Little Changes Can Bring Big Results!

I think one of the biggest detriments to being successful at making healthy food and lifestyle choices is the idea that you have to "do it all at once."  Often when I decide to "diet", I radically change my lifestyle and eating habits. More often than not, I end in failure soon after I begin.  I become defeated, overwhelmed, and hopeless because I can't seem to "do it."

During a time in my life that was especially trying and stressful for me, I found myself complaining to a friend.  Her response to my complaints was "How do you eat an elephant?"  I thought it was the oddest question, and I wasn't sure how to answer, so I simply shrugged.   Her answer was so simply obvious that it made me laugh.  "One bite at a time."  Of course!

I have since applied that to a healthy lifestyle. Making all the changes that I need to make to truly be successful is like a huge elephant, and the idea of "consuming" such a task is completely overwhelming to me!  However, by breaking it down into bite size steps, it doesn't seem nearly as daunting, and actually is easier to achieve.

I made 5 small changes this week to my diet that, over time, can pay off big for me.  I hope you will give them a try, too! (My thanks to Dr. Oz for the great ideas and information!)

1.  Shirataki noodles in place of white pasta.  Shirataki noodles are Japanese noodles that have few calories, are gluten free, and fat free.  By replacing white pasta with shirataki noodles, you could lose 11 pounds in a year!

2.  Blue potatoes instead of white potatoes.  Blue potatoes have the same taste and consistency as white potatoes, but have 30 less calories per serving.  You can make them exactly the same as white potatoes, and you could lose 3 lbs. a year by making the switch.

3.  Pearl barley over white rice.  Pear barley is high in fiber and fills you up faster than white rice.  By making the switch, you could lose 3 lbs a year.

4.  Pretzels instead of potato chips.  Pretzels are 50 calories less per serving than potato chips.  If you chose a whole grain variety, you'll be doing even better!  By replacing potato ships with pretzels in your diet, you could lose 6 lbs. in a year!

What does this all mean?  It means that by making these 4 small adjustments and picking better carbs, you could lose a whopping 23 pounds in a year!  That is huge!  I know that for me, 23 pounds is half of my weight loss goal!

You don't need to make these exact changes.  Look at your family's eating habits.  Are there areas you can make a single change to healthy living? I bet you will be surprised at how easy you can achieve your goals without feeling overwhelmed or deprived, one small change at a time!  Over time, you will see big results in your health!  Give it a try today!