Are you tired of looking in the mirror? Do you hate the image staring back at you? You hate it so much that you want to break the mirror and just scream out loud. Do you want to live longer and lose weight and improve your overall mood? Then look no further and start making the change.

I see you! Drop that soda or sweet treat and replace it with a healthier option. Eat right and stay active. Easier said than done, right? Of course. I’m guilty of eating my feelings. Who doesn’t? Binge eating like me and eating empty calories gets you nowhere except diabetes and other health problems. I’ve struggled with weight for the past 13 years and I hate it as much as the next person. You gain weight easier than you lose weight. You start replacing good wholesome foods for bad and weight gaining foods. Think of the box below: Eating CRAP.

Been there. I’ve drunk my fair share of diet sodas, naughty coffee drinks, and eaten too much sugar, sweets and other fattening foods. I’ve also had my fair share of a lovely fast food addiction since college. Before I knew it, I ballooned up to 240lbs. OUCH. This is what I get for not taking care of myself and numbing the pain of depression. I’ve lived in pure denial when it comes to my eating habits until recently. I’ve been slowing transitioning to healthy eating instead of CRAP eating. Soda is now becoming a lost cause. Bye bye. It was nice to meet you. All you did was make me fatter and more gassier because of the acid and carbonation. Same thing goes with fast food. Bye bye. It was nice knowing you, too. No more heading out to lunch or dinner when I can make something healthier for me. No more excess portions and crap loads of fat, sodium, and poor stomach issues. My stomach is better without your acids. My heart thanks me, too. No more bloating, no more gassy, no more constipation, no more acid reflux. No more.

Today is a brand new day. We are focused on getting active and eating better well-rounded meals. We will not starve nor deprive oneself of food. Just more emphasis on fruits and vegetables, proteins, good fats, low carbs, energy boosting foods and lots of hydration with water. If we’re nice, then a once in a blue moon treat will be offered.

You may ask how am I going to do it? By doing the following:

• Consult with your doctor on what health conditions run in your family and get tested. 
  • For me, the following conditions plague the family tree: diabetes, hypothyroidism, heart disease, hypertension, mental illness, stroke/heart attack and etc. Hilariously, when you’re 5’5′ and hit the scale at 230lb (now), you’d be the perfect candidate for diabetes and other health problems. I got tested and all tests were clear.
  • Talk openly with your doctor if you feel you have unexplained weight gain or loss and get tested.
  • You maybe surprised as to what pops up when you get tested. It may explain a lot of things.
• Create your meal plan
  • Try to eat around the same time everyday. Easier said than done.
  • Figure out what meals you’re going to make. Food log!!!
  • Prep your meals in advance. You can cook all your meals on a weekend and freeze them and thaw them out the night before. Great idea.
  • There is no miracle diet! Only smart eating. Pick a meal plan that’s low in fats and carbs and higher in protein and fiber. Your body and your overall mood will thank you.
• Start a food log
  • It may seem tedious, but starting a food log isn’t a bad idea.
  • Write down what you ate and at what times. It also will help you count your calories.
  • Download or create one on your computer, your phone or print one out on your fridge to help you stay healthy and motivated.
• Start exercising
  • You didn’t expect weight to come off that easily by just eating healthy? Nope it doesn’t work like that.
  • Start by taking baby steps.
  • Start walking around your neighborhood. Start small and increase it the walk each day.
  • Download various fitness apps on your phone to help you stay motivated especially pedometers when you’re walking.
  • Get those 10,000 steps in!
  • Add some weights and cardio to the mix.
  • Seek out a fitness center or local gym if you want. YMCA is still available.
  • Get a trainer (if you have the money for one)
• Be a smart shopper and a smart eater
  • Eat smarter and become a smart shopper.
  • Keep an eye of your intake of sugar and sodium.
  • If you live at Starbucks (like yours truly!), then choose your options wisely! Stick to unsweet tea (herbal teas if you’re working late!), water and unsweetened coffee. Look at the labels. Look more at consuming oatmeal with just nuts. Look at the egg protein boxes. You can get your daily allotted of fruits in that box in one sitting. Apples and grapes are yummy and help relieve your sweet tooth cravings. All the other foods such as breakfast sandwiches, paninis, and pastries are loaded with too many calories and high sugar and sodium counts. The quinoa salad has over 1000mg of sodium by the way! Yikes.
  • Start stocking up on the main food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, lean meats and low-fat dairy products.
  • Skip past the junk food and soda aisle. Same thing with the bakery aisle, too.
  • Invest in some weight loss supplements (contact your doctor before starting those!)
  • Intermittent fasting. Limit your food intake by 7pm.
  • Speak with your doctor about your calorie count intake for the day. At 5’5′, my doctor prefers a daily intake of no more than 1500-1600 calories. Again, this is different for all!
  • Hydration, hydration, hydration! Drink your water! Spice it up like me.
• Don’t deprive yourself
  • Just because we’re eating more healthier doesn’t mean we can’t have a cheat day. You can squeeze in a comfort food such as chocolate but only in small amounts. Preferably, dark chocolate vs. milk or white chocolate.
  • Moderation is the key!
• Losing weight the right way
  • Exercise, exercise, exercise
  • If you’re a walker like me, then download a pedometer on your smart phone and start walking. This will count your steps, counts the calories that you’re burning and allows you to set your daily goals.
  • Keep moving!
• Stay focused
  • Keep an eye on your blood glucose levels, your cholesterol levels, and etc.
  • Don’t give into temptation. Resist the urge.

So this past Monday, I did a full physical and everything came back normal. Yay! However, dieting and exercising are a must! Besides, I look so fat in my vlogging videos that it gives me more reason to lose weight. So I started watching what I was eating and I’m sticking to a low carb, high fiber and protein diet and exercise plan. Goodbye to the soda and nasty sweets that have you hooked on a fever. One of the best investments has been my water/tea infuser pitcher for $10.

One of new favorite sites is http://www.infusedwaters.com. It’s worth checking out. Drink straight filtered water can be really boring. Tell me about it. There are so many yummy recipes that help you stay full and hydrated throughout the day. One of my absolute faves is the Apple Cinnamon Water and the Lemon Lime Water. So easy to make and so healthy for you, too!

Another great investment has been a pedometer app on my smart phone. This baby lets you set your daily, weekly and monthly goals and tells you how many steps you’re taking and lets you know how many calories that burned off. And also tells you the distance that you went, too. Cool, huh? I think so.

When it comes to the scale, I try not to stare at it nor stand on it. Imagine my frustration when I hopped on the scale and it showed that I gained 0.7lbs since Monday. Monday, I was lighter. I was like “Really, I just spent three days walking for more than 1.5 hours and walked over 5 miles each day.” Again, scales are scales. I don’t really rely on them and it’s only 0.7lbs. I try not to get worried about it. Besides after three days of walking, I’m exhausted. My legs, feet, and muscles are sore! Not to mention, I have a full-time job and I’m on my feet for 8-9 hours a day. Shouldn’t I be lighter than that???? Don’t stress over it. Weight will not melt off that fast. It takes time, commitment and determination. I can do this.

I will say this: eating better and walking more has been a lifesaver. It really helps my mood, depression, anxiety so much. I don’t know why I was always looking in the wrong direction or thinking about it in the wrong way, but it’s good to be active. My sleep has been a lot better. It feels like I’m doing something right for the first time in my life. My goal for December is to be down another 10-15lbs when I see my doctor. Maybe impress him and get down more? But take it one day at a time and carefully, too. I might even join a fitness center and find other workouts like yoga or something exciting. The sky is the limit.