Eating small meals frequently helps reduce hunger and food intake during subsequent meals while also ensuring your body has balanced energy without straining your digestion.

In Element 08 of Your LifeBook, Dr. A designed a Habits of Health clock model to utilize when incorporating new habits in your routine to help create more optimal days. In the following Elements, you will continue to add additional habits you learn to your Habits of Health Clock to help improve your choices. Keep in mind, it’s the daily repetition of these actions that will allow you to change your current state of health into your desired state.

Here are some initial tips to follow when organizing your eating schedule and reminding yourself to fuel every two – three hours:

• Create your Fueling schedule. Mark off on your clock in two – three hour increments the times you will have a Fueling. Remember, you should eat within 30 – 60 minutes of waking up.
• List your Fueling routine. Describe the routine, or pattern, you will use to eat every two – three hours. Plan ahead to determine which Fuelings you’ll be eating during the day and where you will be eating. Remember to pack easy grab-and-go Fuelings in case the day gets away from you.
• Write down your instant reward. List all the instant benefits you will receive or accomplish from fueling every two – three hours. For example, you may be less hungry in-between meals, have more energy, or will be less likely to overeat during subsequent meals.
• Write down your long-term reward. List all the long-term benefits you will receive or accomplish. For example, you may gain better control of your weight, be more productive at work now that you have solidified your eating schedule, or make improvements in your health goals.

Now that you realize the importance of eating every two – three hours, the next Element will help you decide what you should be eating.  Stay tuned for next week’s newsletter featuring Your LifeBook—Element 09: Use Fuelings to reach a healthy weight.

Still need to order your NEW Habits of Health^® Transformational System? Let’s connect today!

Healthy eating is an important component of living a healthy lifestyle. The key to healthy eating is to make it enjoyable and easy. Rather than making big changes that can be overwhelming, start by making smaller changes that will stick and become healthy habits. Here are some tips for healthy eating:

• Plan your meals. Planning your meals ahead of time decreases your chance of making unhealthy choices when you’re hungry. Plan your five Fuelings the night before and pack them so you’re ready to go!
• Cook at home. Cooking your lean and green meals at home instead of eating out is not only easier on your budget. By preparing your own meals, you’ll know exactly what’s in it and won’t have to worry about unhealthy ingredients. Cook extra servings for healthy leftovers for the next day.
• Eat slowly. How quickly you eat influences how much you eat. It can take your brain about 20 minutes to receive messages that you’re hungry or full. Eating slowly gives your brain time to process that you are full.
• Use a smaller plate. The size of your plate can influence how much you eat. Using a smaller plate can make your portions look larger and make your brain feel that you’re eating more.
• Shop with a list. Knowing exactly what you need to get from the grocery store reduces your chance of impulse buying. By sticking to your list, you will make more nutritious selections. Shop around the perimeter of the grocery store for healthier options, such as fresh produce and lean protein.

Ask me, your OPTAVIA Coach, for other healthy eating tips on your journey to Lifelong Transformation, One Healthy Habit at a Time^®.

Jumping In

 “I always reminisce about my days growing up in sunny Southern California to my children. My summers were spent on the beach, swimming and boogie boarding all day long. It was hard for them to believe my stories because we now live in beautiful Pismo Beach and I would never go in the water. I would not even wear a bathing suit.”

After four kids and a busy life, Anita did not have the health or body that she wanted, let alone the energy or stamina to be active at the beach. After years of yo-yo dieting, she had reached an unhealthy weight.

“My doctor even wanted me to consider weight loss surgery. I was shocked that she would suggest that! I knew that was something I would never want to do.”

It wasn’t until Anita witnessed her daughter’s weight loss success on the OPTAVIA Program that she believed hope was in sight.

“I could not believe her transformation! She had lost 60 pounds* and improved her health tremendously. After seeing her amazing success, I agreed to have her coach me. However, I was a little skeptical because she is in her 20s. For me, in my 50s, I did not completely believe it was possible.”

With her daughter’s coaching and implementing healthy habits, Anita soon started seeing results. She also had the most energy then she had in years!

“I started sleeping better. I started exercising again. I am thrilled to say that so far I have lost over 50 pounds!*”

The old Anita would bring her kids to the beach and set up her chair to sit down and watch them surf and play beach volleyball. But now her kids know she was truthful when she told them she spent her summers in the ocean.

“I am not sitting on the beach anymore. Now I’m jumping in! Thank you, OPTAVIA, for teaching me the Habits of Health®. This wonderful Program has given me my health back!”