I stay in contact with a lot of clients after they have had their surgery and one of the questions I have for successful clients is “how do you stay on track”. If I know what they are doing to get such great results, I can then share this information with others who are struggling. Here is a very short list of a few of the things that work together because it’s never just “one thing” but always a combination of things that get clients to reach their health goals.
For those clients who do not count calories or macros, they often keep their kitchen stocked with the items that they know will bring success. Their fridge is filled up with items such as lettuce and cucumbers, unsweetened coconut or almond milk, ground pork and chicken breasts, plain greek yogurt and olives. They don’t leave room for “slider foods” or items that will lead them down a slippery slope. Having this rule in place means that nothing but real food is in the fridge to tempt them to go off course. If they are not meal planning and they are having success, I find that they have plans in place for overall success.
Lots of successful clients will tell me that they start their day correctly by having a high protein breakfast or a high protein shake filled with tons of nutrients. If they are not having eggs and veggies, they are making their own shakes with high quality powders and almond milk, mixed with a handful of berries and another handful of seeds. They take a few moments to take care of themselves before leaving their homes in the morning and when they leave their homes, they are prepared with a packed lunch and a snack so that they have the tools to fight temptations while hungry.
Water – they drink water and they make it a priority to drink 8 glasses of the stuff every day. Drink up and carry your water bottle with you to encourage you to drink more water.
I find that the most successful clients move more. They find something that they love and they just get up and do it. You can call it dance or walking or gardening or climbing a hill, or biking – they do some kind of physical activity a few times each and every week. It is also a way to ward off depression and it’s great for the heart !
I hear clients say “it’s so hard” when referring to healthy eating. Eating fabulous meals of protein and beautiful colorful vegetables is not hard. Hard is having an illness or losing a loved one or a divorce. This is the reminder that we need to take care of ourselves and to put ourselves first so that we are able to take better care of those we love. You’ve got this ! Stay on track. You are strong and fabulous !
Now go drink some water please and have a stretch.
About the Author: Sheri Burke is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and Bariatric Surgery Coordinator at International Patient Facilitators in Tijuana and Cancun, Mexico. She has worked with bariatric surgery clients for over 10 years and especially enjoys providing nutritional guidance to pre and post bariatric clients. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two teens and cooking up a nutritional storm in the kitchen.
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