By Sheri McIntosh, Saturday at 11:49 am

When I was in college, I decided that I would become a vegetarian. I thought I would immediately give up all meat and animal byproducts. My vegetarian experience lasted two weeks. I did the process wrong. I should have taken steps to become a vegetarian. I should have started with vegetarian days instead of thinking I could do it immediately.

When we decide we want to make changes we need to make realistic goals. We want to lose 10 pounds in a week, and when we do not reach that goal we are frustrated. It took years to gain weight, yet we want to become slim in weeks. In fact, if you do lose weight fast you are more likely to gain it back because you have not learned how to sustain healthy eating habits. Think about it this way, if you lose pound a week that is 26 pounds in a year. We should tell ourselves that gradual is okay. Taking small steps can lead to big results. If you want to lose weight, think about small nutritional changes you can make. Search the Internet for healthy recipes. Instead of eating a dessert everyday try eating dessert every other day. Use smaller plates to reduce portion size. Replace unhealthy snacks with healthy ones. For example, you can eat cucumber slices with light vinaigrette dressing. Instead of eating potato chips try making your own zucchini chips. (The following link provides a recipe for zucchini chips. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/242066/easy-baked-zucchini-chips/)

Being fit is part of overall health. However, if you have not exercised since high school, you should not try to run a marathon day one. That can lead to frustration or injury. (Stay safe with your exercising.) If you are just starting to exercise you should start slow. For instance, you can take a ten-minute walk or slow jog. As time goes on you can increase time and speed. If walking or jogging is not your cup of tea, YouTube has free exercises for beginners. There are fitness groups you can join to help you with the process. If you can afford it and want to spend the money, you may want to consider a personal trainer to help you get started.

Living a healthy lifestyle is an ongoing journey. There are no quick fixes. Do not fall for advertisements that promise quick results without any effort. If you decide you want to make changes start small and gradually improve. You may experience setbacks or not see results as fast as you would like. Do not give up.

Original post:

Small Changes Can Lead to Big Results | Spiritual and Physical Wellness - ChicagoNow