Have you ever lost a significant amount of weight only to gain it back immediately? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Losing weight is only half the battle, keeping it off is actually the most important part of your fitness journey. Not only will you require a different approach to your goals, but you also have to nurture a completely different mindset. The following are some proven healthy strategies to help you lose weight and actually keep that weight off.
Get enough sleep
Sleep, or lack thereof, can hamper your ability to stay fit in numerous ways. Firstly, a lack of sleep can decrease your levels of leptin, a chemical in your body that is responsible for making you feel full. This is why you get a bad case of cravings for the worst kinds of food when you’re sleepy or tired. Secondly, you’re more inclined to feel drowsy and lazy without a good night’s rest. This leads to you neglecting your exercise routine and cooking easier-to-prepare but not necessarily healthier meals. So make like Sleeping Beauty on that mattress and get as much shut-eye as you possibly can.
Enjoy your diet and workout routine
You might have heard of the saying “no pain, no gain” in reference to muscle gain, but the saying is true when it comes to weight loss too. If your diet and workout routine isn’t making you suffer, the more likely you are to stick with it. That doesn’t mean you should have dessert for dinner or consider shopping a sport. It’s all about compromise. If you can’t tolerate spinach or broccoli, leave it out of your meals and opt for vegetables that you can actually stomach. Hate running? Go swimming instead. A sustainable weight loss plan is one that you don’t actually hate.
Be realistic
Get thin quick strategies are the worst scams in the book. Doing a crash diet will definitely result in you losing a noticeable amount of weight, but you’re likely to gain it all back as quickly as you lost it. Long-term weight loss only works if you put in long-term work. This means that you need to overhaul your entire lifestyle to incorporate habits and skills that will help you along your journey. It’s recommended that you lose no more than ½ to 2 pounds per week to increase the likelihood of successfully keeping the weight off.
Don’t use food as a reward
Restrictive diets always fail because you’re essentially depriving yourself of what your body wants. When people reach their goal weight, the trouble starts because they think it’s fine to reward all their hard work with the food they’ve worked so hard to avoid. If your body is craving something, listen to it. You can either treat yourself at least once a week to your favorite guilty pleasure or you can find healthy alternatives to it.
For example, you might want to try making your own healthy low-fat sugar free frappuccino at home instead of getting a sugar overdose from Starbucks. You can also find different ways to reward yourself, like a self-care day, concert tickets, or a new pair of shoes.
Your weight loss journey will be difficult, but it won’t be impossible, especially if you keep these practical tips and tricks in mind.