The right track for a happy and sustainable weight loss is to make it a full time activity, habit, and lifestyle. To make it all work it is crucial to follow the right long-term strategy.
Follow these 7 steps and turn them into habits necessary for a sustainable weight loss:
1. Want it
Stop being in denial. Step out of your comfort zone. This is the first step to accepting that you need to reverse potentially decades of damage. So don’t expect your body to change drastically and miraculously after 7 days. Set a performance based goal and forget about image driven goals. The image will occur as a result.
2. Break bad habits
You know, the cycles that we convince ourselves aren’t there, but in fact, they are so prominent (unless changed) and will hinder your success forever. Your willpower has to be strong – your brain is a cleverly trained machine – if you’ve given it pleasurable food for years, don’t expect it to stop craving meals overnight. Start making new habits, like getting up 15 minutes earlier to workout, or giving yourself food prep time each day. If you’re still struggling with breaking bad habits, refer back to step 1 and go again.
3. Enjoyment and commitment
I don’t care what anyone says, if you don’t enjoy something, what makes you think you can succeed it in the long term? Weight loss is not a job or a marriage, it’s a journey with no “ultimate destination” if sustainable weight loss is the goal.
A 12 week body transformation might be a short term sacrifice that appeals to many, but in reality, only a few will maintain this. Moreover, you’ll probably find yourself heavier than before due to a bodily backlash of which you’ll then have to refer back to step 1.
4. Be surrounded by positivity
Surround yourself with positive people. Make no mistake about it: having non supportive and sabotaging people around you is a common recipe for failure. Joining a like-minded community, striving for sustainable weight loss through exercise and nutrition enjoyment will push your chances of success a great deal higher. Be apprehensive about joining weight loss clubs that purely focus on weight as a ‘number’ only.
5. Count calories
Yes. I said it. There’s nothing worse and more demoralizing than losing a few pounds one week, only to gain them back another. This sometimes makes you to question the point of why you’re doing all these. I’m afraid to say it, but if you’re not aware of the maths in calories, then we are only ever guessing. It doesn’t have to be complicated, you just need a reliable BMR calculator, or an app such as Myfitnesspal to set calorie targets, and you should endeavour to hit them as closely as possible. That’s it. Done.
6. Acknowledge macro-nutrients
Be aware of macro-nutrients. You’re thinking “macro-what’? These are proteins, fats and carbohydrates – main elements of our diet. Again, tracking a balanced intake can be the difference in breaking through stubborn areas. A generally acceptable balance would be to aim for 40% protein, 30% carbohydrates, and 30% fats in your diet. If this proves too complicated – refer back to the previous step and focus on calorie control.
7. Accountability
Understand the implications of your actions. By all means, enjoy yourself in life, that’s ultimately what we are here for – and I’m a firm believer in that. But don’t expect to lose weight if you have an active social life that you’re not recording, logging, or in control of diet wise. sometimes I hear someone blame exercise, when in reality, they fail to acknowledge the detrimental impact alcohol, fast food, and sweets/treats have on their image.
It’s extremely hard to change and sustain long term success, don’t expect it to be a doddle; although if it is and you’re still not satisfied, ask yourself what you’re not doing from the above steps.
Yet if you’re happy with your current state of health and wellbeing, congratulations! You’ve achieved balance on most, if not all of the above, and will find it a lot easier to keep the weight off for good.
