There are few things that I dread worse than grocery shopping. Funerals, PAP smears, and paying bills are the only things I can think of at this moment. But my hatred of grocery shopping every week has finally come to an end, because my local Walmart finally moved up in the world and offers free grocery pickup. Yay! So I'm going to share my experience with those who are curious about the process.
The Ordering Experience
The first time I placed an order, it did take me about an hour to do so, but that's because my attention span is short, and I multi-tasked placing the order and chatting with my fellow Blockheads about NKOTB stuff. Typical. But it also took a little while because it was my first time placing an order, so I had to search for everything. On subsequent orders, I had the option to choose from a list of items that I previously ordered, so that sped along the process a little. It's still faster than shopping in the store.
It's super easy to find exactly what you want. And the total price is readily available and updates each time an item is added, so it's easy to keep up with if you're trying to stay under a certain dollar amount. I've found that I actually save money, because I'm not making any impulse purchases, and I don't buy more groceries than I actually plan on using. The only downfall I've realized so far is that you can't use coupons. For someone who uses a lot of coupons or money saving apps like Ibotta, that kind of sucks. However, I will occasionally go inside to shop specifically for the items I have coupons/money back deals for if it's a significant amount of savings. It's still quicker to grab those few items then pull around to pick up my online order than it is to shop for the entire list. However, you can still use the Walmart Savings Catcher, because they provide a TC# on the app that you can copy and paste.
Once you're finished adding everything to your cart (if you've forgotten something, you can still add it within so many hours before your pickup time), you choose your pickup location and time. Pay close attention while choosing your pickup location. My explanation is detailed in the pickup experience section below.
Then, you can check whether or not you want to allow substitutions. Usually, if a substitution is needed, you'll get the same item in a larger quantity for the same price as your original selection, or a variety of smaller sizes to equal the desired amount. But sometimes they'll substitute another brand. So make sure that you uncheck any items that you absolutely don't want substituted.
I picked up a $10 off first order code in store before ordering, so I added that when I checked out. You can share a personal referral link with friends, and if they use it, they will get $10 off their order, and you'll also receive a $10 code. So if you're interested, use my referral link to get $10 off your first order! (No shame.): http://r.wmt.co/gU6Bc
When your order is ready, you'll receive a notification by email, text, and/or app, depending on what all you've signed up for. I usually get one about 15 to 20 minutes before the pickup time I've chosen. You can go ahead and check in when you're on your way. You don't have to wait until you arrive.
The Pickup Experience
Okay, as with 92.8% of everything in my life, things didn't go as planned my first time. It went something like this...
I got the notification that my order was ready for pickup at 1:43 p.m. I had scheduled the pickup for 2-3:00 p.m., so that was perfect. I finished up what I was working on and was on my way soon enough. But first, as directed, I checked in using the mobile app.
My drive was a mere 6 minutes from work, and I had no trouble finding the pickup area, because there were plenty of signs and painted pavement to lead the way. So I pulled into one of the designated parking spots, and I checked the app, which shows your location on a map, to see if it recognized that I was there. It didn't. Well... it was in this moment - when it said that I was still 32 minutes away - that I realized I obviously entered the wrong pickup location when I placed the order.
To say that I was mad at myself would be an understatement. I cursed myself thoroughly, and proceeded to put my vehicle in reverse before someone approached me and I looked like the idiot that I really am, and headed to the correct/wrong location, 32 minutes away. I wanted to cry.
Y'all, I swear that I chose the right location before I even put the first item in my cart. I know I didn't dream that. As a matter of fact, it asked me to enter my zip code very first thing, and I'm pretty sure the only location that came up was the one that I intended to use. I don't know what happened. But either I or something in cyberspace went wrong, and the whole point in me using the pickup thing was moot, because I was going to have to drive over an hour out of my way, round trip.
But anywho... other than that goof up, the rest of the experience wasn't so bad. I did have to wait exactly 20 minutes before the nice lady loading groceries approached my car to ask my name. There were two other vehicles there before me. And the lady apologized and told me that she was the only one working. So I get it. But I've had no other problems with waiting on subsequent trips, but they've all been at a different location than the first one.
If any substitutions are made, or something isn't able to be fulfilled, they'll go over that with you before you sign for the order. And, of course, you don't have to accept the substituted items if you don't want them.
