Mind you, I'm no expert. But I've narrowed it down to seven things I think you do need. (I'd love to hear if any of these methods have worked for you!) I don't want to be cheesy and say "A positive attitude!" although, #let'sbehonest, that's a good thing to have. And I'll probably do a post with five attitude and habit changes you need to make in order to be successful. But I'm a visual person and I think sometimes, we need to invest a little in what we can see and touch to keep up our motivation and track our goals successfully. So here you go. My top seven (in no particular order):
1. A measuring tape. Oh, you thought these were just for measuring obnoxiously huge desks you bought on OfferUp? Or perhaps sewing? Not quite! Measuring tapes are key for tracking your fitness. The best part is they're relatively inexpensive - mine came from a sewing kit at the Dollar Tree Store (#RIP)! Why is this key? You cannot always trust the scale. You know. That little digital demon that cackles as it rises and falls - the one that gives us anxiety every time we go to step on? While knowing your weight loss is important, checking your measurements is a far more accurate way to track progress. When your body first starts to gain muscle, you're likely to see your body transform more than your scale. This is because muscle is denser than fat - meaning that it takes up less space. As you burn the fat from your body and gain muscle, your measurements will decrease. Why? Again: Muscle is leaner than fat. Here's a gross illustration:
Notice the difference? Take your measurements and focus on checking these biweekly and limit yourself to that scale once a month. Most exercise programs recommend checking your thighs, hips, waist, chest, and biceps. Personally, I check errrythang so I don't miss any non-scale victories. I check my calves, lower and upper thighs, hips, stomach, waist, chest, biceps and triceps. They're great motivators!
2. Measuring cups/spoons. I think this one requires little sass. Measuring cups are super important to track your portion sizes. In addition, they allow you to measure out food in advance so you can meal prep with my #3 tool you need. These are also relatively inexpensive and can be purchased at Dollar Tree stores or regular chains like Shoprite, Walmart, or Target. A common misconception is that measuring portions should be used with uncooked items - this is generally false. We all know that uncooked pasta is a lot smaller than cooked which has cooked, absorbed water (and salt if you're Italian) and expanded. So a cup of uncooked pasta will typically get you around what, 2-3 cups cooked? Measure your portions by the cooked amount so you're not overeating. And how do we measure? With those handy dandy cups!
3.
Tupperware. Okay, I have the cups. Now what do I do with my portioned food? Well, if you're not eating right away, you'll probably want to store leftovers and portion those out for quick access to a full and healthy belly. You put it in tupperware! I'm personally a Rubbermaid fan because of multiple size and lid color options, but any of them will do. These are key to meal prep, which you'll want to start doing to make life easier. (Make time one day a week and prep for a few meals in advance. I typically do 3-4 days worth.) You can also use plastic baggies (there are some available that have measurements on them but I would measure yourself first!) as well, but that's not my preferred method. It works for others, though, so do you, boo!
4. A reusable water bottle. Cutting back on plastic recyclables? Cool! Saving money on buying water? Sweet! Even though most of these are also plastic, they're sturdier, last longer, and you can even purchase Eco-friendly ones! I use the one above. Why do you need a water bottle? You need that H2O! Water keeps you hydrated, helps you feel fuller for longer periods of time (thus cutting back on your desire for that second helping of Mac & cheese), and helps to detoxify your body among other great benefits!
Most people think they're getting enough water. Something I hear a lot is "Oh, I drink plenty of water." I know I used to think so, too. But just like I'll allude to in another tool (peep #6), if you don't physically see your intake, you won't have a true idea. Humans by nature are really bad at predicting things, so it's best for visible tools. Really you need to be drinking 1/2 your body weight in OZ every day. So somebody weighing 140 lbs should shoot for 70 OZ every day. So it's super beneficial to have a water bottle that either clearly labels how many OZ it holds or that lists it underneath the bottom.
"But Elise, my bladder! Won't I need to pee a lot more?" Yes, imaginary person, you will! Coming from the girl who can't drink on road trips and still needs to stop a plethora of times to pee, you will absolutely need to make a bunch of bathroom trips at first. Your coworkers might look at you funny because you'll be excusing yourself more often, but eventually your body will adjust and so will your judgey peers.
