If you’re attempting to lose weight and the number on the scale just isn’t budging, it’s time to take a hard look at your habits and routine so that you can make changes that ensure success. Getting to your goal weight is a hard thing to do and your success may wax and wane along the way. However, there are some habits that absolutely ensure success. Use them and you’re bound to start seeing the needle on scale heading down at a steady rate. Good luck!
1 Keep Track of What You Eat in a Weight Loss Journal
A weight loss journal is something that people who lose a lot of weight typically keep. It holds you accountable for the eating and exercise choices you make so that you can stay on track. There’s something about having to write down a huge bag of sour cream and onion chips on your list that makes it easier to resist them. Record what you eat, how much you eat and all your exercise sessions so you can see progress or make changes as needed.
Frequently asked questions
2 Schedule Your Exercise so You Don’t Find Other Things to do Instead
Most people would rather eat nachos and watch a movie than run on the treadmill, but exercise is an extremely important aspect of successful weight loss. If you find that you always find something else to do, start writing your exercise sessions down in your day planner so they become a natural part of your schedule.
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In addition to scheduling your exercise, it's important to also choose activities that you enjoy and will stick to. This could be anything from dancing to swimming to hiking. It's also helpful to find an exercise buddy or join a fitness class to hold yourself accountable and make it more fun. Staying consistent with your exercise routine will not only help you lose weight, but also improve your overall health and well-being. Remember to start slow and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workouts. And don't forget to listen to your body and take rest days when needed.
3 Use Measuring Tools to Keep Track of How Much You Eat
It’s all well and good to eat healthy foods, but you can still gain weight if you’re taking in more calories than you consume. That’s why it’s vital to measure your meals and snacks so that you are sure you’re eating proper portion sizes. Even salad can cause weight gain if you eat it in too large of serving sizes. Use a kitchen scale and a set of measuring cups to keep yourself in check.
4 Stop Your Soda Habit Once and for All
Many women forget to include liquid calories in their daily quota. This can quickly derail all your weight loss goals. You’ve got to stop drinking soda, energy drinks and other high-calorie beverages. If you do decide to indulge, make sure you account for the calories when you tally what you’re eating for the rest of the day.
5 Make a Commitment to Prepare More Meals at Home
One of my favorite things is to eat out because I enjoy having a meal prepared and cleaned up for me. However, as anyone who has tried to lose weight can tell you, restaurant meals can really screw things up. Not only are portion sizes huge, but the food is often not that healthy. Cooking at home lets you control ingredients and serving size. I’m not saying you can never eat out, but you should make sure to plan it well so you can balance the meal with the rest of the day’s food.
6 Get Yourself a Support System so That You Aren’t All Alone
There’s nothing harder than losing weight on your own. Most people who have achieved success have done so because they have a backup system to help them. Whether that means someone who walks with you in the morning before work or someone who talks you down from eating the whole bag of cookies after a hard day, you need support to get where you want to be.
7 You’ve Got to Expect and Plan for Setbacks
No one ever got to their goal weight without any setbacks or hurdles along the way. You can pretty much assume that you’re going to eat more than you should a time or two or that you’ll skip your workout because happy hour sounds like more fun. Prepare for these setbacks and move on so that they don’t hinder your final results.
Will any of these tips help you achieve weight loss success? Do you have any others to add to the list?