On my first trip, I was told that there were two items that were substituted: A 3-pack of spearmint Trident gum was substituted for the mint bliss flavor that I'd ordered. No biggie, except I dislike the spearmint kind. But I didn't fret about it because I knew my kids would gladly accept it, so no biggie. The second item that was substituted was a bag of frozen sweet potato fries. I was told that, "They substituted it for another brand, and it actually has more ounces, at no extra cost." Great, right? Nope. When I got home, I discovered that they actually substituted the fries with a package of diced butternut squash. I'm dead serious. I guess I could've taken it back, but that would've cost me another hour of my life, and I just didn't have the energy at that point. So that's why I suggest paying close attention to what you've checked to be substituted if needed, and also viewing the substitutions before you accept them.
You don't have to step out of the car at all. It kind of makes me feel weird sometimes. But that's what's supposed to happen. And at first I didn't know if I should tip or not. I didn't, and later found out that they're not allowed to accept tips, so that made me feel better.
Also, you should get a goodie bag on your first order. If they don't offer it, ask about it. The nice lady on my first trip didn't realize it was my first order until I mentioned it so, then she asked me to wait for a minute while she got my gift bag. It was a little reusable tote that contained a jar of Prego spaghetti sauce, a V8 energy drink, and some Monster 20 ounce energy drink. Oh, and a sample of these new little chewy candies. So that was nice.
A Little FYI
I definitely recommend the service. But I feel obligated to point out one more thing...
About about 3 orders later, I happened to notice multiple charges on my credit card that I didn't recognize, from a Walmart in Bentonville, Arkansas (which I later learned is where Walmart headquarters is located). I did as anyone would do and called my credit card company. Long story short, they cancelled the card and overnighted me a new one, and said they wouldn't hold me liable for the charges. Well... later on I thought I should look and see where the last place I used the card was before those charges occurred so that I might be able to pinpoint where my information was obtained by this thief. This is when I realized that my Walmart grocery pickup orders weren't on there. BUT when I added up the totals of those fraudulent charges.... Well, I probably don't have to tell you the rest. So it turns out that when you add items to a grocery order that you've already scheduled for pickup, each item you add is charged separately. To me, that would've been valuable information to know before I made a fool of myself and had to call back to say "my bad." It also would've kept my walmart.com account from being locked. I couldn't order anything at all on walmart.com for 6 months after that. I'd place an order, and it would automatically cancel, and I'd have to call. It took 11 separate orders and me being ugly for someone to finally transfer me to their corporate team (which I asked for them to do on multiple occasions but they wouldn't so much as transfer my call to a supervisor) to get my account straightened up. So I'm telling you all of this so that I can maybe save someone else from embarrassment and a ton of frustration.
Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
Saturday, April 7, 2018
Realistic Fitness And Diet Advice For Real People
"Like you need to exercise."
This statement has been said to me numerous times when someone finds out that I exercise regularly. And it's almost always followed by an eye roll. My response is always the same: "Well, if I didn't exercise, I wouldn't look like this." Duh. Do you think Jillian Michaels doesn't need to exercise? Because a body doesn't get much better than that. Maybe she should just stop right now. I'm sure she'd look exactly the same in a few months.
This statement has been said to me numerous times when someone finds out that I exercise regularly. And it's almost always followed by an eye roll. My response is always the same: "Well, if I didn't exercise, I wouldn't look like this." Duh. Do you think Jillian Michaels doesn't need to exercise? Because a body doesn't get much better than that. Maybe she should just stop right now. I'm sure she'd look exactly the same in a few months.
Another favorite: "You're so skinny. You can eat whatever you want."
First of all, no, I'm not skinny. I may be smaller than today's average person. But I'm well within a normal BMI, and trust me, I have plenty of fat. I think a lot of people don't realize that being called "skinny" can be offensive. It doesn't necessarily offend me, but I don't want to be described as skinny. I'd rather be "in shape" or "fit" or "healthy." Just because I'm not overweight, it doesn't mean that I'm skinny. Okay? Okay. And just because you saw me eat a piece of pie at lunch today, that doesn't mean I can eat whatever I want. I mean, yes, I can, but I don't. If I did, I'd double my weight, no lie. I love food, y'all. Food is life.
But seriously, it doesn't matter what you look like, we all should do some form of physical activity as often as possible. I totally get that a lot of people have zero interest in exercise, and that's fine. To each his own. But for those who have any interest at all, I'm going to share my experience with you, and give you some realistic advice for real people. But first, I want to discredit some myths.
