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Staying On Track With Your Weight Loss Regimen No Matter What

When I talk about staying on track with your weight loss regimen no matter what, I'm not taking about being rigid or inflexible or eating the same things day in and day out.  I'm talking about being creative and finding ways to stay on track even when you're spending more time on the road or at work than you do in your own home.  I'm talking about sticking with your weight loss plan even when they cancel your WeightWatcher's at work program and you fall off the wagon and bash your head.

I find it hardest to stay on track when I am extremely busy at work – working late night after night and on the weekends.  Not getting enough sleep and having less time and energy to work out, go food shopping and cook can take its toll on even the most diehard weight watcher.  There are a few strategies I can employ though to stay on track.

The first strategy is preparation.  I keep menus of restaurants that deliver to my job and scope out meals that won't cost me excessive amounts of WeightWatcher's points in case I have to order dinner.  I also keep healthy snacks in my desk so that I won't be tempted to hit the vending machine.  Some of my personal favorites include 94% fat-free popcorn, Progresso light soups, instant oatmeal packets and pistachio nuts.

When I do have time to cook, I make four servings of each dish, put two servings in the refrigerator and freeze the other two so that I have food ready during those crazy times when I don't have time to cook.  I also stock quick-cooking meal items like instant brown rice, shrimp, tuna fish, fresh vegetable packets for stir fries, and frozen Smart One's and Amy's meals.

When I travel, I bring healthy snacks with me like pistachios (in single servings in snack bags), 94% fat-free popcorn and instant oatmeal packets (if the hotel room has a microwave), fruit (dried and fresh), green tea bags, Truvia, etc.  I also scope out the nearby restaurants in advance to get the lay of the land.  For example, if there is a Starbucks nearby, I know I can get  oatmeal with nuts and raisins and green tea for breakfast and stay on track.  At the risk of sounding like a commercial, I should mention that Starbucks also has great fruit and snack plates. 

In addition to bringing healthy snacks with me, I pack exercise gear and bring a couple of exercise DVD's that I can play on my laptop and use to work out in the morning. I'm not the type to be seen before coffee in the morning, but if you are, other alternatives would include taking a run or a walk or using the hotel's gym facilities.

Finally, if you do get off track over a holiday or a vacation or during  a particularly stressful time in your life, the trick is not to throw up your hands and give up.  We don't do that in life, so why should we do it with our weight loss regimen?  Just hop back onto that treadmill, make yourself a delicious healthy meal and put together some healthy meals and snacks to have during the week.   The next thing you know, you'll be back on track.

Peace.
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