March is fast approaching, and for lots of people, that means gearing up for Spring Break. Getting ready for Spring Break can be stressful, especially when diet and exercise alone aren’t giving you the results you want. Well you're in luck! We've put together a list of 10 simple tricks and daily habits that will help get you looking beach ready and body confident just in time for your Spring Break adventures!
- Eat a protein-rich breakfast
We've all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but that's only true if you're eating the right things. A lot of the times, the most convenient foods (like bagels, coffee, or high-calorie cereals) have the lowest nutritional value. Instead, try something more wholesome like eggs, grass-fed yogurt, oatmeal, organic ham, turkey, or sausage. These foods will slow your insulin response during digestion, which will keep your metabolism up and help you feel full longer. - Stay away from artificial sweeteners
In a recent study, scientists found that people who drank two or more diet sodas a day had waist sizes about 6 inches larger than those who did not drink soda. These results are from the artificial sweeteners like aspartame in these drinks, which causes an insulin spike in your blood levels. This drastic spike causes the insulin to stay in your blood, which then causes insulin-resistance and leads to fat storage. Try swapping soda out for flavored water or tea, like our TKO Knock Out Weight Loss Tea to satisfy your cravings while avoiding artificial sweeteners! - Skip the cardio
Studies have shown the women under stress have elevated levels of cortisol in their bodies, which means that cardio isn't as effective for weight loss. In order to get the most effective workout, we recommend a combination of strength training and cardio each week. You can also try different metabolic workouts, which will help with toning and weight loss as well. - Eat more monounsaturated fatty acids
Fatty acids like these help to balance out the levels of Omega 6 and Omega 3 in your blood, which can help decreasing insulin resistance and allows glucose to enter into your cells. Macadamia nuts are one of the highest food sources of these fatty acids, so eat up! - SQUAT!
These are one of the most effective exercises for toning and increasing your metabolism. Squatting helps to define your glutes and thighs, but can also increase and maintain your metabolism throughout the day. Try doing 10 squats before your shower in the morning and you'll notice an increase in energy levels throughout the day! - Use coconut oil
Aside from eating enough protein, another very easy and incredibly effective way to lose belly fat is to eliminate vegetable oils from your diet. Replace your vegetable oils like canola and corn cooking oils with coconut oil. Coconut oil is the world’s most stable oil. It doesn’t oxidize, go rancid, or cause cellular damage like unsaturated oils do. If you're not a fan of the coconut taste, you can use refined coconut oil instead! - Avoid restrictive diets
We've talked about the dangers of restrictive diets before, but it's worth mentioning again because many women forget how important it is. Once you restrict calories below 1500 every day, your body goes into starvation mode and will start holding onto more and more calories. Restricting calories not only causes a slow metabolism and fat storage, but it can also drive you a little bit crazy. Restrictive diets make people obsessed about food, have feelings of guilt, and dwell on your past failures. AT the same time, without proper nutrition your cells can’t achieve their optimal metabolic function, causing a slow thyroid and consequently fat storage.
For more tips and tricks about weight loss, visit our website at SkinnyJane.com, and thanks for reading!