Melissa's Weight Loss Program

Hey, if you wanna lose weight, then I've got the program for YOU!

Exercise at least 5 times per week.
Make sure you do a cardio activity each time and integrate weight training into your workout at least 3 times a week. Remember: If you're not sweating, then you're not working out! Don't try to fool yourself. Using the thigh master for 10 minutes a day does not constitute a workout.

*TIP: Try an aerobic class. I find that I work my hardest in a class setting, because I can't just stop or slow down when I want. I'm motivated to go as fast as everyone else. If I'm working out alone in a gym, then sometimes my pace goes down to satisfy my need to be lazy. I highly recommend cardio kickboxing. But throw in a couple of different classes in addition to going to the gym to keep yourself from getting bored.

Eat Healthy!
Stop eating overprocessed foods. Choose whole wheat over white breads. Don't eat foods with partially-hydrogenated oils in them. (Believe me..almost everything has them in it! Crackers, chips, cookies, blah blah blah...) Your safest bet is to buy foods at health food chains like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. (Trader Joe's is more economical.) Unfortunately, if you're in the South, then you don't have either of these grocery stores. You'll have to get more creative. Anyways, it's simple. Raise your intake of leafy green vegetables. Eat fruit instead of sweets. Cut back on carbs, but don't eliminate them. That doesn't work in the long run. Cut back on red meat, but when you do eat it always choose the leanest cuts. Eat grilled chicken, not fried. If you need snacks, then eat fruit and snacks found at health food stores. You can find some really good tasting snacks at health food stores.

Some of my favorites are:

• Eatsmart's Cheddar & Jalapeno Veggie Crips by Snyder's of Hanover (most regular grocers: Giant, Clemens, etc.)
• Kashi's Cheese TLC, Tasty Little Crackers, in Country Cheddar (Trader Joe's; Whole Foods)
• All Natural Joe-Joe's Trader Joe's Vanilla Sandwich Creme Cookies (Trader Joe's)
• Robert's American Gourmet snacks: caramel Pirate Booty popcorn & Smart Puffs (most grocers in the organic section)
• Soy Dream's Lil' Dreamers ice cream sandwiches (Whole Foods)

I also LOVE Amy's Organic Cheese Pizza. It's delicious, esp. the crust, and it's significantly healthier than regular pizza.


SALADS: Don't be fooled by this word! Restaurant salads can contain more fat/calories than you'd think! The key to a healthy salad is picking your salad dressing wisely! Stick with vinagrettes and no/low fat dressings. Caesar and ranch dressings are a "no, no"! Also, use spinach leaves instead of lettuce. Lettuce is mostly water, while spinach is full of vitamins and antioxidants.

We're All Human!:
So we screw up! That's why my program is better than trend diets. If you screw up and pig out one night, then just make up for it the next day. Work out an extra 1/2 hour to an hour longer and eat a salad in place of a meal. Don't freak out and give up! That's the worst thing you can do and that's what most people do. Also, if you know ahead of time that you're going to pig out for, say, the holiday office party, then step up your workout that day and eat the salad for lunch. Of course, this doesn't mean make it a habit to "pig out" constantly. This is to save your body and your mind when you need to "slip up".

*Tip: Try to eat your heaviest meal for lunch. Most people eat their heaviest meal for dinner, which can be bad because you're not as active at night and you'll end up sleeping with all that food sitting in your stomach with no where to go but your thighs.

People, the media, society -- They're all trying to sell you the quick-fix plan, because it's more profitable to them. Don't let them fool you. The only way to lose weight AND keep it off is to change your entire lifestyle. They also try to make it seem complicated in order to get you to buy their products. Weightloss is NOT complicated!!! It's simple: Eat healthy and exercise regularly. AND it's mathmatical, you can't lose weight if you take in more calories than you expend.

I'm not a health fitness instructor nor do I have a certification, but I am 5'4" and weigh 110lbs. and my weight stays consistent.

Write me if you have any questions.