5 Tips for Maintaining a Social Life + A Gym Life

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and the makers of alli® weight loss aid. All opinions are mine alone. #alliInmyLife #After #CollectiveBias

I'm as much doing this blog post for me to remember, hey, just because you have an event for Dallas Love List on Thursday night doesn't mean that your whole week is pig out week. I sometimes think that it is ok to blow my healthy eating habits all week long if I know I have an event with limited food selection one day that week. HELLO stupid thinking.

I hate that I have such an all or nothing approach to the healthy lifestyle. My caloric consumption varies so much from day to day that I give a new meaning to the term swing dieter.

Over the past four years living in Dallas, I've been up and down in weight. I gained when I moved here, lost right before I met CB, put weight back on after meeting CB, then made a change again at the beginning of 2016. I feel like with my 30x30x30 goal I'm on the right track, but I have a ways to go.

I'm waking up this Monday morning and saying, KEEP UP THE MOTIVATION, SARAH! You guys might remember about a month ago I posted about "The Weight Loss Plan for the Girl Motivated by Shopping" which I was going to do in conjunction with alli® weight loss aid which I picked up at Target.

The best tool I've used to help me reach my weight loss goals has been alli® weight loss aid which is the only FDA approved over-the-counter weight loss aid on the market. It works by blocking 25% of the fat you eat from being absorbed by your body. It can be taken by overweight adults (BMI greater than 25) 18 years and older*.

Here's how alli® weight loss aid works...

Take one capsule per meal, up to 3 times per day. Each meal must have no more than 15g of fat.

Be sure to take a multi-vitamin before bed when taking alli® weight loss aid

H20, as I'm sure you expected, is your bestie

Be sure to eat a balanced, low-calorie diet and follow a healthy exercise plan!

Over this past month, I have been working on finding a balance between a social life, and a gym life. Although you should always consult a doctor before beginning any exercise programs, the one big thing I've discovered so far is that my nightly gym sessions will need to become early morning gym sessions if I want to be successful with weight loss AND maintain a full social calendar.

I'm not an expert, I'm not a nutritionist, I'm not skinny, I'm not pretending to know it all. I'm just an every-girl who struggles. BUT -- I'm an every-girl who has discovered over the last month of using alli® weight loss aid what works and what doesn't work.

Here are my tips and tricks for staying focused and fit during the event-filled Fall months, and well, really any time of year!

1. Utilize your iPhone: Track, track, track, then track some more. The best app I have on my phone is My Fitness Pal. I just went through and friended as many random people as possible so I have people cheering me on, and vice versa. Who cares if I don't know them, in fact, that may even make it better because I can be more honest! I update my weight every Monday, and when I lose weight, it gets announced in my "news feed" (and all my friends start to congratulate me on my weight loss!) Whoo! Friends or strangers, encouragement and congrats are always fun to receive.

2. MOVE: Move somehow. Do something. Do a 30 minute spin class. Do 15 minutes of abs. Walk the dog for longer than normal. Go to Zumba instead of spin if you just can't get motivated to be on a bike for 45 minutes. Take a 10 minute break every couple hours at work, and go walk around your building. Run around in circles in your apartment... regardless, just move!

3.  Fear the most common misconceptions

Common Caloric Restaurant Misconceptions

Balsamic Vinaigrette 190 Calories per serving (compare at 170 in Ranch)

Average Restaurant Salmon - 990 Calories (loaded with butter)

Broccoli (again, loaded with butter) 300+ calories

Tip: When at a restaurant, let the server know that you have an allergy to butter and oils. Restaurants take allergies very seriously and I assure you there will be no butter or oil on your food. Will your food taste as good? No, but you will look fab in your bathing suit.

4. Take Pictures: Pregnant women take pictures of their belly growing and post it on Facebook every week. Well, take similar pictures and watch yourself shrink. I update my picture each week to see my progress! I don't post them on Facebook, OBVIOUSLY! If nothing else, your before and after could make you (and your blog) a Pinterest sensation.

You might remember my before photo (left) from this post a few weeks ago, compared today's picture (right). They aren't that different, but it is mentally helpful and motivating to see them side by side!

5. Don't live an all or nothing lifestyle: If you mess up at a catered work lunch, don't dwell, your day is not shot. Eat a salad for dinner! Those who wander are not lost! This is the one I have the hardest time with, hands down.

And the same goes for treating yourself. If I were to say to myself, "Self, you may never have chips and salsa or sweet treats again, if you want to be thin" what do you think self would then go do? Eat a bag of chips and salsa with birthday cake remix from Cold Stone on top. Treat yourself, but recognize how to do so in moderation.

I still have two and a half months to go on my 30x30x30 goal and I will of course continue to update you guys on my progress. Fingers crossed I'm looking HAWT by my 30th birthday, December 17th!

*alli® (orlistat 60 mg capsules) weight loss aid is for weight loss in overweight adults, 18 years and older, when used along with a reduced-calorie and low-fat diet. Follow label directions. In studies, most people lost 5-10 pounds over 6 months. Consult your doctor before beginning any diet or exercise program.