Spot Reducing Fat
I often see people sharing posts on Facebook saying something along the lines of "Get a flat belly with these simple exercises." A huge misconception is that you can spot reduce fat by exercising a certain group of muscles. It's not possible. While you can obviously increase muscle mass by concentrating on a desired muscle(s), fat burns evenly over the entire body. Now, if you're dieting properly, you may see fat disappear from your problem areas before the rest of your body. But that's not because you're only losing it in that area. It's because you have more fat there, so that's where it's going to be noticeable first. So don't waste your time doing 200 sit ups a day, because it's not going to flatten your belly if you need to lose weight all over.
Exercising Alone Is Enough To Lose Weight
You can exercise all you want, but unless you improve your eating habits, you're probably only going to lose a few pounds quickly and then plateau. You have to consistently burn more calories than you consume in order to lose weight. So if you're eating exactly the same as you ever have, and you add routine exercise to the mix, yes, you'll probably lose a little weight. Maybe you'll even lose a lot. But then it becomes so easy to throw in that extra snack or second/third helping and think, "It's okay, I'll exercise later." And then there will be some excuse to not exercise that day. And having that "I'll exercise later to make up for it" kind of attitude is basically viewing exercise as punishment. So you're going to need to make some changes to your diet.
That being said, a drastic diet isn't necessary to lose weight. Near the end of this post, I'll list some simple ways to reduce your caloric intake, without making huge changes to your diet. It's just as important, if not more important, as exercising. And my best advice about exercising is to start slow. Try exercising 2 or 3 days a week. Even if it's walking 30 minutes above what you normally do, that's a start. And walking is something your whole family can enjoy together. And only aim to lose 0.5 to 1 pound a week. If you find that amount to be easy, then go for more. But 2 pounds should be the max.
I Have To Do Cardio
If I had to do cardio with every workout for exercise to be effective, I'd have given up a long time ago. If running or other aerobic exercises aren't your thing, that's perfectly okay. As long as you're moving and burning calories, that's all that matters. I've realized that even strengthening and flexibility exercises rev up my heart rate. I may or may not reach that target heart rate that's recommended by professionals to get in a true cardio workout. But I don't really care, because it still works for me. My point is just make sure you do something, anything, to get your body moving outside of your normal routine and increase your activity as tolerated.
Find the type of exercise that you enjoy. You're more likely to stick with it if you enjoy it. And don't choose something that's too challenging. Work your way up. I've tried everything from Zumba to using a Bowflex to HIIT circuit training exercises. Personally, I enjoy just about anything as long as it's not too repetitive. And it's important to switch it up. If you're always doing the same exercises, your body is going to get used to it and you'll stop benefiting from it.
If I Use Weights My Muscles Will Get Too Big
Don't even worry about this one, because it's not true. Unless you're doing some heavy duty weight lifting, you're not going to bulk up. I only use 2 and 5 pound hand weights during some of my workouts. And yes, I noticed some tiny growth in my biceps and forearms in the beginning, but barely enough to give me a little definition. The same happened with my legs just by using my own body weight. But that's a good thing! You're not going to look like a bodybuilder unless that's your goal and you workout accordingly.
Weight Is An Indicator Of Progress
Stay off of the scales. Seriously. Especially if your goal is to lose weight, stay off of the scales for a while. I do think it's important to weigh yourself when you begin your journey, if you're trying to lose weight, because obviously you need to know your starting weight. But it's even more important to take measurements. A simple internet search will give you all kinds of suggestions on the best ways to do measurements. Write them down, along with your weight, or log them into a fitness app, whatever. Then forget about it for a while.
Unless you're only doing cardio, such as running, what's likely going to happen when you first start exercising is this: You're going to lose fat, but you're also going to gain muscle. So in the beginning, you're not going to see the pounds drop, and that can be super discouraging. Much better indicators of progress are measurements or noticing how your clothes fit. For example, when I completed the most recent program that I participated in, I only lost 1.6 pounds. My goal wasn't to lose weight, but that was still such a disappointment. All that work those 12 weeks was for 1.6 pounds?! That was my first thought. But then I reminded myself that I no longer had to struggle so much to fit into my skinny jeans. And then I took measurements and compared them to when I first started the program. I'd lost 5.75 inches! That may not sound like a lot, but on my frame, it made a difference. And best of all, I felt better. I had more stamina than I'd ever had, plus I slept better and didn't feel so tired all day. Not to mention, it was a confidence booster. I'll share a review of the program I did in another post soon, complete with before and after photos.
Tips, Tidbits, And Tricks To Improve Your Diet
So this is the part where I'll share some advice that works for me.
