficult to get into a routine at first, but the endorphin's your body produces from a good, sweat-breaking workout will keep you coming back for more!  Don't stress about joining a gym or paying a personal trainer. While these are definitely beneficial, there are plenty of things you can do without paying a dime. Of course walking and running are the obvious free options, but if you can't leave your house because of kiddos, order a fitness dvd (Cathy Friedrich is my favorite) or check out websites such as Fitness Blender that provide great home workouts for females from start to finish. Here is a workout routine that I did with my Boot Camp ladies last week. No equipment required :)

4. GET REAL-

My Real Breakfast 

Whole, natural, clean, real; however you want to put it, these are the words that should describe the bulk of your diet. Look high and low when you are shopping the grocery aisles, as this is where the healthier items tend to be found. As a rule of thumb, stick mainly to the perimeter of the store where fruits, veggies, meat, and eggs are located. Now I know the first thing that comes to most of our minds when we see the italicized words above is the dollar sign. While all-natural, organic items do tend to be a bit pricier, my man and I try to focus on three motivating factors when we grocery shop: 1. Eating nutritious foods will keep us healthy, therefore cutting down on the cost of medicine and doctor visits both now and as we age 2. Eating nutritious foods will sustain us longer, while processed meals and snack foods are empty calories and make us want more (they are meant to be addictive) 3. There are some foods that have a higher pesticide-residue than others. There are some foods that we eat on a regular basis and in larger quantities than others. Let's focus on going clean with those foods first.  
Lastly, if you have a smart phone, download the Fooducate app. to help you "make better choices at the supermarket"!

5. GET ACCOUNTABILITY- Growing up, my mom and I helped each other make wise food choices; in college, my roommate and I encouraged each other to avoid the "freshman 15", and as a married woman, my husband is my nutrition teammate! He won't let me bring home frosted miniwheats, marshmallow whip, or brownie mix from the store and I must admit, I am thankful that he doesn't!  (I don't buy cheese puffs, pizza rolls, or hungry man meals for him, and I'm pretty sure he appreciates it too, but I'll let him speak for himself:) The whole point is, we keep each other on track and accountable to our lifestyle goals. Does this mean that when we go out to eat we stick to a grilled chicken salad, hold the cheese, with a side of edamame? No, we do splurge on occasion and enjoy Olive Garden's bread sticks  Red Robin's fried egg burgers, and Sweet Frog's candy bar toppings (as long as we put a strawberry on top). However, this is not the norm. We both strive to keep our home a haven from junk food and our overall diet a healthy one. It would be a lot harder for me to stick to my goals without my handsome accountability partner (i.e. Jared)! I hope you have someone in your life that can help you stay on track. 

Take care of your bodies, ya'll!
~Charity~