Hi Sensa Family!  My name is Wendy and I have lost 118 lbs since Feb 2009 with SENSA and I am maintaining smoothly now!  I get asked a lot about tips for starting SENSA, so here are my top 10 favorites.  I hope they help you!

1. Cut back on sodas slowly but faithfully. Not cold turkey, just make the effort to have fewer and try to get to 1 or none in a few weeks. Also keep alcohol, fancy coffees and energy drinks in their place. It is ok to have them from time to time, but realize they are high calorie and have no nutrients to speak of, so they are the truly empty calories. If you going to have them, remember to drink extra water before and after them.

2. Drink all the water you can and try to keep track of it as best you can to see if you can get 64+ oz a day. I generally shoot for 80 or oz. (please note 64 oz of water is 4lbs, so expect minor fluctuations in weight and do not fret over minor gains, you can’t always use ever drop of that water every day.)

3. Read labels. Not for general nutrition info at first, just serving sizes. Even junk food has serving size… and if you are going to eat it, then try to eat only a serving size and put Sensa on it and then see if you really need more or if just having some of it is enough.

4. Eat the healthiest foods you LIKE! Not ones you don’t like. And try to convert some favorite recipes to healthier ones. I didn’t make too much effort in this area at first, but I do now. Also try to keep the sodium down, salty foods will cause you to retain water the next day or two even.

5. Pick and choose your splurges carefully and always keep the ending goal in sight. Just a few splurging meals back to back can set you back a week, (or more) and are they really worth that… it is just food.

6. Take body measurements and pictures along with your start weight and recheck them regularly, especially if the scale doesn’t seem to be moving all the time and it won’t at times, but that doesn’t mean progress isn’t being made. I lost 70 lbs the 1st 12 Months of Sensa, I lost less than 25 lbs the 2nd 12 Months, but during the same time frame - I lost 2 dress sizes and gained muscle tone, so progress isn’t only defined by the scale!

7. If you WANT to start exercising, start slow and easy. Don’t hurt yourself or your self esteem by trying something outside your skill set. Walking and getting in more steps per day is the easiest way to start for most people.

8. Use smaller plates at home and cut restaurant meals in half when dining out (put in a To-Go box before eating). You don’t have to order the healthiest thing on the menu. Pick your favorite main dish item and try to pick a healthier side maybe or cut back drastically on the appetizers and desserts. You want to enjoy some of your favorite foods if dining out, just make smaller splurges.

9. Try to eat your evening meal as early in the evening as possible. It helps with your sleep and weight-loss. If you have to eat late, make the effort to eat “light” at that meal. I don’t buy into “eating late causes weight gain”, but the weight of the food at a late meal will most likely still be with you come morning, because the body hasn’t fully used the meal either. An 8 oz steak is half a pound… before you add your sides and drink weight/volume, so being up .5 a pound the next day isn’t “fat weight” you have gained overnight, it can just be food you haven’t digested fully or (eliminated from your system…sorry, TMI, I know.)

 10. Last but certainly not least use your SENSA on everything!!!! Even small portions or fixed amounts of food should still be sprinkled, to help you feel satisfied until the next meal!

I hope you find these tips helpful.

Good Luck!

Wendy