- Eat whatever you want or crave for breakfast. If you are like me and can eat non breakfast foods then have sushi, fried chicken or Chinese food for breakfast.
- Eat something as soon as you wake up because your body needs to start functioning and hasn't eaten in at least 6-8 hours.
- Exercise at least 3 times a week for 45 minutes to an hour. Just going for a long brisk walk is sufficient. But you must move your body. Try swimming, biking, hiking or anything that gives you pleasure to substitute going to the gym, but make sure you do something active.
- Drink 6-8 glasses of water everyday. This is so important and something I'm guilty of not doing as religiously as I need to all the time. But, when I make a effort to do it, the results are amazing. Since your internal organs need to be cleansed regularly this is so important. I start drinking water first thing in the morning and try to get my quota in before bedtime.
- Eat lots of organic fruits and vegetables, especially leafy greens. You can juice them, steam them or eat them raw, but just make sure you stock up and fuel your body with plenty of natural foods.
- Stay away from the white stuff, meaning sugar, flour, starches, breads. Substitute sugar with agave and starches for gluten-free or wheat. Have them in moderation and earlier in the day, preferably for breakfast so that you burn it off throughout the day.
- Go with lean proteins, such as fish, organic chicken, eggs, organic beef, beans, or tofu. Make sure you have lean proteins after a workout to build muscle.
- Watch your alcohol consumption and drink in moderation. I limit myself to two drinks maximum when I go to parties. Then I switch to sparkling water. Alcohol has a lot of calories and too many happy hours can add up to a few too many pounds, so you must limit yourself.
- Don't eat late at night before bedtime. Try to eat dinner early so that your body can digest before sleeping. I try to make my last meal at least 4 hours before bedtime. If you have a late night craving, eat a piece of fruit like a small apple or a hand full of berries. I find just having a healthy sweet such as that gets rid of the craving.
- Get plenty of sleep. This is such an important factor in reducing stress which also adds to weight gain. Don't burn the candles at both ends, make sure your body gets the rest it needs.