First of all, don't expect overnight results. In this world today, it's all about instant gratification. But it's unrealistic to see a difference after a week or two, plain and simple. Besides, it's healthier to lose weight slowly anyway. Plus, you're more likely to keep the pounds off if you lose it gradually. Even if you're not trying to lose weight, but want to tone up, or whatever your goal is. It takes time. I'm talking two or three months, not weeks.
Crash diets are no good. One of the worst things you can do is drastically reduce your caloric intake. Your body will go into starvation mode and cling onto every bit of fat that it can. I highly recommend using a fitness app to keep track of your calories if your intention is to lose weight. I know there are tons out there, but I've always used My Fitness Pal. Even if you're not trying to lose weight, but want to get fit, I still think it's a good idea to keep track of what you're eating. It'll help you see where you may need to improve your eating habits.
Pay attention to portion and serving sizes. Measure your food if you need to. What you think is a cup may really be almost 2 cups. And you'd probably be surprised to see what 1 serving of some foods actually is. Pop Tarts probably aren't the healthiest example to give here, but I remember the first time I looked at the nutritional value on the package, and realized that 1 serving is actually 1 pastry, not 2, which comes in 1 package! So that 200 calories is actually for only half of the package. That's crazy!
I don't believe it's necessary to become obsessed with the nutritional content of everything you eat. For beginners, I think it's far more important to concentrate on portion sizes and maybe making a few substitutions to the diet you're used to eating. I mean, if you want to go cold turkey from an eat-what-you-want diet to 100% clean meals, then more power to you. That's awesome, and realistic, actually. But it takes a lot of willpower to do something like that. When I first got serious about making changes to my diet, I pretty much ate the same foods I always did, but with changes. What worked for me were these things:
-Don't eat second helpings.
-Eat slowly and stop when you start feeling full.
-Have a treat now and then, just don't over-do it. If you deprive yourself, you're more likely to cave and overeat. I treat myself to something sweet not every single day, but most days. I just make sure that I only have a little of it. If it's cookies I'm craving, I'll have 1 or 2 instead of 3, or whatever the full serving is. If I want ice cream, I'll have a Yasso frozen yogurt bar. They're only 100 calories.
-There are a lot of snacks that may not necessarily be "healthy," but they can be "healthier" substitutions. Chips are a good example. I recently discovered Terra chips, which are real vegetable chips, and they taste every bit as good as Doritos and such, but they're not as bad for you.
-Skip the bread. I often have a hamburger with all the toppings, but without the bun, and eat it with a fork. Want a turkey sandwich? Forego the bread and roll up all the toppings inside the turkey.
-Use salsa instead of ketchup.
-Switch to unsweetened almond milk. I only recently did this, and I love it! Unless I'm drinking it straight up, I can't even tell the difference.
-Cut down on carbonated beverages. This was the hardest thing ever for me. But what worked was first switching to a diet soda once a day, then weaning myself down to one every other day, and so on. I'll still drink diet soda sometimes if I'm eating out. But the best way to avoid it is to not buy soda in the first place.
-And that brings me to this: If you know you shouldn't be eating something, don't buy it!
-Instead of sweet drinks or fruity drinks, have water with a low/no calorie flavor packet added.
I promise if you take control of what you eat, after a while you won't miss what you're not having.
The most important thing you can do is educate yourself. There are endless articles on healthy eating and making lifestyle changes out there.
As for exercising, you can always find time to fit in 15 or 20 minutes most days. How much time per day do you spend looking at your phone for no particular reason at all? Most of us do that for several minutes, if not hours, every day. Put down the phone and throw in an exercise DVD. Or don't put down the phone, but pull up a workout on YouTube that looks interesting. You don't even have to do the whole 30 minute workout or however long it may be. Just do as much as you have time for.
This is all my own personal advice. I'm not a doctor or fitness expert by any means. I'm just sharing what has worked for me. I'm a very busy single mom of 4 kids and I have very little free time to workout or even cook healthy meals every day. I know if I can do it, so can you. Just do the best you can. What works for me may not work for someone else. We're all different. And we all have different goals. It's very important to find what works for you personally, taking baby steps if you need to. There may be some trial and error involved. I know there was lot of that for me.
If you have something you'd like to share, I'd love to hear all about it. And I'd also like to share a couple programs that I've completed that have made a huge difference for me, both mentally and physically. Stay tuned for that future post.
