Back in 2017 when I was making a true commitment to getting healthy, I had to figure out how to change my bad habits. One of my biggest changes I wanted to make was not to drink alcohol. Drinking would always make me crave all the unhealthy fried foods, and sweets the next day, so I knew that was a must.

So I exchanged drinking alcohol, with drinking plain seltzer or sparkling water with no flavorings, because I wanted a healthy exchange. I would also find myself buying the family size bag of potato chips and consume all of them on the way home, not a healthy choice. So instead of taking away the chips completely, I did a step down method, and would buy the lunch size bag at the check out register.

Any of the diets I had ever tried in the past, always wanted me to change 20 things at once, for me that was not my path to victory. We are humans creatures of habit, one at a time is enough. Changing one habit is challenging and takes time, effort, and intention.

I stopped calling it a diet, and traded that for lifestyle change, because it only works if were willing to commit to change, in my experience. That’s why it has taken me nine almost ten years to be where I am today. Because I wanted to create a healthy life, for my lifetime, not for just a moment.

Our health is our freedom specially as we age, so exercise is part of my healthy lifestyle. I started out with a bang and did kickboxing, for over a year and a half. That was therapy, being able to punch and kick out all my unexpelled emotions was very therapeutic for me.

Today I do what is called a lazy workout, I will do counter push ups while I am cooking on the stove, ab exercises in the morning before I get out of bed, squats, if I need to use the bathroom. I also park far away to the back of any parking lot, it’s usually easier to park there anyways, return your cart! Easy ways to increase your steps. So much easier if you build it into your routine throughout the day.

A good old fashioned walk, and I add a meditative quality to it, because you don’t have to race walk for it to be effective. In fact I found that finding a pace that’s comfortable for my nervous system was much more effective, a calm nervous system releases the weight more naturally for me.

When changing habits remember to love yourself through it, not every day will be perfect. Every new day is a new start, always! I also include God, I talk his ear off constantly, surrendering the old up to him, or to the universe, or what you believe in works as well. Amen!