4. I Was More Active With My Son
I figured that getting a little more exercise in every day wouldn’t kill me, so I tried to stay as active as I could with my son. I would take him on a bike ride to the park, then run around playing with him at the park. I would also take walks with him often around the neighborhood. Sometimes we would go on little hikes that were local to us. Even though neither of these things required much exertion, they allowed me to be a little more active each day and burn even a little more calories.
5. I Drank A LOT Of Water
I know you always hear how important it is to drink water, and it really is very important, especially when you’re working out. You need to stay hydrated through out the day when you’re exerting a lot of energy. I tried to drink as much water as I could. I bought myself a sports water bottle that could easily close up for taking it on the road so it wouldn’t spill. It was 24 ounces and I filled that thing up probably at least 6 times a day. Drinking that much water not only keeps you hydrated but it keeps you pretty full, too! I’m not saying that you should drink water so you don’t have to eat, but a lot of times your body will think its hungry when in reality it’s just thirsty. So by keeping water in me all day long I noticed I ate less.
6. I Ate Protein At Every Meal And Snack
Since I was trying to lose weight and build muscle, I knew I needed to eat protein. I made sure to include it in every meal and snack, even if it was a small amount. I also knew that protein would keep me full for longer so I wouldn’t feel hungry in between meals and snacks. My favorites were string cheese with an apple, some greek yogurt with almond slivers mixed in, peanut butter on top of rice cakes, and protein bars that were loaded in protein, but very low in sugar. All of these tasted great and did just what I wanted: they satisfied me and kept me full until my next meal.