Here we go again- 50 pounds smaller!

Hi Ana! I'm Shannon

Well, starting is the first & hardest (in my opinion) step! So you are already headed in the right direction. Any questions you ever have, feel free to ask away. Obviously, what works for me may not work for you, but I am always open to share my tips & what has lead to my success.

- Track every single thing you eat/drink. Measure everything. Be accountable & honest.
- Drink lots of water. I keep a cup with a straw with me all day & am constantly filling it up. Yes, I do have to go to the restroom every 10 minutes... but it's worth it!
- Eat lots of fruits & vegetables. That's pretty much all I eat during the day. On WW, fruits are 0 points so I got in the habit of eating lots of them. Every hour or two, whenever I feel hungry, I have a serving of fruit. I am trying to incorporate more vegetables throughout the day. And then for dinner I will have a lean meat & some vegetables. Maybe a sweet potato or some rice or something. Lately, I have been making myself a huge salad for dinner that I am obsessed with! Spinach leaves, diced tomatoes, sliced hard boiled eggs, sliced avocado, black beans & then a home made salad dressing that is so delish- a tbsp of balsamic vinaigrette, tbsp of honey & 1/2 tbsp of evoo. Seriously, so yum.
- Little to no alcohol.
- Be as active as possible. Every little activity helps. I would go on walks with my dog or just run around with him. Clean the house when I got home from work instead of just plopping right on the couch. I lost 40 pounds just from healthy eating & being slightly more active before I even started incorporating working out. I truly believe what you put in your body is the most important thing for losing fat, but, working out & being active will help your body in sooo many ways & it will also help you to stay on track with your eating. After a hard workout, the last thing you will want to do is eat something to ruin it!
- Take progress photos. This is my BIGGEST motivator. It's so hard to notice changes to your body because you see yourself everyday. I took a photo on day 1 & have continued to take photos along the way. Comparing those photos side by side has been truly motivating & eye opening. Do it!!!
- Last but not least (for now.) It's ok to have those cheat days/meals. Some people disagree, but this is what worked for me. I am such a food lover. If I deprive myself of something & tell myself I can't have it, I will fail. I will binge & want it that much more knowing that I can't. I give myself 1 day a week to eat whatever I want. Sometimes, what I want isn't all that bad. But most of the time, it is! It satisfies me & keeps me going & eating on track for the next week. I have lost weight pretty much every week, even with my cheat days. Would my progress be moving faster without them? Sure. But I know for me, this is what works.

Hope I helped & good luck!