As a healthy-living blogger, I am always curious about what others eat, how they squeeze in exercise, and how they keep chugging along with their weight maintenance. Tapping in to a supportive community was key to my weight loss, and I still love discovering new tricks. Spending three days with 14 health-minded bloggers on the POM Harvest Tour helped me develop a different perspective on maintaining my Feel Great Weight. My new blogger friends showed me that even the smallest healthy habits can make a big difference on both the scale and in their attitudes.

Get up and get moving.
Cramped hotel gyms and limited space to pack workout gear are no excuse for staying sedentary. Gina of the Fitnessista started her mornings with some yoga. She didn’t need a fancy yoga studio or even a mat. Instead, she laid down a towel in her hotel room and used a free podcast on her iPod to start her morning off on the right foot. Gina’s yoga practice inspired me to start my morning with this type of movement and focus. Incorporating this type of exercise first thing into my day keeps my weight-loss goals at the top of my mind, which helps me make the best possible choices for myself.

Save your splurge.
When our group of bloggers arrived in California, we were welcomed with a group dinner at BJ’s Brewhouse. BJ’s was the type of restaurant where you could easily overdo it with the hearty American fare and a wonderful selection of BJ’s own beers. Sure, it was a special occasion, but we had plenty of special meals planned over the course of the next few days. So Roni of Roni’s Weigh “saved” her calories for the following night—a dinner at a much fancier restaurant. Instead of ordering a plain old beer at BJ’s, Roni splurged the next night on a special pomegranate martini.

Stop the fat talk.
During dinner one night on the blogger tour, Healthy Tipping Point’s Caitlin and I posted an Operation Beautiful note on the mirror in the bathroom of the restaurant. We stuck a Post-it with a positive message by the ladies’ room sink, reminding fellow diners that it doesn’t matter what the scale says, so long as you’re healthy. This small act of kindness put me in a wonderful mood for the rest of the evening. It still makes me smile at the thought of someone finding that note.

Shoot for the moon.
This is exactly what Emily of Sugar Plum is doing. Emily is still in her early 20s and hasn’t yet had any formal culinary training, but she’s scored a spot on the Food Network’s Ultimate Recipe Showdown—not once, but twice! Her ambition and determination have inspired me to continue to work hard to achieve my goals—with my weight maintenance, my new job, and more.

What are your favorite get (and stay) fit tips?

Read Tina’s daily food and fitness blog, Carrots ‘N’ Cake.

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