Losing weight or making other healthy lifestyle changes boil down to repeatedly doing the behaviors that support these goals and eliminating those that don't.   In other words creating good daily health habits!  Diet's and extreme interventions don't work. Making small but effective incremental changes in your daily routine does.  Here are five healthy habits that will support weight loss, weight maintenance, and help you to kick ass well into your golden years.

As a personal trainer, coach, mother, and woman I am very familiar with the tendency of women to put the needs of others first.  It is an admirable quality and speaks to the strength and deep caring nature of women.  I think, unfortunately, it is also a major stumbling block in the way of women becoming their best selves in the arena of their own health and fitness. 

How healthy is your gut?  This is NOT a sexy question.   It should be of interest, however, if you are trying to lose weight, improve digestion, or simply optimize your overall wellness. Over the last couple decades scientists have been closely studying the bacterial gut environment, or microbiome.  What they are learning is that our gut bacteria have critical functions that are key to good health.

I say this to myself and my clients fairly often.  For me, at 55, it would be so easy to rationalize my bit of belly flab. I could just chalk it up to childbirth.  I could (and did) blame it on the natural metabolic slow down that comes with age.  I could keep telling myself there’s not much I can do. It’s not that bad anyway.   But, the problem is, that’s a load of crap.  And I knew it.

i am one of those rare people who absolutely love exercise.  When I wake in the morning some of my first thoughts are of my workout for the day.  I look forward to hitting the gym. I relish and am even grateful for the opportunity to move my body and get stronger.

Great news for anyone trying to lose weight!   One-size-fits-all diet plans are finally going by the wayside.  The latest research shows the best way to succeed in losing weight is to do what is right for YOU.  According to an article in a recent issue (6/05/2017) of Time Magazine, the best kept secret about weight loss is, "no single diet from low carb and Paleo to low fat and vegan will work for everyone."

No matter how motivated and fired up you are to get to the gym and work on your fitness goals there will inevitably be days where motivation flags.  Perhaps you feel  a little sore from the day before.

As a personal trainer I have spent many hours writing fitness programs and physcially training my clients so they can become stronger, healthier, and lose weight. As much as I am passionate about the benefits of exercise for physical and mental health, I know the battle of weight loss/fat loss is won in the kitchen.

“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”  This quote can relate to many life issues.  It really hits the mark when it comes to weight loss and eating right.  In our society, eating healthy takes more time and effort than eating a junky diet. 

This important key relates to the last one.  Friends and family are often the ones with whom you celebrate and share food and drink.  They comprise your support system and are your most influential environment. 

Soda, sweet tea, fruit juices, alcohol, sports and coffee drinks taste great!  But they are not a part of a healthy person’s daily food plan. They will not get you to your weight loss and fitness goals because they are packed with sugar, carbohydrates, and calories.

So what’s all the fuss about 10,000 steps?  Do you have friends, relatives, or coworkers wearing pedometers and obsessively tracking their steps to get their number in each day?  Well, it’s actually not as silly as it may sound.

Carbohydrates are another important macronutrient for human health. They are the body’s preferred source of energy.  Carbohydrates have an important role in brain function and help prevent the breakdown of proteins for energy.

Protein is important because it is an essential macronutrient and a component of every cell in the body. Our hair and nails are made of protein. Protein is used to make enzymes and hormones.  It also is used by our bodies to build and repair tissues. Protein helps us to feel full and has thermogenic properties that contribute to fat loss.