16: What's Your Game Plan?

Losing weight, kicking habits, trying to turn over a new leaf... however you slice it - lifestyle changes are hard. Changing your eating habits can seem daunting, but with the right perspective and some motivation - it can be done.

I lost a TON of weight after the first two babies... not so much after Henry b/c life got away from me. But, I could have made it work if I were a little more motivated. I'm having a lot of success this go-around with sticking to working out and avoiding grains, dairy and legumes... so in true-to-Missy form, I've been wondering - why the heck didn't I just buckle down and do this sooner?!

Well, really who cares. I'm on the right path, so really I should be asking - how do I keep this going. I thought back to when I successfully dropped about 50 pounds after having Sydney (re-donkulous, by the way).

Here's what stands out:

-Be Prepared: Make food ahead. Plan for parties - pack for yourself or bring something you can eat. Have snacks handy.

-Say No: Don't make excuses that you had a non-compliant day because someone offered you food. You're the only one that's going to take credit for your success; you should own up to your self-control as well.

-Switch it Up AT LEAST Weekly: It becomes a hobby or a project almost to plan meals and set out to try new things. It is time consuming during the first few weeks. However, if you are eating the same things over and over again, not only are you going to get bored, but you are probably not getting a great enough variety of nutrient-dense foods. That could mean trying a different cut of meat, spice mix or vegetable... or a totally new recipe/way of preparing things.

-Make it easy/Mix & Match: This goes hand-in-hand with making food ahead. For example, make a plain or rotisserie flavored pork roast ahead... One day have it with Salsa Verde on top, another day dice it up and stir fry it.

-Last but Not Least: GET OFF YOUR ASS. 3 days of gliding around on an eliptical isn't going to cut it either. I was just chatting with the hubby about this. I was pretty flippin' aggressive after the kids. I worked out sometimes twice in a day or at least 1 x per day, 5 days per week. I'm still getting into the swing of things, learning what my new limits are with my crazy hormones and all, however, I could probably add a couple of strictly strength/skill work days on top of my 3 WODs. What better way to tackle that than kettlebell skill work date nights with the hubby? Stay tuned on that, I'm sure I'm going to turn into a fitness guinea pig here with that one.

So there you have it. Nothing you've never heard before, surely.

**For Your "Try Something New"** Check out the link to Everday Paleo on the left sidebar for inspiration as well. I go there every once-in-a-while to check out recipes and she recently posted a Chili Verde recipe, which is kind of funny because of my recent taste for Salsa Verde. :)