Tricks, Tips, and Ideas! - Mindy Irish Fitness

-by Mindy Irish
I recently sat down with a friend to sketch out a master plan to help set some new habits in motion. I always say that if you feel you’ve found gold, then you must not keep it to yourself, but rather share it with others as well!

Disclaimer: I have a degree in Physical Education from Indiana University and am a former competitive athlete and coach. I’m not a trainer or dietitian, but rather a live-and-learn type of gal. I’ve sat through many weight loss meetings, researched online, connected with organizational pros, and sifted through several different diet plans along the way. With all that info, I’ve tried and tested many systems and put good habits into motion. Through trial and error, I’ve hit some goals, blasted a few plateaus, and made changes to me, inside and out! Want to learn a few tips and ideas that have worked for me? Read on!

I’m letting you in on my top secret strategies for getting to your goals. So top secret, that I’m sharing it with all of you! It’s not just about hitting a number on the scale. It’s about getting you to a new and better you!

This is the inside scoop to the meeting I had with my friend. This is what I shared with her and what she’s putting into motion and having success with so far!
1. Track Daily using MyFitnessPal (or your choice of app or program…just write it somewhere!)

-track as your are preparing the meal or eating; don’t wait….you will forget!

-track ahead and input your calories for a later snack or meal…saves time

-be honest. You snack it, you track it! Don’t cheat you!

2.Eat 4-6 times daily

-more often and smaller is better

-set times to eat, put it on a to-do list or phone alarm of when to eat…you will get busy and forget! For me, it’s that mid-afternoon meal that I often forget. Kids, work, life….but, my to-do list tells me to eat!

-need a to-do list app? May I suggest Toodledo? Works for me!

3.Spread your total day’s calories over the number of meals and make those your small goals; consider bumping up your daily calories by 100 to shock your system occasionally, too!

-If you eat 1200 calories, for example:

over 4 meals=300/meal; over 5 meals=240/meal; over 6 meals=200/meal

-On a really high activity day, eat a little more to fuel the burn; not so on a rest day

4.Aim to increase certain foods in your diet

-For my friend, it is vegetables. For you, you decide! What’s healthy and missing or needs to be seen more often in your daily fuel?

5.Challenge yourself and go on an elimination period. What do you eat daily or every other day that could be bringing your results down? Set a goal to cut it out and see how you feel. Go for a week, two weeks, one month without it. You’d be surprised how easy we get on “autopilot” and just eat what we’ve been eating for years. But maybe it’s holding us back? I won’t tell you what to cut out. You have to figure that out! If you want to know what worked for me, I happily share that! Email me here: [email protected]

6. Find your balance! Refuel your body as needed in controlled situations. Allow yourself to enjoy, but track and then get back on track. Never let a slip turn into a slide!!

Fit friends, you are so worth the structure of planning your meals, setting eating times, and making better choices. It takes time, it may cost more, but your health is worth it! Every day, every choice is an investment into you and your future. The compound effect of tracking daily, eating frequently, and having an organized plan will catch up to you (in a good way!) sooner or later. Don’t give up after one, two, four weeks if you are not seeing change. It’s coming…..Keep on keeping on!

Questions about any of my “secret” tips or ideas above? Let’s chat soon!

Email: [email protected]