Join Our Weight Management Journey! 🌟
I know its been a long time since the last post, but lets get on to it today!
Today’s Tip: Conquering Cravings with Healthy Swaps!
Cravings can be one of the biggest hurdles in weight management, but with a few smart swaps, you can satisfy your taste buds without derailing your progress. Here’s how you can replace those common cravings:
Salty: Instead of chips, try air-popped popcorn with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast or lightly salted almonds. Another great option is cucumber slices with a dash of sea salt and vinegar.
Sweet: Ditch sugary snacks for fresh fruit, like a bowl of mixed berries or apple slices with a bit of almond butter. For a treat, try freezing grapes or making a smoothie with your favorite fruits and a scoop of protein powder.
Spicy: Craving heat? Spice up your meals with chili flakes on roasted chickpeas or hot sauce drizzled over grilled veggies and lean protein. You can also try making a spicy salsa to pair with your snacks.
Sour: For that tangy kick, add a squeeze of lemon or lime to your water, salads, or roasted veggies. Pickles or a small serving of kimchi can also satisfy sour cravings in a healthy way.
Umami: Satisfy savory cravings with a miso soup, or add a splash of soy sauce or tamari over steamed vegetables or tofu. You can also try roasted mushrooms, which have a rich umami flavor.
I know it is difficult to satisfy your cravings with it, but hey! Its just a start and for a struggle of a few weeks, once its all over, you will learn to embrace and manage your cravings better than ever. YOU CAN DO IT!
@EchoEce17
Hi there Echo, I’m Ocean the Healthy Living Community leader.
Thank you for sharing this post with our members. And while we have some many great & motivating posts of this type throughout the HL community over the years, it’s always nice to have new posts, inspirations & new motivation to help our members to keep striving towards their goals.
We look forwards to seeing future Healthy Living Tips, Insights & Inspirations.
@EchoEce17
Hey,
Thanks so much for your inspiring post! It's really motivated me to stay focused on my fitness goals. Your tips on healthy swaps are super helpful and I'm definitely going to try them out. It's great to know that I'm not alone in this journey and that there's a supportive community here.
I'm excited to share my progress and learn from others. Let's do this together! 💪
I'm so glad to hear that my post resonated with you! It’s awesome that you're feeling motivated and ready to stay focused on your fitness goals. The journey is always easier with support. Thrilled to have you as part of this community.
I can't wait to see your progress and learn from each other. We’ve got this - let’s keep pushing forward together! 💪🌟
@EchoEce17
I'm not sure who can relate with suddenly becoming old, gross and unrecognizable in the mirror but yeah. *Raises hand* It's me. Hi. I'm the problem it's me.
Before I was so bouncy and fresh. Now I'm more like a deflating balloon after the party.
I used to age like a Sequoia. Now I'm aging like a fruit fly.
I used to eat pizza and drink beer then wake up looking fresh as a daisy. Now I look at a pizza and feel myself expand two inches all over.
I used to bounce all over my country trying new things and experiencing adventures and relationships, learning and growing and partying and working. Now I count it a victory when I make it out of bed without calling the police and sounding like a psychotic joint popping symphony of bubble plastic.
I used to think old clothes were "fuddy duddy" and now I go into stores and think "kids wear the ugliest thing good lord have mercy what is this? Mickey mouse? I wore that when I was 11 and needed therapy from that most likely." and "what is this child doing selling me a latte aren't they supposed to be in elementary school WHERE IS THEIR MOTHER" and "surely they're not old enough to be dating and doing you-know-what *much scandalized tsking and hand clutching and handkerchief waving whilst seeking a fainting couch to faint upon and where are my smelling salts god damn.*
And while I've been thankfully quite athletic and active my whole life due to some good genetics and upbringing, that get-up-and-go (That's now got up and left.) has become a curse in disguise because a part of me never really expected the urge to suddenly lose my *** mind and run screaming from change rooms when I try on some lingerie or a bathing suit that doesn't resemble some type of apology and come face to face with something that starts with 'c' and rhymes with mellulite.
I used to resemble more carved statue but now it's giving...half melted candle.
Also I now am required to lean heavily on my personality and environment and I just...don't like it because there's no way I'm rich or funny or smart or stable enough to be doing that. I'm working on it but...the pandemic and other issues beyond my control including grief and loss swept my sea legs out from under me and I'm still in recovery. I was just getting them too. Fancy that.
But I will say today came with a couple wins.
1. I returned some unnecessary purchases.
2. With that return money I purchased a salad, and I chose said salad over a satanic cacophony of pastries.
3. Did I have a cookie earlier? Yes. Yes I did. But I had some whole wheat toast first and hard boiled a bonch of eggs to keep me protienated throughout the week. I also had it with a turmeric latte because I don't know why apparently it's healthy.
4. For dinner, instead of a bagel with cream cheese and a side of weeping for dinner I had a cauliflower, spinach and avocado wrap 😋 🌯
5. Was a fly buzzing around me like some Poe raven making me inordinately squeamish, causing me wolf down half of my burrito like a clown? Yes. Yes I did.
6. And did I blow up a vegan bathroom after trying their blended iced coffee and banana which may or may not have destroyed the hopes and dreams of the next person who went in? Absolutely yes. Yes I did. But pooping at my age is a parade worthy celebration so.
Anyway my upstairs neighbor is currently testing all the creakiest floorboards to make sure they're still noisy so I'm going to put my noise cancelling headphones on and blast some old lady music from the 90's whilst pretending I'm in Reno before I herniate myself into more fine lines and water weight than is absolutely necessary. I can't afford Botox or how I'd look in prison lighting so I'll talk to y'all later.
@EchoEce17 Valuable post. Not much of a dieter here sadly.
@hopefuloutlook
Thanks for your feedback! No worries if dieting isn’t your thing—everyone has their own approach to staying healthy. If you ever want to chat about other ways to enjoy a balanced lifestyle or just share some laughs, I’m here for that too!
@EchoEce17 Hi! Thank you for creating this group where we can help each other out and obtain our goals of a healthier lifestyle. I started my journey 6 months or so, ago. I'm 42 and had put on a lot of extra weight (I'm 5' 1") 150 lbs did not help. What has worked for me is persistence and taking a real, hard look at what I was eating and my activity level. I started going to the gym and lifting weights/cardio. I had to end my gym membership though. For the past 2 months I now drink a protein shake for lunch and drink water all day. I have a portion controlled dinner and have at least 1 cheat meal. I've lost 20 lbs and feel a lot better about myself. I know not everyone's journey is the same. I'm just sharing what has worked for me. I'm not perfect and I have days where I mess up. But, I get back on it and keep trying.
@HopefulOne81
Hi there! Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. Your persistence and dedication are truly inspiring! It’s amazing to hear that you’ve lost 20 lbs and are feeling better about yourself. We all have ups and downs, but your commitment to getting back on track shows real strength.
Keep going, and remember, every step forward counts. Your story will definitely motivate others on their path to a healthier lifestyle. Thanks again for being part of this supportive community! Keep sharing!
@EchoEce17
Awesome tips ❤️ thank you!