Losing weight can be a challenge. Most of our friends and family have weight loss tips that have worked for them. Many of these weight loss tips are coming from good intentions but are not based in science. With all the fad diets/diet cults on the market losing weight has become more complicated that it needs to be.
You may have tried everything from low carb, low fat or plant based seeing limited results. Only to go back to the habits that made you overweight in the first place.
I’ve worked with many clients over the years and the strategies that we used worked for them. We planned based on scientific research rather than myths.
Here are some weight loss tips to help you get in shape and stay there.
Start a fitness program
Many of us are looking for short cuts when losing weight and skip the workouts. Many studies have shown that doing a fitness program consistently will help you not only lose weight be keep it off. If you want to see results you will need to work out 6 days a week. This will help keep in you proper energy balance. Exercise has also been show to make people feel better which helps them avoid emotional eating.
Make sure to pick a program that you can stick to because if you won’t stick to it then you will not do it. Personally, I enjoy running 6 days a week paired with weight training 2 times a week. The key is picking a program that will challenge you every week.
When starting a fitness program it’s ok to start small. You don’t need to start a intense running or weight training program. You can start by walking for 30 minutes a day and build up from there. It’s best to something that fitness your fitness level and build on that slowly.
Eat fruits and veggies
Eating a diet high in fruits in veggies will help you stay full while eating less calories. I recommend getting at least 3 servings of fruits and 3 servings of veggies in per day. Fruits and veggies are full of fiber which will slow digestion. The slow digestion will keep you from eating unnecessary calories. If you’re new to eating fruits and veggies try a variety to find ones that you enjoy. Finding healthy foods that you enjoy is key to sticking to your diet. Make sure that you bring fruits and veggies with you so that you won’t slip up away from home. I recommend using a cooler bag with ice packs to keep them fresh.
After you build a habit of eating 3 servings of each per day try adding a wide range of foods to your diet. Having a variety will provide you with a balance of micronutrients.
Drink coffee
One my favorite tools for a weight loss program is coffee. Coffee is a great appetite suppressant and provides thermogenic effects that may raise your metabolism. When using coffee for weight loss skip the high calorie drinks a Starbucks because this can put you over your calorie limit quickly. My advice is to drink your coffee black or add a low-calorie option like almond milk.
Side note: Don’t drink your coffee to late in the day because this can disrupt your sleep negatively affecting your weight loss efforts. The cut off for drinking coffee is 8 hours before bedtime.
Get a good night sleep
Getting a good night sleep is the most important weight loss tip on the list because if you get a bad night sleep you won’t stick to your program. Lack of sleep will cause you to feel hungry, have low energy and will stuck away your will power. When I miss out on sleep I feel like I am dragging during the day and I reach for unhealthy snacks to get though the day. If I’m lacking sleep my workouts will suffer or not happen at all. My recovery will be limited for my previous workouts causing me to have slow progress. Limited sleep causes a cycle of unhealthy behaviors that will keep you from reaching your goal. The ideal amount of sleep is 7-9 hours per night.
Cut out processed foods
When planning your diet program, you should focus on unprocessed foods. Processed foods tend to leave us feeling hungry because they don’t have a lot of fiber. When foods are digested quickly you will feel like you need to eat again quickly. Many processed foods are low in nutritional value. Most of the processed food are kept in the middle of the store. When you go shopping for food try to focus on eating things on the outside of the aisles.
Track your food
Tracking what you eat is key to losing weight because it will give you insight into what is working and what’s not working. I recommend doing a food audit when you stop seeing results from your fitness and nutrition program. Doing so will show if you’re eating too much food and where you can make a few cuts to get back on track.
The key to weight loss
The number one key to getting results is to make sure that you’re stick to a plan using both diet and exercise. It takes a lot of hard work but if you keep at it you will get the results that you desire. Many people focus on doing one or the other but this won’t work longterm. I hope you enjoyed our weight loss tips.
Checkout our blog on having the right mindset for working out https://www.onthegofitnesspro.com/the-right-mindset-for-working-out/
References
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/certain-foods-linked-long-term-weight-gain
https://www.webmd.com/diet/sleep-and-weight-loss#1
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/fruits_vegetables.html
https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/exercise-weight-control