Spot Reducing Fat
I often see people sharing posts on Facebook saying something along the lines of "Get a flat belly with these simple exercises." A huge misconception is that you can spot reduce fat by exercising a certain group of muscles. It's not possible. While you can obviously increase muscle mass by concentrating on a desired muscle(s), fat burns evenly over the entire body. Now, if you're dieting properly, you may see fat disappear from your problem areas before the rest of your body. But that's not because you're only losing it in that area. It's because you have more fat there, so that's where it's going to be noticeable first. So don't waste your time doing 200 sit ups a day, because it's not going to flatten your belly if you need to lose weight all over.
Exercising Alone Is Enough To Lose Weight
You can exercise all you want, but unless you improve your eating habits, you're probably only going to lose a few pounds quickly and then plateau. You have to consistently burn more calories than you consume in order to lose weight. So if you're eating exactly the same as you ever have, and you add routine exercise to the mix, yes, you'll probably lose a little weight. Maybe you'll even lose a lot. But then it becomes so easy to throw in that extra snack or second/third helping and think, "It's okay, I'll exercise later." And then there will be some excuse to not exercise that day. And having that "I'll exercise later to make up for it" kind of attitude is basically viewing exercise as punishment. So you're going to need to make some changes to your diet.
That being said, a drastic diet isn't necessary to lose weight. Near the end of this post, I'll list some simple ways to reduce your caloric intake, without making huge changes to your diet. It's just as important, if not more important, as exercising. And my best advice about exercising is to start slow. Try exercising 2 or 3 days a week. Even if it's walking 30 minutes above what you normally do, that's a start. And walking is something your whole family can enjoy together. And only aim to lose 0.5 to 1 pound a week. If you find that amount to be easy, then go for more. But 2 pounds should be the max.
I Have To Do Cardio
If I had to do cardio with every workout for exercise to be effective, I'd have given up a long time ago. If running or other aerobic exercises aren't your thing, that's perfectly okay. As long as you're moving and burning calories, that's all that matters. I've realized that even strengthening and flexibility exercises rev up my heart rate. I may or may not reach that target heart rate that's recommended by professionals to get in a true cardio workout. But I don't really care, because it still works for me. My point is just make sure you do something, anything, to get your body moving outside of your normal routine and increase your activity as tolerated.
Find the type of exercise that you enjoy. You're more likely to stick with it if you enjoy it. And don't choose something that's too challenging. Work your way up. I've tried everything from Zumba to using a Bowflex to HIIT circuit training exercises. Personally, I enjoy just about anything as long as it's not too repetitive. And it's important to switch it up. If you're always doing the same exercises, your body is going to get used to it and you'll stop benefiting from it.
If I Use Weights My Muscles Will Get Too Big
Don't even worry about this one, because it's not true. Unless you're doing some heavy duty weight lifting, you're not going to bulk up. I only use 2 and 5 pound hand weights during some of my workouts. And yes, I noticed some tiny growth in my biceps and forearms in the beginning, but barely enough to give me a little definition. The same happened with my legs just by using my own body weight. But that's a good thing! You're not going to look like a bodybuilder unless that's your goal and you workout accordingly.
Weight Is An Indicator Of Progress
Stay off of the scales. Seriously. Especially if your goal is to lose weight, stay off of the scales for a while. I do think it's important to weigh yourself when you begin your journey, if you're trying to lose weight, because obviously you need to know your starting weight. But it's even more important to take measurements. A simple internet search will give you all kinds of suggestions on the best ways to do measurements. Write them down, along with your weight, or log them into a fitness app, whatever. Then forget about it for a while.
Unless you're only doing cardio, such as running, what's likely going to happen when you first start exercising is this: You're going to lose fat, but you're also going to gain muscle. So in the beginning, you're not going to see the pounds drop, and that can be super discouraging. Much better indicators of progress are measurements or noticing how your clothes fit. For example, when I completed the most recent program that I participated in, I only lost 1.6 pounds. My goal wasn't to lose weight, but that was still such a disappointment. All that work those 12 weeks was for 1.6 pounds?! That was my first thought. But then I reminded myself that I no longer had to struggle so much to fit into my skinny jeans. And then I took measurements and compared them to when I first started the program. I'd lost 5.75 inches! That may not sound like a lot, but on my frame, it made a difference. And best of all, I felt better. I had more stamina than I'd ever had, plus I slept better and didn't feel so tired all day. Not to mention, it was a confidence booster. I'll share a review of the program I did in another post soon, complete with before and after photos.
