Weight Loss: 6 Strategies for Success
The following 6 tips can help you get started on your weight loss journey.
1. Make Sure You’re Ready
Long-term weight loss takes time and effort. So make sure you’re ready to eat healthy foods and become more active. Ask yourself these questions:
▸ Do I have a strong desire to change my habits to help me lose weight?
▸ Am I distracted by other stressors?
▸ Do I use food to cope with stress?
▸ Am I ready to learn new ways to cope with stress?
▸ Do I need additional support (whether it’s a friend or a healthcare professional) to manage stress?
▸ Am I willing to change my eating habits?
▸ Am I willing to change my physical activity and exercise habits?
▸ Am I willing to take the time to make these changes?
If you need help managing stress, talk to your healthcare professional. Reducing stress can help you make long-term, healthy lifestyle changes.
2. Find Your Inner Motivation
No one can make you lose weight. You need to make changes to your diet and physical activity to help yourself. What will give you a strong desire to stick with your weight loss plan?
List the reasons why losing weight is important to you. This list can help you stay inspired and focused. Maybe you want to improve your health or get ready for a vacation. Think about your goals on days when you don't feel like eating healthy foods or getting more exercise. Find other ways to stay on track. For example, you could put an uplifting note on the refrigerator or pantry door.
It's up to you to make changes that lead to long-term weight loss. But having the support of others can help. Choose people who can motivate you. They will never shame you or hinder your progress.
It's best to find someone who can do the following:
▸ Listen to your concerns and feelings.
▸ Share your goals to live a healthy life.
▸ Join you in active hobbies or help you plan a healthy menu.
▸ Your support group can help you stick to healthy changes.
If you want to keep your weight loss efforts private, take steps to stay on track. Track your diet and exercise in a journal or app. Also track your weight. Review your progress and make changes as needed.
3. Set goals you can achieve
Lose 1 to 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kg) per week in the long term. To do this, you need to burn 500 to 750 calories more than you take in each day.
Losing 5 percent of your current weight might be a good goal to start with. If you weigh 180 pounds (82 kg), that's 9 pounds (4 kg). Even losing that much weight can reduce your risk of certain long-term health problems. These include heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Setting two types of goals can help. The first is called an action goal. You list healthy actions you'll take to lose weight. For example, "walk 30 minutes a day" is an action goal. The second is called an outcome goal. You list the health results you want to achieve. "lose 10 pounds (4.5 kg)" is an example of an outcome goal. An outcome goal is a goal you want to achieve. But it doesn't tell you how to get there. An action goal tells you how to get there. You set an action goal to make a healthy change.
4. Enjoy healthy foods
To lose weight, you need to lower the total calories you take in from food and drinks. But your meals can still be delicious and easy to make.
One way to cut your calorie intake is to eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These are called plant foods. They are low in calories and high in fiber. Fiber makes you feel full. You can eat a variety of plant foods to help you reach your goals.
Follow these other diet tips, too:
Eat at least four servings of vegetables and three servings of fruit every day. Eat fruits and vegetables as snacks if you get hungry between meals.
Eat whole grains, such as brown rice, barley, whole wheat bread, and pasta. Eat fewer refined grains, such as white rice and white bread.
Use healthy fats, such as olive oil, vegetable oils, avocados, nuts, nut butters, and nut oils. But remember that even healthy fats are high in calories.
Limit foods and drinks with added sugars. These include desserts, jello, and soda. The natural sugars in fruit are okay.
Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products.
Focus on eating fresh foods. They are more nutritious than processed foods. Processed foods often come in boxes or cans. And they tend to have more fat, sugar, or salt.
Pay attention when you eat. Focus on each bite of food. This helps you enjoy the taste of the food. It also makes you more aware of when you feel full. Try not to watch TV or stare at your phone while you eat. You may eat too much without realizing it.
5. Get active and stay active
You can lose weight without exercise, but it's hard to do. Regular physical activity helps burn extra calories.
Exercise has many other benefits. It can improve your mood, lower your blood pressure, and help you sleep better. Exercise also helps you maintain the weight you lose. Studies show that people who maintain long-term weight loss engage in regular physical activity.
How many calories you burn depends on how often, for how long, and how hard you exercise. One of the best ways to lose body fat is to do steady aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking. Aim for at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise most days of the week. Some people may need more exercise to lose weight and keep it off.
Also, do strength training at least twice a week. You can lift weights, use fitness bands, or do push-ups.
Any extra exercise helps burn calories. So think about ways to get more movement during the day. You can:
Use the stairs instead of the elevator.
Park at the far end of the lot when you go shopping.
Stand instead of sit when you’re on the phone or checking emails.
Walk around the room or pace in circles while watching TV.
6. Change your mindset
It’s not enough to just eat healthy foods and exercise for a few weeks or months. To maintain your weight, you should make these healthy changes a lifestyle. Lifestyle changes start with an honest look at your eating habits and daily routine.
Think about bad habits or other challenges that have held you back from losing weight in the past. Then plan how to deal with them.
You may encounter some setbacks on your weight loss journey. But don’t give up because of a setback. Just start over the next day. Remember, you plan to change your life. It won’t happen all at once. Stick to your healthy lifestyle. The results will be well worth it.
