7 Essential Tips For Successful Weight Loss
Losing weight can be a challenge. Every person’s body is so different, and what works for one might not works as well for another person. But with that being said there are some standard foundational truths that seem to be universal in their application and work for all! These 7 Essential Tips For Successful Weight Loss are the gold standards of weight loss are great to remember and to revisit and reflect on. As you start to lose weight and the scale is moving it is easy to glide into auto pilot until you hit an inevitable “plateau” then it’s always good to circle back to these building blocks to see is any of these basics are being forgotten. Almost without fail when I have hit a “wall” it’s one of these 7 Essential Tips For Successful Weight Loss that I have neglected to follow that is the culprit.
#1 – Portion Control Matters: No matter what diet you have selected to follow you still need to ensure that you are managing portion sizes. It is really easy to get lax with this and just eat “healthy” food but I am sure you can attest and will shyly raise your hand in agreement that you can gain weight eating healthy food. I love this little chart that makes serving sizes super easy to visualize all you need is the palm of your hands to ensure that serving sizes stay in check.
Source www.foodlushblog.com
#2- Drink Water: Not drinking enough water can stall weight loss. The general rule is to drink at least half your weight in ounces. So if you weigh 160lbs you would need to drink at least 80 ounces of water – My daily goal is to get as close to a gallon as possible.
#3 – Get Your Sleep: When you don’t get enough sleep you can actually turn your body into a carb craving fiend! Lack of sleep can also increase stress levels which also cause your body to hold onto weight as well. So make sure you try and get at least 7-10 hours of sleep a night!
#4 – Sugar & Carbs Make You Fat Not Fat: It’s true! Make sure you are including healthy fats in your diet foods like avocados, nuts, and coconut oil have actually been proven to help aide in weight loss. So put down the “low fat” junk and choose full fat versions that don’t have all the added sugar. But as I mentioned in #1 continue to watch portion sizes.
#5 – Watch Stress Levels: Stay with me on this one… I know stress is just part of life, I get that! But find a way to manage it and release it! Don’t hold onto it! Don’t let stress control you. You need to find a healthy outlet for it. Holding onto stress can cause your body to hold onto weight especially around your mid-section. So if you find yourself stressed take a break, sip some herbal tea (without a bunch of sugar), take a walk, get a massage, go for a run, take a boxing class, try yoga, or meditation, – just find something that works for you and do it!
#6- Track It: Keeping a food journal keeps you accountable! Writing down what you eat and also paying attention to your emotions when you eat are great ways to stay on track. Like many of you I struggle with emotional eating. Sometimes just putting my thoughts to paper will help me sort through how I am feeling and will help me to avoid downing that pint of Ben & Jerry’s that I “feel” I need. You’ll be surprised how much making this a daily habit helps.
#7 – Move: This one might seem simple enough… But I cannot stress it enough! Exercise is so important to healthy weight loss. Not only will it help you to lose weight but it will also give you a better quality of life. Being active is so important and has so many benefits that I could go on and on and on and on… 😉 I will spare you paragraphs of THAT.