Tips, Tidbits, And Tricks To Improve Your Diet
So this is the part where I'll share some advice that works for me.
First of all, don't expect overnight results. In this world today, it's all about instant gratification. But it's unrealistic to see a difference after a week or two, plain and simple. Besides, it's healthier to lose weight slowly anyway. Plus, you're more likely to keep the pounds off if you lose it gradually. Even if you're not trying to lose weight, but want to tone up, or whatever your goal is. It takes time. I'm talking two or three months, not weeks.
Crash diets are no good. One of the worst things you can do is drastically reduce your caloric intake. Your body will go into starvation mode and cling onto every bit of fat that it can. I highly recommend using a fitness app to keep track of your calories if your intention is to lose weight. I know there are tons out there, but I've always used My Fitness Pal. Even if you're not trying to lose weight, but want to get fit, I still think it's a good idea to keep track of what you're eating. It'll help you see where you may need to improve your eating habits.
Pay attention to portion and serving sizes. Measure your food if you need to. What you think is a cup may really be almost 2 cups. And you'd probably be surprised to see what 1 serving of some foods actually is. Pop Tarts probably aren't the healthiest example to give here, but I remember the first time I looked at the nutritional value on the package, and realized that 1 serving is actually 1 pastry, not 2, which comes in 1 package! So that 200 calories is actually for only half of the package. That's crazy!
I don't believe it's necessary to become obsessed with the nutritional content of everything you eat. For beginners, I think it's far more important to concentrate on portion sizes and maybe making a few substitutions to the diet you're used to eating. I mean, if you want to go cold turkey from an eat-what-you-want diet to 100% clean meals, then more power to you. That's awesome, and realistic, actually. But it takes a lot of willpower to do something like that. When I first got serious about making changes to my diet, I pretty much ate the same foods I always did, but with changes. What worked for me were these things:
-Don't eat second helpings.
-Eat slowly and stop when you start feeling full.
-Have a treat now and then, just don't over-do it. If you deprive yourself, you're more likely to cave and overeat. I treat myself to something sweet not every single day, but most days. I just make sure that I only have a little of it. If it's cookies I'm craving, I'll have 1 or 2 instead of 3, or whatever the full serving is. If I want ice cream, I'll have a Yasso frozen yogurt bar. They're only 100 calories.
-There are a lot of snacks that may not necessarily be "healthy," but they can be "healthier" substitutions. Chips are a good example. I recently discovered Terra chips, which are real vegetable chips, and they taste every bit as good as Doritos and such, but they're not as bad for you.
-Skip the bread. I often have a hamburger with all the toppings, but without the bun, and eat it with a fork. Want a turkey sandwich? Forego the bread and roll up all the toppings inside the turkey.
-Use salsa instead of ketchup.
-Switch to unsweetened almond milk. I only recently did this, and I love it! Unless I'm drinking it straight up, I can't even tell the difference.
-Cut down on carbonated beverages. This was the hardest thing ever for me. But what worked was first switching to a diet soda once a day, then weaning myself down to one every other day, and so on. I'll still drink diet soda sometimes if I'm eating out. But the best way to avoid it is to not buy soda in the first place.
-And that brings me to this: If you know you shouldn't be eating something, don't buy it!
-Instead of sweet drinks or fruity drinks, have water with a low/no calorie flavor packet added.
I promise if you take control of what you eat, after a while you won't miss what you're not having.
The most important thing you can do is educate yourself. There are endless articles on healthy eating and making lifestyle changes out there.
As for exercising, you can always find time to fit in 15 or 20 minutes most days. How much time per day do you spend looking at your phone for no particular reason at all? Most of us do that for several minutes, if not hours, every day. Put down the phone and throw in an exercise DVD. Or don't put down the phone, but pull up a workout on YouTube that looks interesting. You don't even have to do the whole 30 minute workout or however long it may be. Just do as much as you have time for.
This is all my own personal advice. I'm not a doctor or fitness expert by any means. I'm just sharing what has worked for me. I'm a very busy single mom of 4 kids and I have very little free time to workout or even cook healthy meals every day. I know if I can do it, so can you. Just do the best you can. What works for me may not work for someone else. We're all different. And we all have different goals. It's very important to find what works for you personally, taking baby steps if you need to. There may be some trial and error involved. I know there was lot of that for me.
If you have something you'd like to share, I'd love to hear all about it. And I'd also like to share a couple programs that I've completed that have made a huge difference for me, both mentally and physically. Stay tuned for that future post.
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