4 Simple Tips Busy Moms Skip

4 Simple Fat Loss Tips Busy Moms Tend To Skip

When it comes to working on your fat loss goals to create your best body ever, it is very common to make the whole process complicated.

Ever wonder why this is?

Seems that as busy moms, we think the harder and more painful the process — the more effective it will be.

Allow a little reflection and common sense to take over and you will realize that this is simply not so.

The truth of the matter is results are more likely to come from small, simple changes, that when you repeat daily, these become the solution.

Yes it really IS the little things that will either skyrocket or sabotage your fat loss success.

If there is one thing I have learned after years of working with thousands of busy moms it’s this: it’s rarely one single thing a mom does that is sabotaging her efforts to lose fat.

Rather, it’s a bunch of little things that have a cumulative effect.

There are some amazingly simple tips & strategies you can add to your plan that will have a positive effect on getting results.

NOTE: Taken alone, these simple tactics will have very little effect. Used alone without any other dietary changes and a strength based exercise plan, these strategies won’t amount to much.

Fat Loss Tip #1: Hungry? Then do NOT go Grocery Shopping.

This is one of the most effective strategies to avoid unwanted junk food and snacks from finding their way into your shopping cart, which end up in your home, which end up on your thighs, belly and butt!

Make sure to eat something before you go shopping – something as simple as a handful of nuts – and you will be able to resist the junk that often finds its way into your cart.

Your “willpower” to resist all those tempting foods that work against fat loss will be much greater if you eat something healthy at least 20 to 30 minutes before you go shopping. You can either plan your meal schedule so that one meal is eaten before you go shopping, or have a snack (at least 20 to 30 minutes before shopping), which will have the desired effects.

Make it even easier by shopping with a LIST!

Fat Loss Tip # 2: NEVER Keep Snack Foods in your House

It is difficult to resist impulse if your favorite junk food is available and easily accessible.

This tip is a logical extension of tip number one. If it does not make it into your cart at the food store, it’s not in your house. However, many people use excuses like, “I have snack foods for the kids” or “my spouse keeps a box of Oreo cookies in the kitchen cupboard” as reasons they can’t avoid the snacks that sneak into their diets and sabotage their efforts.

Many of the foods we eat that we know we should not be eating are based on an impulse. Impulse control goes a long way here, but no one will deny it’s far harder to resist that impulse if your favorite junk food is not within reach. That’s human nature.

When I have an impulse for some Chocolate, I won’t resist it very well if it’s only a few steps to the kitchen vs. having to get in the car and drive to the store.

An impulse is defined as “a sudden desire, urge, inclination.”

That’s GOOD NEWS…meaning your impulse is short lived and will go away IF you just give it some time, so it’s a matter of not having foods in your house that allow you to act on the impulse while it lasts.

As for the ever popular excuse of having such foods on hand for your spouse, kids, etc. this is one to be reconsidered.

When it comes to the foods your children have access to – should the kids be eating such empty calorie junk food?

I remember when I had a client tell me one day, “I keep eating hot dogs ’cause I keep them in the house for the kids.” I said “so you’re okay with feeding your kids foods you know to be unhealthy for you and them?” She stopped feeding her children hot dogs.

Bottom line….those foods should be occasional meal options for both kids and adults, NOT staple foods that can be found in your kitchen. It’s more an issue of teaching your children healthy eating habits young, so they don’t end up overweight, unhealthy adults.

As for the spouse excuse, try asking for his help right off the bat. Your spouse needs to support your efforts by making some small sacrifices. If your spouse is unwilling to make changes (which is unfortunately quite common) then at the very least compromise by keeping your spouses unsupportive foods in an entirely different section of the kitchen/panty/fridge.

Fat Loss Tip # 3: Eat off a Smaller Plate

How much we eat is based on several variables.

