The majority of people
who lose weight soon learn that
maintenance brings new and often more difficult challenges to overcome, and
they often gain the weight back within a couple of years. Many diets, intense
workout programs, and detox plans are often a setup for failure. They can help
you lose weight, but don't help you learn the habits to support it for life.
If
you asked someone who lost weight and kept it off long-term how they did it,
they'd probably say, "It's a lifestyle," but that's vague and rarely
helpful if you're struggling to do the same. Below are five key habits that
will help you not only lose weight but also keep it off.
1.
Don't rely on
willpower: If you struggle to stick with
portions and stop yourself from overeating, you probably think you have weak
willpower. The truth is that most people have weak willpower when it
comes to indulgent food. Keeping snacks and indulgences around the house and
frequently putting yourself in situations with a lot of temptation and exposure
to food media (Pinterest, Instagram, and TV shows) are all ways that weaken your
willpower. To lose weight and keep it off, one of the best things you can do is
avoid sources of temptation.
2.
Enjoy being more
active: Exercise shouldn't be used to
compensate for overeating; it often leads to burnout and less control over
eating habits. Instead use it to boost your mood and energy, burn extra
calories through the day, and strengthen your muscles. Getting in a good
gym session is important for strength and cardio training, but your body
benefits from consistent activity through the day too. Simply walking an extra
5,000 steps each day, taking the stairs more, cleaning, or a doing quick
yoga routine while you watch TV are all great ways to be more active.
3.
Focus on habits,
not results: You've likely collected diet advice
over the years, through repeated attempts to lose weight and eat healthier.
Each time your efforts didn't work as intended, it gave rise to negative
thoughts that can become consuming. This often starts a pattern for the future
where people often expect themselves to fail, and to avoid disappointment,
they'll self-sabotage in small ways or stop trying altogether. When you focus
only on results, and not how you achieve them, it's easier to feel like you've
failed when you don't get an expected, often unrealistic, outcome.
Instead, shift your focus from results to habits.
Small changes make the biggest difference long-term, so appreciate the moments
you made healthier choices, like getting in an extra walk, adding more
vegetables to your meals, or eating less sugar. After consistently
improving your habits, results will follow.
4.
Self-care: Everyday life can be busy and stressful and many
people are accustomed to using food, social media, or TV to deal. Instead,
indulge in what your body really needs. It might be relaxation through a warm
bath, reading, or meditation. Or it could be a good workout, connecting
with friends and family that make you feel happy, or more mind stimulation
through learning a new skill. To find success in weight loss, it's helpful to
enrich your life with things that are separate from food.
5.
Make new goals: It's common to think the work is over once the
weight is lost, but in reality it's just beginning, though it can be fun to
create the life you want to live in your leaner and healthier body. Setting new
goals helps you to avoid boredom and keeps you moving forward rather than back.
You could set new fitness goals, learn how to cook new foods, or get
involved in the community. When you explore new habits and find ones that you
enjoy as your leaner, healthier, and often happier self, going back to old
habits is less of an option.
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