Losing weight can be a long, difficult journey, but being well informed on the dos and don’ts of weight loss can help you start off on the right foot. There are dozens of articles filled with weight loss tips, but sometimes it can be difficult to see the forest when you are surrounded by trees. Use these overarching weight loss tips to guide your journey, helping you to craft a weight loss plan that will work for you.
Weight Loss Tip #1: Diet is more important than exercise.
While regular exercise can definitely play a role in weight loss, the choices you make in the kitchen every day will have a far more lasting effect on your weight. It is much, much easier to skip the junk food than to burn off those calories later.
For example, a regular serving of potato chips is about 150 calories. In order to burn off these excess calories, you would need to walk 1.5 miles. However, most people do not limit themselves to the recommended serving size when it comes to snack foods. That 150 calorie serving of potato chips can quickly turn into 3 or 4 servings, meaning that you will have to walk 4.5-6 miles in order to negate your afternoon snack. It is far more effective to skip the potato chips in the first place than to try to burn them off in the gym later.
Having said that, exercise is important for other health reasons. It can improve your overall fitness, increase muscle tone, improve posture, and help you sleep better at night. But when it comes to weight loss, diet will always trump exercise.
Weight Loss Tip #2: Eat foods that will keep you feeling full for longer.
Once you have committed to eating less calories, you will need to make sure that you are eating the right calories. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables – these will provide bulk, keeping you feeling full without adding too many calories. Staying hydrated throughout the day will also help you stay satisfied without overeating.
Weight Loss Tip #3: You need to keep your head in the game.
People that are constantly trying out a new fad diet tend to have a hard time sticking with a weight loss plan. Losing weight is hard, but it can be nearly impossible if you are not 100% committed.
You need to convince yourself that diet and exercise are non negotiable parts of your daily routine. It can be easy to justify a cheat day, or a splurge at the end of a long week, but one cheat meal can quickly turn into two or three or four, quickly negating all of your hard work over the last week.
Studies have shown that being informed about weight loss and fitness can help you stay committed to your weight loss plan. The good news is, if you are reading this you are probably well on your way to commiting to a weight loss plan that will work for you.
Weight Loss Tip #4: It will become easier the longer you do it.
While losing weight can be incredibly difficult at first, it will become easier. It can take months or even years to break old habits and form new, healthier routines, but it is definitely possible. You will need to retrain your brain, transitioning from an unhealthy mindset to that of a new, healthier you.
This is partly mental, but there is also a physical component at play. Living a sedentary lifestyle can cause a long term drop in metabolism. It will take a commitment to being active throughout the day to break out of this cycle. Even getting up and walking around your home, tidying up the living room, or standing up to fold your laundry can help to get you moving rather than sitting still all afternoon.
Hormone levels play a key role in the formation and storage of fat, so you will need to train your body to rebalance its hormone levels and acclimate to a healthier lifestyle. This may sound difficult, but with ongoing diet, exercise, and healthy living, you will be on your way to reforming your mind and body, making positive changes that will last a lifetime.
Fortunately, our team at A New Me is here to help you achieve your weight loss goals and become a healthier version of yourself. Sign up today to learn how we can help you formulate a weight loss plan that you will be able to stick with long term.
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