I really like being lazy. It’s true. Sorry I’m not sorry. I also really want to be healthy. It’s equally true and I’m not sorry about that either. Really, though, who likes to put in more effort than necessary? Efficiency is totally underrated.
So, how can a gal be lazy and healthy at the same time? Melissa’s got the best market for Lazy Girl Guides  but I’ve got a few little gems to throw in.

Make things easier to do than avoid: I do this with my workout. There is no way that this lazy girl is going to get out of bed on time to go to the gym in the morning. It will never happen… unless I have some really amazing incentive like the offer of a pet peacock. Instead I go after work. It’s 4:30pm and I realize that I have some options. My mental chatter is as follows.

“Well I could sit in traffic for the next hour and a half fighting through the SUVs that cut off little cars like me because they can’t see me. Radio at this time of day is awesome too. I mean, I love all of the liposuction commercials strategically placed between the Taco Bell commercial and the Reese’s commercial. Awesome. Then I’ll try to get myself in the mood to go to the gym… Or, I could go to the gym down the street from work. I’ll workout and shower. By the time I’m done, traffic will be clear. Sounds like a plan.”

Keep the necessities near: If I have to search for pretty much anything that isn’t candy coated, I’m probably not going to try very hard. For this reason, I keep shit close. Healthy shit, that is. My goal of many weeks past was to drink more water. This hasn’t been a goal for several weeks because it’s become automatic. How? This:

It’s a insulated cup from Starbucks (Don’t knock it…working at Starbucks got my mother through school so I will support them forever and ever and ever) that I keep at my desk. The straw makes it so that I don’t even have to pick the thing up and I drink way more water without even thinking about it. How’s that for lazy awesomeness? I just refill it at each break so I know I’ll be drinking three of these a day. That’s 60oz.

Make your own convenience foods: This one is for those of us who are lazy and cheap. When I have 30 minutes for lunch at work, I’m definitely not going to try to assemble a healthy culinary masterpiece. So, I make an adaptable healthy culinary masterpiece in bulk, put it in containers, and eat it throughout the week. I add little variations to each container so that I don’t get bored and because I know that a variety of food is better for me anyway.

My food tastes much better than something prepackaged or something bought from the lunch room would and I know exactly what went into it. This practice more than anything is what has made me successful in weight loss so far. When I don’t do this, it makes a huge difference.

Build habits so you don’t have to think: I like to do things in auto pilot. When I get up in the morning, I have to do things on auto pilot. Good habits build momentum and help you to succeed without really trying.

If it’s my habit to not have sugar in my tea (or your coffee), there is no struggle about it. I just don’t do it. I think that habit building is the reason why some people seem to be able to effortlessly keep weight off and why some are more successful with weight loss. Habits become a way of life and healthy living has to be a way of life if I’m going to finish losing all of this weight and then keep it off. Besides, this way you can save your mental space for important things like deciding how much skin you can get away with showing in various places and how many sequins before it’s no longer “work appropriate.”

So, there you have it! Let’s create a healthy and lazy stereotype to replace the fat and lazy one. What are your lazy living tips?

P.S. Here’s a superfluous picture because I’m actually having a somewhat good hair day. I tried to make it straight…

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