Here are 12 user-friendly tips that relate to food, activity and body image:
1. Eat at least once every 2 hours. This keeps your energy level up as well as regulating blood sugar. Low blood sugar is one of the most common culprits of feeling "down."
2. Drink like a fish, and remember what fish drink. Staying hydrated can nix the majority of cravings. Often when you crave food, it's water your body is really asking for.
3. Use agave instead of sugar. Agave comes from cactus plants, and tastes like honey or mild maple syrup. It's great on pancakes and in recipes. Agave is low on the glycemic index (GI) and doesn't encourage mood swings.
4. Go for a fast-paced walk. Studies have shown that exercise is often more effective than Prozac.
5. Play. Sports are great exercise and they are fun; you may not even notice that you're working out.
6. Sleep. Getting enough sleep is critical for fat-burning as well as mood-lifting. If someone asks what's with the 2 hour naps, tell them it's part of your fitness program.
7. Breathe fresh air. Have you ever noticed how just getting outside can make you feel great? Your body needs fresh air to breathe, and the vitamin D in sunshine.
8. Don't forget your multivitamin. Any shortness of necessary vitamins and minerals can make you feel in a funk.
9. Stop dissing yourself. Too often we treat ourselves worse than we'd treat our worst enemy. Here's a trick you may have heard of in elementary school: every time you give a "put-down" you need to give 5 "put-ups." Face the mirror and give yourself 5 sincere compliments.
10. Wear cute clothes. Don't wait until you're in your ideal size to dress well. You'll find that when you dress well you feel better about yourself, and you're more likely to stick to your fitness program.
11. Listen to a great book on tape. Sometimes you just may be a little too obsessed with fitness. This doesn't mean to quit working out; just listen to a book as you walk. You'll find that your mind gets a break from the stress of working out, but you'll burn calories as you "read."
12. Join a fitness forum. You can chat with other dieters online, share recipes, and discuss what does and doesn't work. Studies have shown that dieters with good support systems are far more likely to succeed.
