7 Tips That Will Move You Closer to Desired Weight Loss
If you have recently decided that you want to lose some weight and get in shape, please do not fall prey to the hype of commercial diets and products that promise the world while saying that you don’t have to do anything to contribute to your own success. In reality, most dietitians and doctors will tell you that the only safe and sustainable way to lose weight is to cut back on calories, eat healthier, and maintain an active lifestyle.
If you have a goal in mind, however, there are certain things that you can do to fast-track your progress without sacrificing your health. Below you will find seven tips to help you do just that.
Just remember losing weight is a personal decision, so if you are motivated to lose a couple of pounds, that’s great, but never let anybody else pressure you into making the decision.
#1. Realize what your Motivation is
Losing weight permanently and keeping it off is as much a mental exercise as it is an exercise in the physical. In order to steadily climb towards your goal, you will need to admit to yourself the reason that you so desperately want to get there.
When you find this motivation, it will help you during your times of low resolution, and when your will weakens, and unfortunately it will, you can look back to your reasons why losing weight is so important to help you get back on track immediately.
That being said, there are many reasons why one would want to lose weight. Do you want to be healthier? What does healthier even mean to you? Are you more concerned with physical attractiveness? Do you want to fit into a particular outfit or dress for a specific occasion? You may even have more than one reason for your weight loss journey. But, as long as you know in your head and in your heart what your reasons are, these motivations should help you to stay on course.
#2. Be Realistic about what Diet Works for you
If you want to lose weight consistently and permanently, you need to be honest with yourself about what works for you. Any changes that you make need to be realistic for your lifestyle, your needs, and your beliefs. You cannot commit to cooking healthy meals seven days a week if you have a full and part-time job. It’s just not possible. Or, perhaps you just do not enjoy cooking. Instead, commit to cooking a couple of days out of the week and ordering takeout from restaurants with healthy options on their menus on other days.
You also need to be honest about what foods you like and which ones you simply cannot stand. You can commit to any type of diet that you choose, but if they consist of food that you can’t stand the taste of, then you aren’t going to commit for long. This leads to backsliding and cheating on your diet, even though you started with the best of intentions.
You can craft a healthy diet around almost any type of healthy food that you do like, and, if done right, you could also add in some foods that are not-so-healthy, as long as it’s done in moderation.
Any diet that is consistent with your lifestyle is sure to be a winner. The main prerequisite is that it provides enough nourishment, as well as the appropriate vitamins and minerals, needed to stay healthy. Focusing on eating more balanced meals, purchasing whole foods, and not splurging on fats, carbs, and sugars are some of the things that you can do that are more effective than any strict diet or meal plan when it comes to weight loss.
#3. Work Out in Any Way Possible
No matter how much you cut back on food, there is never a substitute for working out. Working out does not always mean a particular exercise regimen or even going to the gym every day. Working out to be as simple as taking a long walk in your neighborhood, running around with your kids at the park, or taking a jog on the beach with your dog.
If you leave exercise out of the equation, you may be able to lose weight just by changing your eating habits, but it will not be sustainable. Plus, working out also helps to sustain or improve your health in many other ways besides weight loss. Even a long walk can develop your muscles, stimulate the heart and lungs, and give your joints an opportunity to move, keeping them from getting stiff.
#4. Drink Plenty of Water
Drinking water is essential for health. As matter of fact, many doctors recommend drinking up to eight glasses a day. Water not only suppresses the appetite in a healthy way, but also cleanses out your system, moisturizes your skin, and is essential to the growth of healthy hair and nails. You can purchase quality molecular hydrogen tablets that flood the body with nature’s purest antioxidant, helping to support metabolism, energy, detox, and more.
It is always best to purchase bottled water, if you can because tap water usually has some impurities. This is especially true if it is sourced from a city reservoir. That said, another option for purified water is to shop Berkeley water filters for a filter that will purify your water whether it is from the tap or an outdoor source.
#5. Look Inside for Strength
While many people do focus more on eating than anything else while losing weight, there are many other factors in the process to consider.
You may need emotional support, such as finding a health coach one-on-one, or a supportive community to speak with. Or, you may find journaling to be something that can help you with your feelings towards food, exercise, and weight loss. You need to understand and deal with your emotions just as much as you need to deal with your body. Be kind to yourself and refrain from bullying yourself if you make a mistake. It is okay because no one is perfect.
#6. Take the Process Slowly
Probably more important than anything else when it comes to weight loss is to remember to take it slow. While rapid weight loss does happen, the results rarely last, and it is also not very healthy.
Healthy weight loss is usually half a pound a week, but anywhere under two pounds, a week is usually okay. But, numbers are not the most important thing. Eating healthily over the long run is your best bet for losing weight in an efficient and safe manner. Losing weight in a slow mode also tends to be much more sustainable than the alternative.
#7. Accept that Plateaus are Normal
There may even be times when you exercise and eat right consistently, and, for some reason, your weight loss slows down or stops completely. This is referred to as a plateau, named for the mountains that reach a higher elevation only to level off for miles before declining.
Plateauing is completely normal when you’re losing weight. This is because losing weight is hard for the body, and it needs to slow down after all that effort. It then checks that all systems are still running on all cylinders before it continues to burn more fat.
In conclusion, these tips should help you to move closer to your desired weight in a healthy, safe, and effective way. You should start to see an immediate difference if you take these tips into consideration and make them a part of your lifestyle daily.