5. A food scale. Food scales are a life saver and relatively inexpensive. You can pick one of these up on Amazon or at chain stores for $10-15. I have a Greg one that's lasted a few years now. We've grown pretty close. Good scales work out for us with portion sizes as well. I'm sure you've noticed on the back of anything with a nutrition label something like: Serving size: 1/2 cup (28g). Sound familiar? Because some may be heavy or light handed with their measuring devices, having a food scale makes sure you have exactly the serving size you're looking for.
You can easily measure something and zero out the scale. So if you have a measuring cup for 1 cup, place it on your scale. Press the start/on button and it should zero out the scale - 0.00 g/oz/or whichever you choose. This acts as if the measuring cup isn't there and will strictly measure the rice or pasta or oats you're pouring in.
Food scales are also a blessing for tracking calories. I know, I know. Calories can be scary. But if you're consuming more than you're burning and what you need to fuel, that's where non-muscle weight gain will come from. You might measure a cup that actually comes out to 1.5 servings of something. Aka .5x more calories than you intended and bam, you're off for the day. Do yourself a favor and invest. They're small, light and easily stored.
6. A food journal. Hear me out. I was a super skeptic of food journals. In fact, it's something recent that I decided to commit myself to. I'd always felt like I gauged what I ate relatively well and frankly, I hate handwriting anything. Handwriting food intake seemed arduous and silly...
Until I started paying attention to caloric intake. Remember I mentioned it with our water bottle? I would get frustrated at my weight and measurements staying the same or going up. I'm working out every day and eating well! What gives?! More often than not, I wasn't getting enough calories. Healthy or not, I was depriving my body. And other times, I would completely forget I'd had a yogurt or some licorice or a granola bar and thus overeat for the day.
Ever since I started writing down exactly what I ate, when I ate it, the calories in it, and how I felt when I ate, it's made a huge difference. I've been getting more calories in and laying off the unhealthy stuff. (Mind you, it's not all about calories. Some healthy fats - avocados and nut butters, for example - are going to be highly caloric and good carbs may seem a bit much. You need these for energy! Just pay attention to how much of what's going in your mouth.) It also has really helped me target when I'm eating more and less. Are you eating when you're bored? Not at all between the hours of 1 and 5? Work on that. I have been and it's making a difference in my nutrition and fitness.
Write down everything. Every beverage. Track your water intake too. Was that soda worth the 180 calories you could've had in pasta, meat, or fruit? Do you really need a fifth Apple today? Probably not. (I do love me some apples though.)
7. An accountability partner. Accountability partners are so vital when you need motivation (note: a trendy thing is to call them success partners in the coaching world #You'rewelcome). My best accountability is my friend Gabbie, who I've mentioned a handful of times. We are across the country but we Skype in while we are doing work outs. We do our own thing, but when we see the other slowing down or giving up, we yell through the phone and kick butt. It's awesome to have somebody close by to physically go work out with - we used to live a few minutes apart - but when you don't, things like Skype and FaceTime are great.
Accountability partners can be made anywhere. If you get a free account under me at Beachbody, you have access to message boards where you can find one. You can find one in Facebook groups or challenge groups (like the ones I run) with people who have similar goals, and all of them are typically free. You can have your coworker go on walks with you! It's not somebody who is gonna yell at you (although I need it... those last ten minutes are rough); it's somebody to check in with so you stay on track. If you tell me you're going to the gym MWF this week, I will be checking in with you each day and sending you motivation. Having somebody there to vent with frustrations and celebrate with successes builds community, increases motivation, and encourages you to reach your goals.
I'd love to help you out if you need one. This blog helps to serve as my accountability some days!
And while we are here, can I just say I freaking adore this tank? Gabbie, if you're reading this - we must invest! What better way to work out with your bestie than in a witty fitness tank?! I stumbled upon it looking for a photo and came across this adorable Etsy shop stocked with fitness tees both funny and encouraging. I contacted the owner Suzanne before jacking her photo and she was super sweet! She even has Christian tanks if you're a believer of Christ like I am. My personal favorites are the one above and one that says "Food. Faith. Fitness - Health the way God intended!" Head on over to her shop and check it out. I will be making my own purchase in a few paychecks once I'm settled into my new place. P.S. No, she didn't ask me to say these things and no, there's no swanky discount but I'm always excited to share handmade and more organic shops. So if you have one, shoot me a message! Head on over to Suzanne's shop Funny Workout Shirts here:
So there you have it folks. Let me know what you think. Stay tuned!
