Before anything else, let’s get one thing straight, losing weight should be your own personal choice. If you want to lose weight, that’s great to hear but if you don’t, that’s perfectly valid as well. Contrary to what popular media would have you believe, losing weight involves so many factors, some totally out of your control. All around we see ads of fast diet trends sweeping the world by storm but these only lead to temporary weight loss, and the pounds will slowly creep back the moment you stop the regimen.
A lifestyle overhaul is what you need to do in order to achieve your goals. Weight loss requires a whole lot of patience and hard work. It usually involves formulating a plan, monitoring your activity levels, following a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, managing your stress, and other factors that might be completely out of your control. On top of all that, if you have a past of eating disorder, then following a weight-loss plan might not be a healthy choice for you. Before embarking on a weight loss journey and changing your eating plan and exercise routine, you should consult with your doctor.
Weight loss should about feeling good about yourself. It should focus on maintaining a physical, mental, and emotional health and less to do with achieving a certain number on a scale. The easiest way to start the process would be to treat your body in a caring and loving way. Treat it with respect and reverence like you would any person. Don’t listen to the little voices saying you are less than others just because you don’t look a certain way. In fact, that’s what makes this world truly special; it is inhabited by unique and interesting people.
Understanding Weight Loss
Before embarking on your weight loss journey, first consider why you’re doing it in the first place? Are you doing it for appearance or for health reasons? Not everyone is made to be thin or to conform to how society wants us all to look. Being healthy doesn’t mean you have to be thin. Likewise, being fat doesn’t mean you are inherently unhealthy. Our body shape depends on many factors like eating habit, activity level and resting metabolic rate.
In order to lose weight, you have to have more energy expenditure than what you take in. The basic function of our body takes up around 50% to 70% of our energy. The rate at which our body uses up calories to regulate bodily function is called Resting Energy Expenditure (REE). REE is dependent on many things such as genes, age, sex, and gender. But what you do throughout the day also determines how many calories you use. In order to achieve safe weight loss, it is recommended to lose one to two pounds per week.
- Set Realistic Goals
Because weight loss involves so many variables, it is helpful that you give yourself small achievable goals instead of big ones that are almost too hard to achieve. It helps to break down one big goal into smaller one in order to make your plan a lot more manageable as well as keeping you accountable throughout the process. For example, if you wish to lose a total of 10 pounds, then your short term goal should be to lose one to two pounds each week instead of just wanting to lose all that weight in one go.
Along with these small goals, it helps to think long-term as well. Goals can be great at changing your lifestyle gradually. The aim is to develop habits that can help you achieve your desired weight and keep it. There has been much research about crash diets and have shown multiple times that they are not the answer for long-term weight management. In fact, they can be more detrimental to your health and well-being.
- What is your Motivation?
Having a clear reason why you want to lose weight is a great factor in giving you the drive to do all the work. It is what fuels you to keep going especially on days when your resolve is weak. Many experts suggest keeping a journal throughout the process in order for you to reflect your thoughts and get a clear idea of the bigger picture. Even if you lose motivation, it is perfectly fine to give yourself some time off. Weight loss is a long process. There are going to be some setbacks along the way. If you start to notice that your motivation is starting to wane, give yourself a break from your exercise or diet plan for a couple of days. It is always good to take a step back and look at the overall picture.
- Choose the right Diet Plan for You
Don’t be fooled by all these diet crazes that seem to sweep the world every couple of years. The truth is, there is no one diet solution that can address everyone’s weight loss goals. What’s important is to choose a diet plan that can fit easily with your lifestyle. The right diet plan should help you lose weight while at the same time providing you with the right nourishment in order to keep you healthy throughout the process. Eating healthy is always a good start. By focusing more on whole foods, eating balanced meals, and practicing moderation when it comes to unhealthy food, you’re giving your body proper nutrition without all the junk and extra calories.
- Plateauing is Normal
You are right in the middle of your diet plan. You are getting into the groove of your exercise routine. Your motivation is consistent and steady. Suddenly you notice you’re not improving so much. You’re not gaining the weight but you’re not losing it as quickly as before. This is what people call the plateau phase and everyone goes through it. The body views weight loss as a form of stress. We might be in the modern age but our body is still hard wired through thousands of years of hunting and gathering. Anytime there is a drop in food consumption, it goes into starvation mode and tries to conserve as much fat as possible. There’s no need to panic at this point, just keep on carrying with the plan. Eventually, your body will adjust to your new lifestyle.
- Stay Motivated
Weight loss is as much about mental conditioning as it is about diet and exercise. When we feel like we have achieved our target goal the temptation to revert to our old lifestyle can be very strong. It is important that you keep feeding your resolve to seeing at keeping the weight off. Just keep pushing through your plan. Continue eating healthy, be consistent with your exercise and physical activity, manage your stress, and get enough sleep. Remember, to lose the weight you had to adopt a new lifestyle, changing that would mean gaining it all back. It can also be helpful to start a new goal. Maybe you’ll want to try training for a marathon or hike a certain route. These are all great at feeding your resolve and keeping you moving forward.
Your weight loss journey should be a personal one. It is your own battle and you have no one by your side except yourself. So be kinder. Don’t push yourself too hard or overexert. In the end, it is only you who will benefit from all the work (or lack thereof) that you are doing.
Author Bio: Sarah Brooks is a passionate blogger who adores expounding on health, beauty, food, weight loss and more. She enjoys sharing beauty and health care tips to stay healthier and happier. She is currently working with TheSkinnyVibes, and one of her recently published articles was about the Latest Phenq Reviews.
