The only thing I struggle with is staying motivated with eating healthy. Whenever I feel deprived I go to treat myself but that turns into a huge binge. I don't understand why it is so hard to control myself? There are some days I am perfect and other days I just want to eat everything. I realized I am an emotional eater and I constantly want to snack when I am bored.
Do you have any tips on getting rid of this stupid habit?!?! It's screwing with my results.

Ummm, can I get an AMEN?!

This is a question that a reader e-mailed me the other day and I told her that since I immediately connected with her, I figured that a lot of you guys could relate too.

Let me start by saying that none of us are perfect, and developing a healthy lifestyle isn't the easiest thing on the planet. As we know, if it were...everyone would be doing. So be proud of yourself FIRST for knowing that you are TRYING. 

We all get off track, it's totally normal. The more you get down on yourself about it, the worse your going to feel and view yourself. 

I have to step back sometimes too and realize that sometimes things aren't always in my control and life happens. But it's the days that I get up when I feel kinda crappy and down on myself and still make it to the gym that pushes me forward. Those are the days that I leave the gym feeling happier than ever because I proved to myself that I can. And I realize that whatever seemed like such a big deal a few hours ago, really wasn't.

If we sit and sulk on a mistake we think we made or stare at ourselves in the mirror and wish we wouldn't have gone out for drinks last night or wish we would have spent an extra 30 minutes on the treadmill, we're not really helping ourselves are we?

So here's some of my tips when it comes to staying motivated, avoiding binges, and keeping yourself happy. I think a combo of these things makes a huge difference and if you can do all of these or just one, you'll start to feel better. 

1.

Work out first thing in the morning, OR at least sweat at some point 5-6 times a week. 

Okay so I feel like the first thing I need to do in order to avoid eating the world (haha real talk), is work out. PERIOD. I feel the same way every single time. Here's an example. Yesterday morning was the day after christmas so I was with family. They wanted to get breakfast like an hour after we woke up and go to the movies so I had some toast, eggs, a little bit of hash browns and 1/2 a bloody mary then went to the movies. Whatever I was spending time with family so I'm not mad, but I definitely didn't feel like working out after that and honestly I ended up snacking the rest of the day. 

I would have stopped at In n Out on my drive back from SD to LA but I kept missing the exits. I just wanted to eat crap the rest of the day. 

Then to top it off I had a mocha and then I had rice and mashed potatoes for dinner at work. 

LIKE WHAT?? I legit haven't had mashed potatoes in like a year. So why did I have them last night? 

Because my mind set was junk food from the moment I woke up. 

Fast forward to this morning...I woke up and wanted French Toast. This is where I notice the feelings of wanting to just chill and eat junk food creeps in. I could have taken myself out to breakfast this morning but I knew I wouldn't be happy after that.

So instead, I rolled out of bed, immediately put some leggings on, went downstairs and ate half of a perfect bar, then had my BCAA's, Pre Workout and L-Carnitine. 

I grabbed my weights and my mat, turned some Childish Gambino Pandora on, and kicked my own ass for 30 minutes. 

After that I was left with 0 cravings, more energy, and the motivation to go to Trader Joe's today before I go to work to get healthy snacks that I can take to work BECAUSE I don't want to waste what I just did on some bull shit food later tonight. 

See how that works? It works EVERYYYYY TIME.

2. 

DRINK MORE WATER THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND EAT MORE PROTEIN

Another trick I've tested and found to be a miracle worker. WATER AND PROTEIN. Who woulda thought. 

I do this thing kind of a lot where I think I'm hungry but I always kind of quiz my body first by drinking 16 ounces of water and then see how I feel. 9 time out of 10, I was just dehydrated. Drinking more water will reduce your cravings and have you consuming less calories so next time you feel hungry but kind of feel like you shouldn't be (maybe you just ate) then try drinking 1 water ball and see how you feel. 

Also PROTEIN. When we consume protein, it sends a signal to our brain that we are full. This is why you can eat like 8 pieces of pizza but if you tried to drink even 2 protein shakes, you feel STUFFED. 

I have a protein shake almost every morning to set the tone for my day and keep me full throughout the early afternoon. 

I also eat almonds on my way to work and keep a bag in my locker at work, OR eat something with garbanzo beans. Every time I go to eat, my thought process is "is this going to fill me up without making me feel tired or bloated for the next few hours."

3.

THINK OF OTHER WAY TO REWARD YOURSELF.  

The other week I filmed 5 days worth of workouts in 7 hours for a fitness video shoot collaboration I'm working on. IT. WAS. INSANE. I obviously had to eat during the shoot but I was eating banana's and salad because I needed fuel but I couldn't really start the shoot with abs and end it with a food baby.

So I told everyone that I was going to go out that night and order WHATEVER THE EF I WANTED at dinner. It was going to be the reward of a lifetime, and it was kind ooooof the best thing ever. 

I ordered a truffle macaroni and cheese shareable appetizer for myself + 3 whisky sours + some chips and dip and ate a few of my boyfriends chicken fingers. I WENT INNNN, and it was glorious. Not one ounce of remorse. 

So I feel you that you like to reward yourself with eating well for so long with some junk food. 

But you have to ask yourself if it is worth it TO YOU. 

Sometimes I'll CRAVVVE hot cheetos, or a big box of asian food with 900 million grams of sodium but if I think about going and getting it, and eating it...do I see myself feeling SUPER happy afterwards? If the answer is yes, then I get it. If the answer is no then I think of something else because we're not really rewarding ourselves if we're making ourselves feel like crap right?

So instead, I might make myself a big bowl of homemade popcorn with organic butter and sea salt with a side of sliced green apples. 

It's not the cleanest lunch or snack ever but so it still feels like I'm indulging without totally regretting it. 

OR what I'll do is go reward myself in a totally different way. I'll go get my nails or hair done or go get a massage.

4.

IF YOU DO SPEND A DAY INDULGING, DON'T LET IT ROLL OVER INTO THE NEXT DAY. 

Like Sunday's for example. On Sunday's, I love to give myself a break, go out to brunch, maybe have some mimosas, go to sushi, whatever I feel like really. But as soon as Monday rolls around, even though I want to walk to the restaurant by my house and go get some pancakes, WE HAVE TO LET OURSELVES GET BACK ON TRACK. 

If we don't then we allow the binge to happen. We start telling ourselves that since we ate badly yesterday that it won't hurt if we just dabble into this or that today and then by the end of the day, we realize that we've consumed more calories and sugar in two days than we did all week. 

Then you start to feel like you screwed up everything and blah blah blah. I've been there so trust me, just FORCE YOURSELF to get back on track after a cheat day and you'll be surprised how much it helps.