There are loads of ways to lose weight for now -- hello, crash diet -- but what about ways to lose weight for good? If you’re looking to make a more permanent change, I can help you get from flab to fit forever, and it won’t require surgery or even a pricey diet plan. With a few lifestyle changes and a little motivation, you can be fit for life. Here are 7 ways to lose weight for good.
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1. Stop Dieting!
This tip is listed first for a reason: it’s definitely one of the most important ways to lose weight for good. How is it possible to lose weight without being on a diet, you ask? Because dieting, or being on a diet, is temporary. Enjoying a healthy diet, though, is a life-long healthy-living choice, and will help you keep fit and healthy forever.
2. Add Exercise
There’s no good way to lose weight, and keep it off, without regular, strenuous exercise, and anyone who says otherwise is dead wrong. I suppose you could lose a little weight by just changing your diet, but you’ll end up being the thinnest, flabbiest girl around. Aim for 45 minutes of heart-thumping exercise 5 days a week, and make sure you’re including a good mix of cardio, weight training and flexibility exercise each time.
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3. Stay Motivated
Forming a new set of healthy habits isn’t easy, but the first few weeks are especially heinous. That’s why it’s so important to stay motivated, to keep in mind the reasons you want to lose weight and stay fit. If you have kids, remember what a good example you’re setting for them; if you’re tired of fighting muffin top, keep in mind how good it will feel to be toned rather than worrying about bikini-buying season. Whatever keeps you inspired, use it to fuel you through the first six to eight weeks, when the good habits are the hardest to keep.
4. Make Simple Swaps
Okay, so I’ve been talking about making life-long diet changes to stay fit forever, but what does that mean exactly? It can really be as easy as making a few simple swaps. For example, ditch the nutrient-stripped white breads for wholesome, tasty, fiber-rich whole grains. Swap the soda (especially diet soda) for no-sugar-added mixed fruit juice, or water with lemon, or iced green tea. Give up fast food burgers for mixed green salads without dressing. Go from three big meals to five or six smaller meals, which will keep your metabolism kicking in high gear all day. These little swaps will make all the difference!
5. Slow down
Your mother was right – don’t wolf your food! Take your time to thoroughly chew each bite, and pause between bites to make sure you know when you’re full… sometimes, it can take up to ten minutes for your brain to realize your belly is full. Besides, your food tastes good, so take the time to enjoy it a little!
6. Be Realistic
Not everyone was meant to be a size 2, and thank goodness for that! There’s a big difference between being skinny and being curvy but fit; always opt for curvy and fit! Love your curves, and be realistic with your lifelong fitness goals.
7. Change Your Lifestyle
There are so many things besides your diet and exercise plans that could be contributing to how fit and healthy you are! To be as fit and healthy (and happy) as possible, quit smoking, stay hydrated, and get plenty of sleep, too! Hundreds of studies have shown that all five of these – healthy diet, regular exercise, not smoking, sleeping well, and staying hydrated – are all important to living a long, fit, healthy, happy life.
Follow these tips if you want to lose weight and keep it off for good. None of these are impossible, especially if you’re serious about living a long, happy life. I can’t stress how important the simple swaps can be to making this whole process easy and even – gasp! – enjoyable. Which of these ideas are you excited to try? Or do you have more advice to share?
Comments
Adriana: What is wrong with being skinny and fit? Not "everyone" is meant to be a size two but some people are... And people can be "curvy" at a size two or not curvy at a size 14.
Alex: ya It must be on twitter ..
amara: @Adriana nothing is wrong with being a size 2 but its just not realistic for everyone. People come in different sizes :)
Adriana: My point is if you are an hourglass or pear you will be curvy if you are a size two or a size 14, if you are a ruler you will probably not have curves at any size. Congrats for not being offended but I think somebody could be.
Azure: I went on a sugar free diet, I could have a desert once a week and there was no loss in taste due to this. I have lost the weight I wanted to and it was over a year so it wasn't quick. Now I never crave anything with sugar and it's not as appealing now :)
amara: @Ash well said :)
jade: @Brandi isn't that exactly what the post says! Be motivated and you have to exercise! A healthy diet is just common knowledge, ditching meat is just stupid even if it does work, sure if it doesn't appeal to you and your a vegetarian then that's fine, but if you only give it up to loose weight then it's probably not a good idea, and most people enjoy meat so that's worse! I think these tips are all correct, healthy diet, exercise, motivation etc, it all sounds like exactly what you should do to stay healthy, and it's mostly common knowledge, this post just sums it all up, it has worked extremely well for friends of mine, I'm just too lazy.
Brandi: I completely agree with Adriana. I'm a size zero, and I've definitely got curves. And half of your tips don't work. The whole green salad with no dressing thing is bogus, it doesn't work. Lots of people have to work to be fit, I don't have to, but I do. I eat whatever I want, and I work my ass off at the gym. The only "life time" diet change I made was not eating red meat anymore. It's about motivation, not what you eat.
Ash: I agree with Jade this post sums up everything one would need to know to kick start a healthy lifestyle. Now as far as the part about "skinny and curvy" I took it as meaning if you already have curves it is better for you health wise to be curvy and fit than to lose so much weight and be a skinny size two. Nothing to take offense toward anyone, that is just fact.
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