If you’re like a lot of dieters, you’re used to the pattern of losing weight and regaining weight over and over and over. Not only does this yo-yo pattern of losing and gaining do a number on your metabolism and your waistline, it usually leads to feelings of failure and depression. Armed with just a few lifestyle tips, you can stop this crazy ride and be well on your way to permanent weight loss.
Get REAL with yourself. You’re overweight and you not only want to lose weight, you need to lose weight. If you cannot lose weight on your own, join a program, find leadership, follow the plan, and understand that being honest with yourself is the most powerful weight loss tool you have!
Get REAL with yourself. You’re overweight and you not only want to lose weight, you need to lose weight. If you cannot lose weight on your own, join a program, find leadership, follow the plan, and understand that being honest with yourself is the most powerful weight loss tool you have!
Set reasonable goals and be patient. Losing 20-30 pounds in a month is not only unrealistic, it’s unhealthy. No matter how much you want to lose, set a goal of 1-2 pounds per week on average.
Don’t skip meals to trim calories. You need to eat! Skipping meals to cut calories eventually backfires by slowing your metabolism down and creating uncontrollable cravings. Plan to eat three meals per day, and allow yourself 1-2 low-calorie healthy snacks. Need help? Talk to a Registered Dietitian. It's okay to use a natural supplement to help you cut calories, like Calorie Cutter from Curb Your Cravings.
Stop rewarding yourself with food. Had a hard working day and feel you deserve the pizza? Teach yourself to disconnect your emotions from your eating. Need a reward? Look for non-food related ways to deal with your emotions.
Examine your emotions. Most overweight people have some element of emotional eating as part of their struggle. It’s not a matter of what you’re eating; it may be what’s eating you. Journal your feelings, talk it out with a friend and, if need be, reach out for counseling.
Track your progress from day one. Being accountable is important. Write down what you’re eating, your measurements, and your weekly progress. By tracking your stats you will see your weekly progress in front of you and, as a result, inspire and motivate yourself.
Find an activity you enjoy – and do it! You have to move to burn calories and lose those inches. You do not have to spend hours in the gym everyday. Find a way to get in at least 30 minutes of a fun movement-filled exercise 5-7 days per week. Even 15 minutes twice a day will do it!
Read labels and understand portions. Read every label and understand how many calories and how much fat is in each serving you’re eating, as well as how big a serving is. For example, a serving of pasta really is only ½ a cup!
Beware of beverages. Your daily trip to the coffee shop for that tasty, creamy drink may be packing an extra 500 calories and 25grams of fat on to your hips! Instead of juices, sodas, punches, and fancy coffees and instead go for low-calorie sippers instead.
Find support NOW. Yo-yo dieters very often fall off their diet plan because they do not have support to make it through the physical and emotional hurdles. Find a friend, mentor, or diet buddy to talk to when you need that extra boost of motivation.
Losing weight and improving your health is not a race. Day by day and step by step you can lose weight, lose inches, lose cravings – and gain the control and confidence you deserve.
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2 comments:
this is me, since about time i hit age 8 i've been up n down more than a window-washer on a ladder!! it can't be good for the body and i think that it's already done a number on my skin in that like the back of my arms i have this loose skin, it has nothing to do w/muscle and i can exercise til i drop and it makes no difference, the skin has stretched and shrunk so many times that some of it has lost the ability to be elastic like that. The alternative to get rid of this "chicken skin" is surgery and generally it's considered cosmetic so it's not covered by insurance. I want to get a handle on this b4 I end up with the same problem on my abdomen and my thighs but especially the abdomen cause that ends up like a flesh apron and i think i'd be devestated at my age to have a belly like my grandmother's!! At least hers is from having babies not fat!
HA yo-yo dieting eh? For me it's more like bungi-cord dieting. It gets really tiresome, I'll be trying all the ideas here in the blog along with using some Hoodia, I'm ordering the patches today as a matter of fact!!
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