Many people want to lose weight, but it can be intimidating if you don’t know where to begin. The good news is you don’t need harsh diets or crazy workouts to see results. Just put in the time and effort, have the right behaviors and strategies in place, and you can reach and maintain a healthy body weight.
Here is how to get started:
1. Know the basics
Weight loss is a science. At the end of the day, weight loss comes down to calories in versus calories out. To lose weight, you need to eat less than your body is burning (a caloric deficit).
2. Focus on your diet
- Eat More Whole Foods, I.E. Real Food: Whole fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, healthy fats.
- Watch You Portion Sizes: You could eat healthy foods but if you keep eating too much of them, you may not lose weight, or you could gain.
- Eat Less Processed Foods & Sugar: Most of those calories are empty and don’t fill you up, which leads to overeating.
- Hydrate: Thirst can feel like hunger, so make sure to stay hydrated throughout the day.
- Prepare Meals/Prepping: Preparing meals ahead of time will make it easier for you to avoid impulsive and less healthy options.
3. Move Your Body
- Strength Training: Strength training (lifting weights) helps develop muscle and muscle helps to speed up your metabolism.
- Stay Active: You don’t have to be a fitness fanatic. Just try to get moving every week and build some habits to reap the benefits!
4. Track Your Progress
- Apps or Tools: There are plenty of free/easy apps to track calories and activity.
- Measure: The scale can be a roller-coaster ride! In fact, it’s good to look at the changes in your clothes, energy levels, even taking pictures to see your progress.
5. Sleep and Stress Matter
- Stress Management: Stress can prompt emotional eating – find some mediation, breathing techniques or a hobby that gets you to relax.
6. Be Patient & Kind to Yourself
If you mess up, don’t berate yourself about it. One meal or one missed workout is certainly not going to reverse your progress.
Remember progress over perfection.
7. In Closing
Losing weight is all about creating a lifestyle that you can maintain. Weight loss is not a temporary diet. Small, sustainable changes will turn into larger results without you even knowing it because of steady practice. Find what works for you, be consistent, and enjoy the process.
