We’re on to Week #7 in Let’s Move Quad Cities’ “Eight Weeks with Jeni and Chelsey.” Our nutrition and fitness experts are providing tips for a better you in 2016. This week, the key to long-term success of reaching your goals is to learn how to fuel your body and your mind!

Jeni: Fueling your body

Your body needs fuel to function.  You would not expect your car to run with an empty gas tank!  

So, eat breakfast every day.  If you start your Saturday morning with no fuel then you will be overly hungry by lunch time. 

Eat every 3-4 hours every day so that you will avoid overeating.

Look at your daily schedule and make a plan to eliminate those moments where you feel as if you are starving. 

For example, if you eat breakfast at 6 am and lunch is not until 1 pm, then plan a healthy snack around 10 a.m. Try a low fat Greek yogurt or a small handful of almonds with an apple. 

If you eat lunch at 1 pm but dinner is not until 7 pm then plan a healthy snack around 3 pm. 

Healthy eating is about planning, scheduling, and taking time to fuel your body.

Consistency

The truth is that seeing the results of a healthy lifestyle requires patience.

You can’t say, “Well, that didn’t work!” after a few weeks because you didn’t give your new lifestyle a chance.

Your body needs time to reshape based on your new way of living.  Take a deep breath, don’t weigh yourself every day (or multiple times a day), and let the time pass while you make healthy choices.

You also need to be consistent.  A common mistake is to eat very little during the week and then overeat on the weekends. 

Make sure that when you splurge you do not go overboard.  Going out to eat on the weekend or having a dessert after dinner one night is fine, but having an extra 1000 calories in food and drinks on Saturday and Sunday will inhibit your weight loss.

3 tips to help you be consistent:

* Keep a food and exercise journal so that you can see exactly what you are eating and how often you are exercising.  At the end of the week look back over your journal and circle “extra” calories such as desserts, alcoholic beverages, regular soda pop, chips, etc.  These calories add up and if you are not losing weight you need to cut down on splurges.

* Bring healthy foods with you.  When you are out running errands, on a road trip, or at work make sure that you have plenty of healthy choices such as fresh fruits and vegetables.

* If you overeat at one meal, then really watch your portions and food choices at the next meal.  For example, if you have pizza at work for lunch, then for dinner have a big salad, lean protein such as fish or beans, and some fruit for dessert. 

Being consistent is all about balancing your calorie intake for the day so that you can still be in a calorie deficit and lose weight.

Chelsey: Fueling your mind 

* In order to stay on track with your physical activity, you need to fuel your mind with positive ways to keep stress levels low (directly helping heart function). Yoga, Tai Chi, water exercise and low impact aerobics are ways to keep your mind in the “glass half full” mentality.

* If you find yourself spending hours on social media, try to journal how it makes you feel. Often times, you might feel drained, down or falling prey to negatives instead of focusing on things that make you happy!

Limit screen time, get up and move around! Your whole being will feel a little more joy!

Consistency

* Journaling is key.

* Recruit those around you to help you stay on track!

Learn about your family history for heart disease and talk with your physician about ways to stay healthy. I can promise physical activity will be part of the conversation. Try to find ways to make your lifestyle more active, so you have a better chance at making it a constant.

Goals

* Get an annual physical. Knowing your baselines will help motivate you to keep an active lifestyle.

* Set time aside each DAY or even HOUR if you need to remind yourself to incorporate movement. Learn the guidelines for your body and stick with them!