Well it's a new year and of course a new YOU! So why not start your New Year off with reading this blog that could possibly help with your 2014 resolution!!! One of the top resolutions on most people's list is of course to lose weight. Perhaps it could be to get healthier, start exercising, or even eat better. Well your girl has got you covered! In this post I will discuss some of the products I have accumulated around my house that have been instrumental in me losing some weight that I hope never to find again!
I have said before that abs are made in the kitchen! You can't out exercise a bad diet. So quite naturally let's start in the kitchen.
1.
Ziploc Sectional Containers-Target/Amazon $4-6
If you follow other healthnuts on Instagram I am sure you are aware of these bad boys! They are sectional containers which are great for meal prepping! You make a few healthy meals for the week and then pre-package them for easy grab and go daily. I don't always have time to meal prep in advance so I do so nightly. This makes it easy for me to package my breakfast, lunch, and snacks to take to work. The good thing is I am more likely to eat what I brought in each container than derail from my diet. Yes I work with some lovely folks that love to make, bake, and bring in treats every day! Temptation is real folks, but I just stuff my face with what's in my containers so I have no room for anything else. I also use these containers to package my daughter's healthy lunches.
2.
Water Bottle-Walmart, Target, etc
Water is key to losing weight and being healthy. It is often difficult to get in enough water daily, but I have found these water bottles to help with that. The green one is a Brita filter one and holds 20oz. I contantly refill it and guzzle. The pink one is 32 oz and I like to use it to infuse my water with fruits and mints. Doing this little trick helps me to get a lot of my water in take for the day. I usually drink about two of the pink bottles and two or more of the green one.
3.
Coffee Pot
Coffee to lose weight? Well I have read several articles that tell you it's fine and others that say it inhibits weight loss. I for one don't rely on coffee to help me to lose weight. I do enjoy a cup of joe every now and then, but this coffee pot is used to boil hot water. I love to have hot water readily available to make my teas in the morning. I also use it to make oatmeal. I find that I grab for it more than you would think on a daily basis.
4.
Ziploc Steamer Bags-Walmart/Target $3-4
Losing weight is not about going on fad and crash diets. It's not about eliminating most food groups. All you really need to do is eat lots of veggies! That of course can get boring, so steaming them is one way to spice them up. Who wants to go through the process of setting up a steamer and waiting..waiting...waiting. Not this girl! These steamer bags are easy to use. You just put your veggies in the bag with whatever seasoning and/or oils, pop it in the microwave, and in a few minutes wahla! Part of dinner is served! This works for my family, but maybe not for those of you avoiding microwaves. This is also great for steaming veggies to make them easier to puree for recipes and soups. Note: I don't use the microwave for cooking daily.
5.
George Foreman Grill-Walmart $60
I had a smaller one of these that are great for single serve items, but thanks to the Army movers, it broke. SO this summer I bought a big one to be able to grill a lot of food at one time to have to eat off of most of the week. That's a busy mommy tip thrown in there for ya! I use this baby to grill veggies (grill those first) and meats to last for a few meals for the week. It cuts the fat, comes out tasting great, and I have healthy meals at my disposal.
6.
Nutribullet-Target $100
I have had this nutribullet for over a year now. Check out my you tube channel
FitNaturalBelle on YouTube
for a full Nutribullet review and recipes. As I mentioned, I have had this nutribullet for over a year now and it still works great. I use it daily for everything such as smoothies, juices, purees, soups, hummus, food processing, etc. When I say I use it multiple times a day for EVERYTHING, I do mean everything...even making deep conditioner for my hair! The nutribullet has been great in helping me to make quick and easy meals and snacks to lose weight and be healthy.
Moving on to the living room....
7.
Dumbbells
LADIES...lifting weights will not make you look like a man! Don't be afraid of the weights. Strength training is key in your workout if you are trying to lose weight. You build muscle, burn fat, and get a leaner toned look. I have dumbbells that I have gotten from Target, Walmart, and Bed Bath Beyond for different prices. I did not buy all of these at once. Take your time in accumulating different sizes. I currently have 3, 5, 8 and 10lbs. I would like to eventually add 15, 20 and 25 to my collection. I have a lot of workout dvds that incorporate strength training, but I also love to use them when I just want to come up with my own workout.
8.
Workout Dvds
If you are going to have dumbbells, then you need some workout dvds! I don't have the time or childcare to go to the gym. I have to rely on workout dvds. I have found these to be more effective in me losing weight than when I was going to the gym. Some of the dvds I listed have given me great results. If you are short on time there are a ton of dvds that are 10, 20, 30 minutes! We all got time for that!
9.
Magazines
I know I know, we are in the technology day and age where we rarely buy CDs, magazines, newspapers, etc. Well I'm still a bit old fashion and can't resist buying a good old magazine. I actually subscribe to several health and fitness magazines. I find that reading them and looking at the visuals help to continually motivate me to stay on track. They are also filled with great info and recipes. Just pop it in your bag and pull it out any time. I even cut out some of the workouts, recipes, and motivational articles to paste in my fitness journal.
10.
Eat Clean Diet Books
I am a big Tosca Reno fan. She writes the Eat Clean Diet books. I have read most of her books and love them all. The few that I own, I have read several times and is always using the tips and meal plans. Tosca Reno breaks it down on how to eat clean and what it really is. Having a good diet is really what will help you to lose weight. In order to do so, you have to educate yourself and have tools in your toolbox. Tools such as healthy recipe options so that you don't get bored. You also need a blueprint or a meal plan to get you on track! These books have all of that and more. So check them out! Yes you can get them at your local library...wait am I the only one still using the library too?
