Spinning Three Tip Tuesday!

Tuesday is that random day in the week where you aren’t quite close enough to Friday yet you can’t even recall the weekend that just passed. Nothing too exciting about Tuesday until lately…

Enter Spin Tuesday. I just love Ernie, the spin instructor at Lifetime.

It has become my standing appointment where I inform people in my world, “please do not call me, text me or expect me between the hours of 9:45am-10:45am – got it? Thanks”.

Now, before I get to some fabulous tips for today, can we please discuss the new Chobani Bites? I normally eat plan greek yogurt and mix in my own fruit and toppings to avoid what  I feel are pointless added sugars.

If there are going to be pointless sugars, let me be in charge of adding them, right?

HOWEVER –  I used the coupon that I posted on facebook to buy a 4 pack  of the Raspberry with Dark Chocolate for my son figuring it was a new, different and decent snack for school.

I was opening my plain greek yogurt this morning and the raspberries and pieces of chocolate from the Chobani Bite container were calling my name.

I had to open one and taste it. Let me just say, yum. Delicious. You must try it. Now.

100 calories, 8 grams of protein. Chocolate included. Need I say more?

If you have yet to “like” The Cookie ChRUNicles on facebook, do so asap so you can get the coupon link and save yourself some money.

Moving on, it is time for my ever- fabulous tips of the week.  If you have missed the past few Tuesdays, I forgive you. Click here.

This week’s topic and tips revolve around a technique I have learned while studying to receive my certification in Nutrition for Optimal Health, Wellness and Sports.

We all know that people often look to lose weight the quickest and easiest way possible. Choosing a fad diet, crash diet or food elimination diet doesn’t work.  You know this. I know this. Everyone knows this. Yet over and over it seems to be the chosen route rather than just choosing to adapt a healthier lifestyle.

Diets don’t work long term. Balancing healthy choices (with your occasional favorite indulgences) and an active lifestyle does.

But it takes time. Nothing is a quick fix. Expecting a 10, 20 or 30 pound weight loss in a week  is not realistic.

Adjustments, changes and weight loss does not happen overnight. Expecting immediate results will only backfire, especially when you want to maintain any type of weight loss.

How about making small changes. Small changes add up and lead to big (and lasting) results.

How do you do that you wonder? How do you go about making the small changes that will lead to your big results?

START, STOP, KEEP

Each week, sit down and think about your goals using the following 3 steps:

1. Start- think of one thing you can start doing in the week ahead. Foe example, maybe you can eat more fruits and vegetables, drink more water  or start exercising for 30 minutes a few days a week.

2. Stop- now think of one thing you can stop doing in the week ahead. Maybe this means you can cut out a bottle of soda a day, cut out a processed snack or pack your lunch for work instead of eating out.

3. Keep- now think of one positive thing you currently do and keep doing it! Maybe you already exercise, drink your daily cup of Green Tea, eat your daily apple – keep it up!

At the end of each week, re-evaluate. Set new goals for yourself each week using Start, Stop, Keep.

Such a simple yet effective method to start on a path of healthy, easy to adapt changes rather than some crazy low carb-low food-only eat grapefruit or bananas at 3:00 pm diet.

I think we can all do this, even if we aren’t looking to lose weight. It is the perfect opportunity to give thought to our lifestyle and habits.

I need to know:

Have you ever tried a fad diet?

Are there things in your life that you can start, stop and keep doing?