How To Start Better Weight Loss Habits

Although it may seem like an insurmountable task, weight loss is not impossible! With the right attitude, mindset, and realistic goals in place, everyone can succeed at losing weight. Maintaining a healthy weight is probably the most impactful thing individuals can do for their overall health. Really, it’s time we all take a good hard look at ourselves and consider making weight loss a real priority! Over time, as the weight dips down, you’ll likely start to feel better and better both physically and mentally. With a transformed body and a fresher, healthier outlook on life you’ll be glad you stuck to your weight loss plan! Here's how to start better weight loss habits for long-term success.

Measure Progress In Different Ways

Typically, when someone decides to go on a diet or makes an attempt at losing weight, they gauge how they are progressing by the number on the scale. However, this can be discouraging if the numbers aren't what they expect, and can result in some giving up prematurely even though they were actually making good progress! The great news is this is not the only way to tell if you’re making good progress at losing weight, and you’d actually be doing yourself a real favor by trying to measure your progress in different ways. Some other ways of tracking weight loss include body fat measurements, body measurements with a tape measure, taking weekly progress pictures, sizes of clothes and how they fit, or by simply looking in the mirror! It’s not uncommon for individuals trying to lose weight to not see the scale move for a few weeks, which is disheartening for many. Sometimes the body burns fat and builds muscle, so the scale will not move as much even though they getting leaner and healthier.

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Be Detailed About The Habit

It’s important that when you set out on your weight loss journey to be detailed about the habit. Don’t set vague goals and restrictions that are easy to tip-toe around. Instead, set real, reachable, concrete goals and restrictions that leave no questions in your mind of whether you’re doing things right. Don’t say you’re going to cut out desserts and soda but then excuse yourself to eat high-sugar granola bars and drink sweetened teas and fruit juices. Tell yourself you’re going to cut out or limit your sugar intake with a hard number so you’re not replacing one bad eating habit with another. Don’t say you’re just going to try to exercise every week, read up on and adopt a real work out routine and then be consistent. By getting rid of the vagueness surrounding your weight loss goals and diet, you’re more likely to be successful long-term.

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Stay Consistent

Building off the previous point, once your weight loss goals, food restrictions, and work out routine are all defined, make sure you stick with it! It doesn’t take long for a regular activity, such as eating a healthy breakfast or working out every day becomes a habit, and so don’t skip workouts or give yourself cheat days. After following a workout routine for a little while, it’ll just become a part of your regular day and it'll be much easier to stick with it. Consistency is key for progress, so find yourself a fitness routine and stick with it! Working out regularly pays real dividends in the long run, and you’ll feel much better if you keep to it. Aside from sticking with your workout routine, it’s also important to stick with eating healthy every day. It’s easy to excuse yourself, saying since you’ve been progressing or doing good that you deserve a treat, but this unfortunately often will result in stalled weight loss or complete abandonment.

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Don't Make Unsustainable Cuts

When you decide on the diet you are going with, make sure it is something you are going to be able to stick with. If you’re a pasta lover, the ketogenic diet, which reduces carbohydrates to the extreme, will likely not be for you! When reading up on different diets, it is important you don’t just look at how effective it has been for others, but also think about whether or not the specific diet is something you’ll likely be able to maintain. Not all diets espouse harsh diet restrictions such as no carbohydrates or sugars at all, such as with the ketogenic diet, or no meat or animal products whatsoever, like going vegan. Now, if you’re one to track calories with a calorie tracking app, it is also important you don’t make too drastic of a cut in calories as well, as large calorie restrictions are unsustainable for many.

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Say Don't Instead Of Can't

Attitude is important when it comes to successfully reaching weight loss goals. It’s important to think about your diet in a positive way, not as a restrictive part of life. It’s best to think of the changes you make to your diet and fitness regime as lifestyle changes and not a just temporary means to an end. It’s also important to think of the dietary restriction you may have placed on certain foods as choices and not orders. So try saying don't instead of can't when you’re offered a sweet treat you’re not supposed to eat! When you say you don’t eat something, it means you’ve taken responsibility and chosen this restriction, whereas when you say you can’t eat something, it sounds like the restriction was mandated to you by some outside party that you’re likely to eventually come to look at with resistance.