Consistency is the key for many things in life, including diets and weight loss programmes. We know this is not easy, but is the only way. If you find yourself falling off the wagon, here are some tips to keep you on the straight and narrow during your weight loss journey.
1. Find your main motivation for losing weight
Every person has a different reason for losing weight. Some people want to look better, some people want to be fitter and some people want to be healthier, while others strive for all of the above. Being as specific as possible will help you to stick to your convictions.
Make a list and read it when you are feeling helpless, this will help you remember why you made a visit to the weight loss clinic in the first place.
2. Keep temptations to a minimum
For example, if you know you can’t resist eating biscuits with your tea, then simply stop buying them. It is much more difficult to give into temptations when your cupboards and fridge are filled with them. This way your family will have healthier options to choose from too!
A good tip to keep yourself from buying all the unhealthy snacks you love is to go to buy your groceries after you have had a healthy meal. You won’t feel hungry, so you are less likely to fill your trolley with things you do not need.
3. Take up exercising
If you haven’t already, take up some form of exercise. This will help keep you motivated as well as stick to your diet. Knowing that it would take you two hours of exercise in the gym to burn off the calories equivalent to a burger from a fast food restaurant, you are less likely to eat one.
4. Do some research before going out to a restaurant
Taking part of a weight loss programme does not mean you cannot enjoy a good meal at a restaurant. There are many ways to go out with your friends and still make healthy choices.
It is as simple as doing a quick web search for the restaurant you plan on visiting ahead of time. This way you can see if there is anything on the menu that is consistent with your healthy meals. It may take some tweaking, like ordering your protein with a side of vegetables instead of starch or eating a quarter of the portion you are served and saving the rest for later.
Worst case scenario: there isn’t anything on the menu that suits the plan set out for you by weight loss specialists. In this case, you could always suggest a different restaurant!
5. Track your progress
Keeping track of your weight loss progress via a journal, or something similar, will keep you motivated. If you plateau at any point and get disheartened, speak to your weight loss specialist. They will be able to determine whether there is a reason for this or it is just a natural part of the course.
By monitoring your progress, you are able to make connections between your actions and your weight loss. If you lose a lot of weight, you may perhaps link it to being strict with your diet and dedicated to the gym. If you do not lose as much weight but know you haven’t been sticking 100% to the healthy eating plan, then you will know why your weight loss plan hasn’t been as effective as you want it to be.
6. Understand that weight loss will take time
You did not gain all of the weight you want to lose overnight and neither will it disappear overnight. Dedicating yourself to a weight loss programme is a long term commitment and if you follow it keeping this in mind, you are sure to see results.
7. Find a friend to take the weight loss journey with you
A successful weight loss journey has been and will be achieved again, but if you fear losing motivation be sure to get a partner to take the journey with you. This way you will be committing to a weight loss programme and to the other person. You will have someone to share healthy meals with and an exercise buddy that motivates you when you want to give up.
There are many ways to keep yourself on track. For further information, contact Slender Wonder today, where your health is a way of life.