Now that the holiday season is finally over, do you a few extra pounds to shed? Are you feeling a little foggy and tired? Perhaps your New Year resolution is to give up your ‘trigger’ foods such as sugary pastries or other 'comfort' foods that leave you feeling zapped. Creating resolutions can be a good practice. However you can begin fresh at any time on any day! The absolute best way to find your healthy body weight and maintain it is to adjust your overall lifestyle and habits so that a healthier and lighter you is sustainable no matter what season! It’s important to cut out the foods that don’t work for you. However I find it helpful to focus on what you can ADD into your life rather than overwhelming yourself with what you have to stop doing. Let’s get into the mindset of true wellbeing. You want to be healthy and feel great. Weight loss is an added bonus. Here’s my top 10 Mind Body Tips on getting back into your body in a healthful and stress-free way. 

- Design your lifestyle. Real change means making a commitment to your wellbeing and understanding what it is that needs to change. Be realistic with your goals and list the eating and exercise habits you’d most like to shift. Write them down, reflect on them once a week, and place it somewhere you will see it. Over time you will have made positive lifestyle adjustments that will work for you long term. When we take care of ourselves it shows. As you make changes, have fun with it. There are plenty of healthy foods and movement practices that will suit who you are. Enjoy your new lifestyle as it unfolds.

- Stick to whole foods. Put the bags and boxes down. Our bodies are intelligent and are designed to work best when we eat foods that are natural and wholesome. Processed food is missing nutrients that our body needs in order to go through the usual digestion and assimilation process. If your food is lacking the essentials your body will leach it from it’s own resources making you feel depleted and eventually have you reaching for more junk food. Once you consistently put whole foods into your body you will be amazed at how much better it tastes, how alive you feel, and how your unhealthy cravings get kicked. Organic is always best!

- Be physically active for 20-30 minutes every day with longer sessions 3-5 times a week depending on your goals.Some amount of moderately strenuous exercise on a daily basis can lead to enormous benefits in your mood, weight, and wellbeing. Get to know what you love to do and combine as much of it as possible into your weekly routine: yoga, running, dancing, walking, outdoor sports, swimming, weight training, etc.. Walk to work, take the stairs, get up and stretch mid-day. These little physical "add-ons" really make a difference. Make movement a habit. Exercise boosts your mood, increases energy and stamina, improves circulation, keeps muscles toned and joints supple, and is the best anti-aging formula available. When we feel good we look good!

- Slow down and treat meal time as a ritual. When you’re eating, eat. This will help your body digest your food more efficiently and amplify your ability to know when you’re full. Try not to eat while you’re walking or multi-tasking. Pause to smell, see and appreciate your food. Take in the aroma, notice the colors, and feel your level of hunger. As you begin to eat, chew slowly. Taste your food. When you really chew, the enzymes in your saliva will help break down your food more effectively. Eating quickly tends to pack in more food then we actually want or need. Stop eating before your stuffed.

- Stock your kitchen and office with healthy snacks and foods. The worst thing we can do is wait until we’re starving and then shop for food. If your prepared you will likely reach for a delicious and healthy snack or meal when your tummy grumbles. Be sure to load up on a colorful array of your favorite fruits and veggies, whole grains such as Quinoa or brown rice, healthy fats like olive/coconut oil and avocados, homemade trail mix with nuts, seeds and dried fruit, and your favorite proteins. Here’s a few snack examples: soak celery in spring water in a glass dish and have it ready to grab when you open the fridge. Mix goji berries with raw almonds and keep it at your desk. Slice an apple with a spoonful of pumpkin seed butter for a mid-afternoon snack.

- Get more sleep. Seems easy enough, right? Yet many people are sleep deprived which can lead to cravings for things like sugar and caffeine. Studies are now coming out revealing the hormonal effects that sleep deprivation have on us, directly affecting our weight. When you’re overtired your body’s signal for hunger and fullness aren’t clear. When you’re rested and alert you’re less likely to rely on sweet high carb foods for energy which instantly equals fewer calories. How much you sleep and the quality of your sleep are key to feeling vibrant and clear, assuring that you make the best possible choices in your day.

- Have one fresh vegetable juice a day. The juice goes straight into your blood stream delivering a boastful shot of minerals and nutrients to your whole body. When we are properly nourished we can trust our cravings and begin to cultivate a better relationship with our bodies needs. Fresh juice helps focus, cuts down sugar cravings, increases energy levels, and balances out moods. Make sure it’s loaded with greens such as kale, parsley, spinach, and celery. Add carrot, apple or beet for a touch of sweetness. Ginger gives it a great bite!

- Eat locally and seasonally! There are amazing foods to enjoy each season: squash, root veggies and cranberries in Winter; radishes, watercress and apricots in the Spring; plums, berries and peaches in the Summer; sweet corn, apples and figs for the Autumn. And this is just a short list of what is available! Our bodies thrive when we adapt to our environment and season.  By eating locally and seasonally you’re doing your body and the planet a huge service. Eat a rainbow a day! (No… M&Ms don’t count!)

- Become a tea collector. Warm flavorful tea in the colder months and herbal fruity iced tea in the hotter months is a great way to give yourself a nutrient dense treat when you hit that ‘I’m bored and want a snack’ moment after many hours on the computer or late at night. There are endless flavors to choose from. I keep a nice variety at home such as peppermint or Ginger (aids digestion and calms nervous system) Chai (fun and spicy), Rosehip (flushes out kidneys and boosts immunity with Vit C), Roobois (full of anti-oxidants and great for energy levels). Be willing to try something new!

- To ensure healthy weight loss, aim to lose 1-2 pounds a week. If you drop weight to quickly your metabolism slows down and your body packs the pounds as soon as you start to eat more food. By sticking to whole foods and a balanced fitness program you will lose weight in a healthy steady way. Crash diets don’t work. They slow down your metabolism and make you feel deprived which often leads to overeating and irritation. The sustainable approach will last you a life time and become an uplifting positive habit.