Less calories. More exercise.
Those words sure are easy to say. But putting those words into practice to lose weight and live healthy can be intimidating, difficult and downright overwhelming.
While each one of us is unique and our weight loss strategies must reflect that, there are common behaviors that many successful losers share.
Get regular physical activity.
On the USDA’s ChooseMyPlate.Gov website, it’s recommended that adults get two and a half hours of moderate physical activity per week. The key for busy folks like us is how to do that.
It’s important to remember that nowhere on that website – or anywhere else – will you see it takes a pricey gym membership to successfully log in your week’s physical activity.
Successful weight losers find ways to integrate exercise into their daily routine and you can, too. So take the stairs instead of the elevator, stroll around the block in the evenings and watch your evening TV from a yoga mat instead of the couch.
Eat on a regular schedule.
Your metabolism – or the process of burning and using the calories you eat – is a key component to weight loss. The more efficiently your metabolic engine runs, the easier it is to lose unwanted pounds.
The most effective way to keep that engine running throughout the day is to provide it regular fuel.
Small heathy meals and fresh, low-calorie snacks eaten on a regular schedule will not only keep those hunger pangs from distracting you during your afternoon staff meeting, it will keep your metabolism running like a well-oiled machine.
Weigh yourself regularly.
Look, there’s no reason to document and obsess over every half-pound you shed or gain over the course of a day’s time. However, weekly meet-and-greets with your bathroom scale will help you track your progress and create attainable weight loss goals.
Refuse to let small setbacks turn into big problems.
Food tastes good.
We get it. Sometimes, it’s easy to over-indulge and temporarily lose sight of our long-term heath goals.
You know something? It’s okay.
Successful weight losers understand that healthy living is a balance. When the salad you packed for lunch remains in the office refrigerator while you go out and celebrate your coworker’s promotion, try taking that salad home for a light dinner.
While you can’t allow those indulgences to become the norm, you can – like other successful weight losers – understand that slip-ups happen, have a plan in place to balance your diet out when they do and refuse to let them steer you too far off-course of your long-term goal.
Act like a loser.
These behaviors are hallmarks of people who have successfully lost weight and are living more health-conscious lifestyles. Put them to use in your life and see what happens when you act like a total loser.