15 Practical Ways to Gain a Healthier You

The holidays are just about over and February will be here before you know it. I figured some of you might want to slip into something sexy for Valentine's Day. Or maybe, you just want to feel good about yourself in 2014! Face it, we all want to feel fabulous and now is a great opportunity to start, because  those love handles have no idea how  much we don't love them. Well, it's time to take charge and combat thoughts of defeat. Become more disciplined and figure flattering  as we raise your spoons  to eat better and healthier.

Here are 15 practical ways to trim the fat, which are easy to apply to everyday lifestyles. And promise I will not mention we should go on a diet. Honestly. I'm a thick girl and love to eat, so "diet" is a bad word!

15. Stop using sugar substitutes. Hey, they may be made from sugar, but it taste like crap. They can really do more harm than good. Instead, try applying less sugar. Everything doesn't have to be overly sweet. Cut back a little.

14. Love ice cream? Yeah, me too. They make so many tempting flavors, it's almost a sin. What I've done to cut the calories is to re-invent some flavors. For instance, Rocky Road, use vanilla ice cream, 86 the marshmallows, add about 1/4 cup of trail mix (including the raisins), and for a little chocolate sweetness- sprinkle some cocoa on top. Often, when needing to tackle my "sweet-tooth", I replace ice cream with a small bowl of cereal, without milk. Yes, no milk! But if you must have milk, down grade to soy, 2%, or skim milk.

13. If you're anything like me, you love to cook and taste your food ant the same time. Which is ok... but you could be damaging your already curvaceous figure. Sometimes the food is sooo good that it can't wait to reach the plate. By the time it's ready to eat, you're almost full. But, since we want to break bread with family, we tend to over indulge. The remedy: use a smaller plate and smaller portions. And drink water before every meal. 

12. Turn off the T.V! Move to the table and have dinner with family. Talk with folks. Get to know them more...hell; they live in the same house. Living single? Prepare a nice dinner table for one, put on some soothing music or nature making noise....whatever, and dine. Throw a BBQ ,grilling food is much better than frying. Invite some friends over. Get the neighbors over, talk about community issues...you just might make a new friend.

11. Don't eat while depressed, angry or even happy. I know you're thinking, "well, when can I eat?!" Being a "mood" eater can pack on pack on the pounds. You should only eat when you're hungry. This may be the most drastic of them all, because food is generally surrounded by moods. Celebrations, funerals, family gatherings, holidays, etc.... Food is the centerpiece of good and bad times. It may be a hard transition not to eat, but the guilt factor won't be present. You won't partake in eating too much of this or too much of that. Instead drink more fluids. Now, if you can't buckle down...again use smaller plates and portions.

10. Don't be a Diet Nazi! Wasting your money on diet sodas, diet waters, diet crackers, diet butter...and so forth, robs your wallet. Next, it'll be diet fruits. Kill the "diet" brand names. Truthfully, if you eat in moderation, only when hungry, you won't rely on these products to aide in weight loss. Drink more water with your meals, try drinking milk even, or glass of wine. Unless you're under some strict regimen by your doctor, then by all means follow doctor's orders. Otherwise, lose the diet and gain yourself.

9. Everything is not for you. Just because they make it, doesn't mean you have to eat it. Every time your favorite fast food restaurant invents a tasty " mama burger" you start the engines ( mental and mechanical) and rush to the nearest location... NO! Put the keys down. Think before your react. And tell yourself, "they did not make that for me". You knew you weren't even hungry, until you saw the ad on TV.

8. Here a sure way to get super fat. I'm not gonna sugar coat it. More-less, I'm a victim as well. Eating at your desk, Ugh! If your have a desk job, like I used too, then eating and typing is hell bound marriage. Your chained to the PC, no chance for relief, lunch is 3 hours away....whadda you do? Run to the vending machine, get a quick snack and it's back to work. Or, from what I saw, some will have a bounty of food at their desk. Chips, candy, donuts and other slug feeling guilty pleasures, keep you moving at a slow pace. Stock your shelves with trail mix, fruit bars, bottled waters...etc. Get up frequently, move around, use the printer and restroom on the other side of the building. If you can't leave your desk, try to exercise upper the portion of your body. Stretch. Stand up. Flex. However possible, get blood to flow to unused limbs.

7. Relationships can be a hinder to eating habits, especially if your in one where both parties love to eat, but eats the wrong foods. Gaining weight together is not a sign of love, but a s-o-s signal for "help me, I can't breathe". Love your significant other. Cook healthier foods together. Cut down on dining out. Become more involved with cooking for one another. Turn dinner time into sensual time. Try feeding one another... who knows, what else will start cooking.

6. Pill popping, is another no-no. As I stated in tip number 10, unless under doctor's orders, you should avoid taking diet pills. Some have harmful side affects and can really take a toll on the body. Using diet pills to much can alter menstrual cycles, cause heart palpations, nausea, just to name a few. Plus your body can develop a tolerance against it, which may have no effect all. Exercise. Move around. Eat healthier.

5. Like most jobs, employers only grant a 30 minute lunch period. But by the time you make it to the time clock, 5-10 minutes has past. Leaving 3 minutes to stand in line, 5 to find a seat or go back to the desk, and only 12 minutes to eat. Now, food is being scarfed down your throat, literally not tasting the food, not taking time to actually chew... large chunks are settling in the stomach, making the body struggle to digest. Whew! Please take time to eat. See if you can negotiate a longer lunch period, at least by 15 minutes. If not, bring foods easily digestible and easy to prepare.

4. Make it yourself. The internet is loaded with easy to make copycat recipes. Many come from great restaurants. Quite a few are pretty easy, with hardly any effort. Others may seem complicated, but the trade off is you control the salt and/or sugar intake. Doing this will shed calories and add weight in the pocket.

3. Get out. Step away from the PC and go outside. Plant a garden. Walk around the block. Volunteer time at your local missionary. It's not only good for the body, it's does wonders for the spirit. Become a verb. Better yet an "action" verb.

2. Clean up, mess up and then clean up again. How fun throughout the house. Make a mess of things. Play with your children. Get them involved as well - in the kitchen too. Learning good eating habits early allows them to make better food choices you can be proud of. They'll learn to appreciate and respect their bodies and what goes into it.

1. Finally, probably the most favorite one all....have sex. I do mean plenty of it. Nothing kills two birds with one stone......like have extraordinary sex and burning calories. Make him/her think you not only you invented it, but you're the Grand Master! Blow their minds! Explore one another, be playful, learn new techniques or be sensual...whatever brings the temperature to a boil.

Alright, there you have it, 15 practical ways to lose weight. Don't procrastinate. Make it a New Year's life plan  Activate your mind and body now.  The th"inner", healthier you will love you for it.