Five tips to focus on in your fit life journey

Hydrate!

"My fit life journey" can mean different things to different people. But weather you're trying to lose a few pounds, overcome obesity or maintain a healthy weight, the basics of living a fit life are basically the same.

When I started my fit life journey a few years ago, the tips I'm providing here were considered non-negotiable for me. And even today, as I'm closer to my healthy weight goal than I've been in two decades, I try to remind myself to stick within these guidelines in order to stay on track.

So check out this list, then comment. What do you do to ensure your journey a fit life journey?

1. Hydration - Drink water all day long. How much? Google that question and add your specific weight and geographic area, because body mass and climate both have an impact. In general, drink eight 8-ounce cups of water per day, plus more if you're overweight and/or living in a dry climate or at high altitude.
2. Portion size - The most common mistake any of us make with regard to our diet is eating more than our body needs. This takes focus, because the system these days appears to be stacked against us. For example, typical meat portions at restaurants are rarely less than eight ounces, but an appropriate serving of any meat is about four ounces. See a doctor or nutritionist (or Google) to find out how many calories your body needs. 
3. Food is fuel, not your friend - Plan to have smaller portions spread out over the course of the day to ensure your body has nutrients accessible at times it needs them most. Then you won't be as tempted to have something to eat the next time anxiety, stress or emotional drain sets in.
4. Plan ahead - By cooking and pre-packaging healthy meals in advance, say on Sunday night before a busy work week, you can avoid the pitfalls of eating out. This could save you considerable amounts of calories over the course of your week because even the "healthy" meals at restaurants often come served in portion sizes larger than your dietary needs.
5. Exercise every day - They say you should always have rest days built in to your schedule, and that's true. You shouldn't hit the gym or go hiking or running every day of the week. But you should infuse an attitude of exercise into every single day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator at work. Park at the parking spot farthest from the door at work or at the grocery store. Take the dogs for a walk twice a day around the block instead of just having them do their business just beyond the front stoop or in the back yard. You will be surprised how this speeds you toward your goals.

These are not just a few tips to be implemented from time to time but rather they are key ingredients to living a fit life. Don't just pick up one or two of these tips and try them out; Commit to implementing them this week and focus on adhearing to a plan for at least four weeks in order to see results. Once you have made these five tips a habit, check back here for more tips for making the most of your fit life journey.

My fit life journey is back on track; relationship's in tact

On May 7 of last year, in a post titled "Weight restrictions begone! Time to have fun!, I reported that I weighed in at 255 pounds that morning. That low-weight point was to be the high point of my fit life journey to date, which started at more than 420 pounds. Within a few weeks of that happy day in May, I began planning a move to Boston, which caused my stress levels to rise, along with my weight.

I wasn't too upset about gaining a few pounds at that point. My plan was to allow my body to adjust to the rapid weight loss I had experienced. At that point, I had lost 165 pounds in about a year and four months.

Eventually I settled in somewhere in the mid-270s. I was hiking a lot in Boston - something like 20 miles per week - but I had to quit my gym membership for financial reasons. Then, after just a couple of months in Boston we decided we were going to be moving to Albuquerque. So, as we planned another move and thus extended our state of flux, the stress was compounded knowing it would be at least another few months before stability in my life was returned.

By the time we moved to Albuquerque in January, stress was mounting exponentially. Throughout the fall I dealt with my stress in two ways: 1) by hiking 20-miles per week, and 2) by indulging in Ben and Jerry's ice cream and sweets any time I felt like it. The exercise counteracted much of the damage that otherwise could have been done by the occasional binging, but by the end of January I was pushing 280, and I wasn't very happy about it.

At that time, my stress hit a high point. The week before I got an offer to start my new job, my partner decided he needed to strike out on his own. As a result we experienced a break in our relationship, which at that point was the one remaining bit of stability I was counting on. Not being one to sulk for too long, I decided to react to this time of transition by focusing once again on my weight goals. I signed up for a couple of 5K runs, continued to hike every chance I got, and once again cut out the indulgances of ice cream, cookies and the like.

I have been experiencing a steady weight loss since February, and as of today, I am weighing in at 259 pounds. Needless to say, I'm elated. Just four pounds to go until I'll feel I'm 100 percent back on track. And I'm just 32 pounds away from my goal of overcoming obesity once and for all!

Yesterday, I finally joined a gym, something that I've been wanting to do but haven't been able to afford. I haven't enjoyed my regular weight-lifting workouts for the past six months. But even as I hit the gym with a renewed vengance, I still plan to continue my hiking regimine. I plan to do resistance training five days per week and hike at least three. I will probably be putting on a lot of muscle, which I know will slow my weight loss. But that's fine by me. I'm working on building strength so I can do all the things I want to do in life without restriction.

In a bit of good news, too, I'm happy to report that my relationship with my former partner is transitioning nicely into a strong and supportive friendship. I have always felt that it is important to have continuity with those I care about than it is to have things turn out exactly the way I want them to. As we transition from one type of relationship to another, I know it is for the best.

I recognize that people need room to grow. He needs room, and so do I. But also, we have invested a lot into knowing each other, and we still care deeply about one another, so it is good to know that even if we choose not to continue with things the way they were, as friends I know he will still be there in my corner when I need him and I, of course, will still be there for him whenever he needs me. And that makes me feel very, very happy.