One of them is the visual cues we get looking at the food we are about to eat. We are extremely visually oriented and part of deciding how large an object is must be compared to other objects, in this case, the food we put on the plate in comparison to the size of the plate we put the food on.

Did you know, we will put less food on our plates if you eat from smaller plates as a smaller plate full of food looks like much more to eat then a large plate with the same amount of food on it.

This is one tip I have implemented and it works extremely well when you have children – just use the kid sized plates, bowls and cups for instant portion control.

One exception – when I make salads, I use a nice large bowl and fill it with fresh greens. I then use the kid sized dishes to help measure out the toppings used to compliment my salad.

Try this and see what a difference you notice!
Remember your meals will be based on Protein and Produce.

Fat Loss Tip #4: Know Thyself

We are all human and yes we all have our weaknesses and will make mistakes.

Mistakes mean you are Learning More About YOU.

The key is to make NEW Mistakes – meaning you learned a lesson from the last mistake made and will make tweaks and changes to prevent it from happening again.

Here’s the catch ~ Mistakes are NOT Excuses!

You cannot fall back on Mistakes as an excuse for not moving forward with your goals

It is important to realize that you must move on from your past mistakes and learn the lesson that it teaches you. Yes, we all make mistakes from time to time but what is important is to learn the lessons on those mistakes and become a better and more insightful person.

Whenever you make a mistake you must learn the lesson that comes with it so that you won’t to repeat the same mistakes again.

Once again – you must LEARN from your Mistakes so you do NOT Repeat the Same Ones Over and Over.

How well do you know yourself?
That is, do you know what cues/triggers tend to set you off? It’s essential to recognize the cues that sabotage your efforts. We all have them. Find yours and take steps to avoid them where possible.

For example, try making a list outlining the things you know tend to set you off and how you react to them and then add a column for how you could deal with it.

For example, you might write, “After dinner, I always feel like I need something sweet to eat.” which would be followed by a suggestion of steps to change it.

These might include
– Make a cup of hot flavored tea
– Make small chocolate smoothie
– Go for a walk immediately after dinner to allow time to get over impulse to eat sweets

Develop coping strategies to your triggers

* Learn what your hot buttons are that lead to a negative behavior
* Learn to identify when it’s happening
* Develop strategies for coping with it

The best tool to help you uncover these saboteurs is to keep a journal.

You cannot change what you do not acknowledge and the fastest way to get honest with yourself is to write down exactly what you are putting into your body. When tracking your foods it can be as simple as portion sizes – calories aside – if you see you are eating fairly large portions or helping yourself to multiple small servings, you will see right away what needs to be tweaked.

Remember, most busy moms fail in sticking to and achieving their fat loss goals not due to a single mistake made – but many small choices that work against fat loss that end up having a cumulative effect. This is what ends up sabotaging their efforts.

Some Moms are amazed how many extra calories slip into their nutrition plan from BLT’s (bites-licks-tastes), using handfuls to measure the foods they snack on, loaded smoothies, etc.

99 out of 100 times, the Mom that says, “I have tried everything and nothing works” actually means “I have not stayed on any one plan long enough for it to have an effect and sabotaged it with small, unaccounted-for negative habits and behaviors.”

Which Fat Loss Tips will YOU Add to your Plan?

Holly Rigsby is The Fit Yummy Mummy and America’s #1 Busy Mom Fat Loss Expert. She is also author of FitYummyMummy.com, a 16-Week Fat Loss System designed Exclusively for Busy Moms, helping over 12,358 moms worldwide burn the baby fat and get an even BETTER body back with 15-minute workouts that can be performed at home. Holly publishes videos and fat loss strategies for moms on her blog, GetFitAndYummy.com. She is also the founder of ClubFYM.com – The Best Online Support Community for Moms. Moms meet online to get connected, feel supported and successfully transform their bodies by taking part in Transformation Challenges, which includes interacting with Holly for more personalized coaching, along with receiving two new fat burning, follow-along workouts videos each month.