15 things you can do TODAY to better yourself

1. Swap butter or mayo with avocado for a healthier alternative
2. Replace refine carbs such as white rice or enriched pasta with whole grain versions instead
3. Always rotate and update any workout playlists you have so it doesn't become stale---a change of music can mean a change in motivation level so switch it up until you find the right mixture to get you moving!
4. Swap soda for an unsweetened tea
5. Watching tv? Workout during the commercials (sit ups; push ups; squats; planks--you name it you can do it). It may be 30 seconds or a minute but you are not sitting around on the couch collecting dust. This will also keep you from overeating or snacking too much by mindlessly eating in front of the tv. After all its a lot harder to eat a bag of lays when you are doing crunches (unless of course someone is standing above you dangling a chip for when you crunch up-----but let me not give you ideas for that one!)
6. Reward yourself with NON food when you meet even the smallest goals. If you do good or feel good---go buy yourself that cute shirt. Get yourself the cool water bottle you want. Get that $15 eye shadow you never wanted to spend the money on. If its a fitness goal, feel free to get fitness gear. But if that doesn't jazz you up, buy whatever it is that mass you happy. When you reward yourself for doing something good, your brain takes that experience and associates a positive emotion to it. Ergo, the more you reward yourself the more your brain will start to like that habit because its already got a positive association. 
7. Dedicate 75% of your plate to vegetables----fruits contain sugars which if eaten too much can do an unexpected toll on your diet. BUT you cannot really 'over do' vegetables. The go to is to fill your plate with vegetables first. We have a habit as humans of wanting to finish out plates. If we fill it with more of the good stuff, you are subconsciously reducing your intake of the less than
8. Wear a pedometer and shoot for 10,000 steps a day----seeing your activity in your face really makes you more accountable. You may be feeling lazy but if you spent 3 hours running around cleaning your house, you'd be surprised to know its almost as good as that 1 hour workout you did last week on the elliptical. Having my fit bit helped me realize just how much certain things ARE activity that are keeping me healthy. For example, going up my 30 steps and back down to switch out laundry in the basement seems like a pain----but do a couple loads and I've done over 1,000 steps. Its honestly that simple to appreciate what you are doing RIGHT and getting yourself in check if what your doing ISNT cutting it.
9. Use olive oil instead of butter! A small switch like this can lead to AMAZING results
10. Sign up for a competition to keep you motivated---let's be real. We all secretly LOVE when we win. Sometimes you enjoy winning if it is a scratch ticket but other times you get a slick sense of satisfaction in beating your fellow human being. Its psychological really. So take that and use it to your advantage. If you have a fit bit---challenge your friends routinely. If you have a  gym partner---challenge each other in an exercise and see who does more reps or more weights or whatever it is more intensely. These little challenges can really get your fire going so try it out.
11. Reach for:  Mustard, hot sauce or salsa INSTEAD of ketchup mayo or sour cream (again little swaps have a big impact, trust me)
12. Plan an activity date with friends or loved ones---check out that indoor trampoline park instead of the movies. Plan activities that are fun and get you moving instead of ones that put you in a chair or seat for a prolonged period of time.
13. Eat slower (this is my downfall, i inhale food)---science says it takes about 20 minutes for your body to realize its full. SO if you are "starved" and down that whole sub in 10 minutes----thats why you feel like your about to pop 20 minutes later---you overate without even knowing it. Slow down your food intake and stop when you feel full.
14. Get more sleep---there are countless articles outlining the healthy benefits of sleep. Do what you can to get more ZzZs and see how it helps with the LBS. 
15. Take the stairs/park further from the entrance. Make small choices and swaps like these in behavior to get in more activity each day. 

Take advantage of those easy and small tips and before long you will see REAL results and benefits. Small changes every day lead to success. Just remember that and be good to your body!

Thanks for reading.

Signed,

Tiesha.