Losing weight is HARD WORK! As someone who has personally lost over 30 pounds (and learned to maintain said loss) I know first-hand how the struggle to shed those unwanted pounds often feels like you are fighting a losing battle! So for today’s Weight Loss Wednesday’s post, I want to share my top 5 tips to winning the ‘battle of the bulge’ and keeping the weight off for good!
1. Ditch the “All or Nothing Attitude”- The main reason that I HATE diets is that they often promote a ‘Pass or Fail’ feeling. Did you ever go on a strict diet only to feel like a failure 5 days later? You avoided carbs like the plague, yet suddenly you find yourself shoving stale cookies into your mouth, and you don’t even know WHY? Admit it, we’ve all been there. But not anymore! Creating a healthy lifestyle means that just because you ate too many cookies as your afternoon snack, it doesn’t mean you’ve blown it and you’ll have to start all over again the next day. It only means that you should opt for a light (but healthy) dinner and remind yourself to be more careful with those unnecessary extras. BALANCE my friends, is far more important than any extreme diet!
2. Eat to feel good- I have a very sensitive stomach! I’m no stranger to afternoon tummy aches and uncomfortable (seemingly random) bloating. TUMS have their own special pocket in my backpack and I find myself popping them (sometimes daily). And digestion? Well, let’s not go there! The point is, I know how greatly food can affect your gut. So, for me, I’ve found that a gluten free, mostly dairy free diet seems to help, but I’m still experimenting! The key to healthy weight loss and a balanced lifestyle is finding what makes you feel your absolute best! For example, my mum can’t live without her daily dose of Greek yogurt at lunch time, but I know some people who actually gag at the thought of the creamy stuff! The point is, do what works for you! Let’s face it, no one actually feels GREAT after chowing down on a heavy over-stuffed burrito loaded with extra cheese and sour cream! Eating should leave you feeling light, nourished, happy and healthy!!
3. Move more- This is a no-brainer and a huge part of my lifestyle! While I’m not one to spend hours at the gym (who am I kidding, I don’t even GO to the gym!) it doesn’t mean I’m not active! I walk on my treadmill, take the stairs up to my classes (my legs feel like JELLO by the time I reach the fourth floor) and I am thrilled to see the snow melting so I can get back into my daily walks around the block. The point is, the little things matter! You don’t have to ‘kill it’ at the gym to keep healthy, fit and fabulous! Remember that it’s all about “PROGRESS, not PERFECTION!”
4. Count calories/ Keep track- Okay, okay, I know this tip is super controversial amongst those seeking a healthier lifestyle! …to count or not to count?? And while I’m not one to promote meticulously counting every last gram of food you consume, I do think it’s important to be aware of how much you are consuming, ESPECIALLY at the beginning of your weight loss journey. It can be confusing when you’re trying to drop pounds, how much is too much and how much is not enough? But at the end of the day, weight loss really boils down to ‘calories in verse calories out’. Getting a good gauge of how much you’re eating everyday is important to keeping those pounds off!
5. Get into a good routine- This is essential! I gained back some of the pounds from my initial weight loss during my freshman year at college. One of the major reasons for this was the fact that I just couldn’t seem to develop a healthy routine! I regularly skipped breakfast, snacked too much and too often, ate more out of fun and/or frustration instead of hunger, and I generally found my whole life was out of balance! Now, I am so different! I always start my day with a healthy breakfast, fill up on lots of healthy colorful veggies, never skip meals, and I listen to my body. Being healthy is truly a lifestyle!! That, my friends, is the only way to make it stick!
How about you?! What are your favorite tips for losing and maintaining? Spring arrives this week and you know what THAT means! ‘Shorts weather’ is right around the corner!
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