Taking small steps each day, doing the little things consistently day in day out leads to much greater long term results than doing a few crazy hard things now and then or for random bursts.

Here are 10 things you can do each and every day to help you achieve long term sustainable fat loss results:

1. Go to bed and wake up around the same time day in day out. This creates routine. Routine is the number one driver in any form of success.
2. Meal Plan. “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” As annoying as this is, not planning is the single biggest reason people go backwards. This doesn’t have to mean cooking a week’s worth of food. It may simply mean writing down what you are planning on eating/cooking for the day or week so you know ahead of time. That way you can plan your shopping and/or defrost the food you need. It also prevents you having to come up with a last minute decision of what to eat, when you are starving, which often leads to making poor food choices.
3. Eat protein with every meal. Protein is required for cell regeneration and repair. Without it, your body struggle to repair itself.
4. Eat vegetables with every meal. They are full of vital nutrients to help keep you healthy, fiber to keep you full and reduce sugar cravings and over eating.
5. Include good fats in your meals. Good fats are fats that contain omega 3 fatty acids that help with brain function, fat loss and keep you satiated and avoid over eating. To ensure you obtain omega 3 from animal fat ensure the product is from a grass fed and/or organic animal. These include fats such as butter, ghee, lard, dripping, coconut oil, olive oil, macadamia oil, avocado oil, nuts, seeds, and duck fat.
6. Drink plenty of water every single day. How much will depend on the size of your body, your activity levels and how warm it is. A good rule of thumb is aiming for 2 litres plus per day. This can be daunting but if you aim for half a glass to a glass per hour you will achieve this easily. 75% of your body is made of water. Insufficient hydration hinders fat loss.
7. Do something active every single day. This might include accumulating 10,000+ steps, doing a 30+ min workout of any sort, gardening, house work, painting the house, hand washing the car, to name a few.
8. Stay accountable. This might be through holding a food and/or training journal, having an accountability buddy that you check in with daily, or hiring a coach to check in with daily.
9. Get adequate good quality sleep. How much you need will vary from person to person; usually between 7-10 hours per night. You know when you have had a good night’s sleep when you fall asleep within a few minutes of going to bed, do not wake through the night, and you wake feeling refreshed.
10. Do something you love each and every day. This could be anything from reading a book, knitting, going for a walk, watching your favorite T.V. series, anything. Spending time each day on something you love promotes your parasympathetic nervous system which helps your body repair and recover. It promotes serotonin production, your happy hormone, making you feel great. It also promotes self love and respect. Vital for any form of success.

• Coach Terri