After you have successfully reached your healthy weight goal and have transformed into a new and healthier you, the next step on your wellness journey is to optimize and maintain your ideal weight by eating healthy on a consistent basis.

On page 292 of Your LifeBook, Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen’s Portion Control Plate System provides a portion breakdown for a healthy meal that contains vegetables, protein, and grains. Each portion should be evenly divided to make up the total plate; however, Dr. Andersen notes that vegetables can take up as much as 50%. Remember, this is for the next step after your weight loss journey. Please note that if you are on the Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan, you will still be choosing 5 Fuelings and one Lean & Green each day.

• Veggies. Should comprise half of your meal, so it's crucial to select low-glycemic options. Make a list of your favorite vegetables from the charts on pages 293 and 294 of Your LifeBook for your next visit to the grocery store!
• Protein. Eating fish one to three times per week can improve and positively impact your wellbeing over time. Lean poultry is another healthy choice, but note that red meat consumption should be kept to a minimum. After cooking, your protein's portion size should be about the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand. Refer to the charts on pages 296 and 297 of Your LifeBook for the healthiest protein options.
• Grains. Healthy grains are a nutrient-rich source of energy. Some healthy starch choices include whole wheat bread, quinoa, wild rice, and sweet potatoes. (Although potatoes are actually vegetables, they act more like a starch due to their higher-glycemic and higher-carbohydrate content.) The portion size of your grains should be equivalent to a tennis ball. Refer to the charts on pages 302 and 303 of Your LifeBook for the healthiest protein options available.

Remember, it's essential to create and utilize a strategy to maintain the correct portion control, especially while dining out. Visualize the breakdown of your plate to help determine your selections. Two suggestions: order two healthy appetizers instead of an entrée, or split an entrée with your dining companion to avoid overeating. As soon as your food arrives, request a container and immediately pack up leftovers that exceed the proper portion size. Check out the OPTAVIA Dining Out Guide for additional tips.

As your OPTAVIA Coach, I’m more than happy to help you formulate a strategy for maintaining portion control, including tactics you can use when dining out.

Need to review the Elements as you continue to progress through Your LifeBook? Watch our transformative video series, featuring Your LifeBook – Elements 01-26, published on CLIENT ANSWERS. These videos, Your LifeBook, and me, your Coach, will give you the tools to empower yourself and move forward in creating optimal health and wellbeing.

Everyone has areas they can improve, like practicing the habit of healthy sleep or healthy motion.

Make one small change that you practice habitually, and what initially seemed difficult will become a reality. The challenging part is that ANY change doesn't happen overnight.

Self-improvement is something that will always play a part in your journey to optimal wellbeing, but you have the power to become a better version of yourself.

Looking for some motivation? Refocus your efforts on these tips to help improve yourself:

• Practice positive affirmations. Positive self-talk can calm you down and control stress. Speaking to yourself in a reinforcing way can help create a positive growth mindset. Instead of saying, "I can't do this," try, "I can handle this by taking one step at a time."
• Create an action plan. Write down the steps to your goals and put them in a place where you will see them regularly, like a vision board or your screensaver background. That way, you’ll have a constant reminder of what you’re working toward. Take your daily organization to the next level by creating an action plan or to-do list. A complete list includes what you have to do, how you have to do it, and how long it should take.
• Identify your blind spots. Spend a day with yourself and list your triggers, strengths, and weaknesses without bias. Underneath each one, write down why you placed each trait or response in each category. This is another way of building self-awareness and monitoring your growth.
• Manage your time. Managing time is not about squeezing as many tasks into your day as possible. When you understand how you use your time, you are able to work smarter, not harder. Identify areas where you may be spending too much time, such as your smartphone or watching too much television. Another way to manage your time is to dedicate sufficient time and attention to your most important task first.

Ask me, your OPTAVIA Coach, about other ways to improve yourself on your journey to Lifelong Transformation, One Healthy Habit at a Time^®.

Looking Forward to Our Tomorrows

“After giving birth to my son Marcello and losing the pregnancy weight, I started to pack on the pounds as if they were going obsolete. I gained 60 pounds in a short period of time and ended up at 243 pounds!”

Karina didn’t know how she had lost control of her health. She thought there was a medical reason for her sudden weight gain and was in denial that it had anything to do with lacking proper nutrition. So she went to an endocrinologist for answers.

"After completing a series of endless tests, there was absolutely nothing wrong with me that would prevent me from losing weight. Everything was within a normal range. That's when I knew I had to make better choices."

Karina’s endocrinologist recommended the OPTAVIA Program after losing nearly 70 pounds himself.^*

"I went home and placed my order right away. But after I received my order, I only ate a few meals and did nothing more than that. I didn't see results, so I thought it was another failure, and I gave up. I wasn't committed."

A few months later, Karina attended a conference for work in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

“Picture this: all-inclusive perks, sun, beach, pool, site-seeing, luxury dining, exclusive parties, massages, you name it! However, I was not present. I was so miserable. That was my turning point.”

Desperate for change, Karina reached out to a close friend that had a weight-loss transformation. Little did she know that her friend had also found success with OPTAVIA.

"At first I said 'No, thank you. Been there, done that!' But I knew that the only reason it didn't work for me last time was because I didn't put in the effort. I was determined that this time would be different."

Karina committed to her health and lost 50 pounds on the Program!^*

“My new lifestyle consists of eating OPTAVIA Fuelings and healthy, balanced meals. And most importantly, I found my WHY on this Program, which is my beautiful son, Marcello. The healthy choices that I’m making today are so I can look forward to all of our tomorrows.”