As much as we try to stay fit and in shape sometimes you just can’t help it but put on a few pounds. The hardest thing is that putting on weight is so easy but shedding it off can be so difficult and for some even seems impossible.
Everyone can lose weight, you just need to be determined, follow your plan to the letter and never lose motivation. Even if you need 30, 40 or 50 pounds to lose, just keep it one step at a time. The change won’t happen over night, but it will come sooner or later.
When you’ve got a lot of pounds to shed, the first question usually is where to start. Well, the truth is getting started is easy, getting to the finish line is a bit harder but if you follow our advice you’ll get there sooner and you will have long term results.
Prepare and Make a Plan
The first thing to do is to get prepared for the road ahead, you need to be mentally and emotionally prepared if you want to follow your plan through. Then you need to set a goal and make a plan how to get to your goal. Once you do this, you just need to stick to the plan and the results will be inevitable.
1.You’ll never find the perfect timing so just start NOW
Once you’ve set your mind on losing all those pounds you shouldn’t wait for the perfect moment because there isn’t one. There will always be a birthday, a celebration, a wedding, a vacation and other events that may interfere with your diet plan but if you want to achieve your goal you need to start making sacrifices. Start now and bear in mind that there will be moments of temptations, you’ll need to stay strong and think about your goal.
2. Losing weight is not a part-time job
If you have a lot of weight to lose you need to know that it won’t happen over night. You’ll need time and dedication, every day, for months in a row. You can’t take a break for the weekend and fall back to your old habits. If you really want to do this then you’ll be motivated enough to resist the challenges ahead and go in with a smile on your face every day.
Don’t expect to slip into your skinny jeans after a week or two, the results will come but you need to be patient. Expect to lose 0.5lbs to 3lbs per week.
3. Mistakes will happen sometimes
Let’s be real and just admit that sometimes we all slip up and make a mistake. Even the most dedicated ones have a moment of relapse. The most important thing in such a moment is to accept the mistake and move on, don’t let one mistake ruin your efforts.
If these mistakes happen more often than not, you need to reevaluate your plans and decide is this really what you want, is this really what makes you happy? Just think about your goals and decide the path you want to take.
4. You love yourself and that’s why you want to lose weight
Start with a positive attitude and tell yourself that you love yourself, you love everything about yourself but you want to have a better self to love. This will set you up for success. Only a positive mind can make positive changes.
Never start a weight loss process because you hate your body and you can’t stand to look yourself in the mirror. You need to accept yourself the way you are and do something to improve yourself.
14 Tips To Start Losing Weight
- You should start with something you love
It’s always best if you start the process with some activity you enjoy, like yoga or swimming. If you start with something that you enjoy doing it will be easier for you to follow it through. Maybe you love strawberries, so start eating more strawberries at the beginning. As time goes by you’ll start upping your game.
- Add Before Taking Away
Don’t just think about all the things you need to stop doing and how to do it, start by implementing new routines in your life. This way you’ll reduce the pressure and stress.
Start walking your dog or remember to drink more water every day. First add some good things and then you can start eliminating the bad things.
- Hydrate your body
Many people are unaware but dehydration is one of the main factors that make you feel tired all the time and causes weight gain. But sodas and juices won’t do the trick, you need to start drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated. Lack of water can even make you hungry and sometimes when you think you’re hungry you actually need water.
- Make Food Switches
Instead of eating junk food, loaded with saturated fats and preservatives, switch to wholegrains, meat, fruits and veggies. Start eating healthy and the pounds will start shedding away.
- Portions, portions, portions!
Even if you’ve started eating healthy you should still mind the portions. Overeating is not healthy, even if it’s on veggies or fruit.
Portion out your meals and wait for 15 minutes after you’ve finished eating. Your body needs some time to process all the food you’ve eaten and to send out a signal to your brain that you’re full and don’t need any more food.
- Slow down
It’s important that you slow down when it’s time to eat. Never do it in front of the TV, chew slowly and enjoy every bite you take. Take your time and observe how much you eat.
- Eat more veggies on a daily basis
Vegetables are vital to your diet so try to eat some every day. They’re not just low in calories but contain important vitamins, minerals and fibers your body needs.
Focus on leafy green veggies, they’re especially important. Forget about carbs and eat something greed. You’ll feel satiated and consume less calories.
- No sugar in the coffee
You can still add milk or cream if you prefer it that way just make sure you cut out the sugar from both your tea and coffee. Sugar is your body’s enemy number 1 so forget it even exists.
- Drink alcohol only on weekends
Alcohol is rich in calories and can even make you hungry so try to limit its consumption to weekends only. Or if you prefer, drink 1-3 drinks a week.
If you’re into the habit of drinking a glass or two every other day this might be difficult but this step is also very important for your success.
If your family and friends pressure you just say you’ll be the designated driver on your nights out and enjoy your calorie free get together.
- Carbs are off the table for breakfast
Carbs are off the table for breakfast
If your goal is to lose 50 pounds or more you should consider that you have a low insulin sensitivity. This means that you need to replace carbs with protein, vegetables and healthy fats.
If you usually have a smoothie for breakfast you can keep the habit. Prepare yourself a healthy protein packed smoothie in combination with some berries or leafy greens. Choose anything from strawberries, cranberries, raspberries, blueberries or blackberries. Berries are low in sugar but extremely delicious and nutritious.
Lack of sleep can also be preventing you from losing weight. So, opt for a small non-processed carb meal in the evening to sleep better.
- Prepare something yourself for a friendly get-together
Just because you’re dieting it doesn’t have to mean that you need to skip going to a get-together. Instead of asking what they’ll be serving you can ask to bring something yourself and make sure you’ve got something to eat at the dinner table.
Remember that you can always say no, your goal is your first priority and there’s no arguing about it.
- Do a combination of strength and cardio workout
Cardio burns calories but strength training builds muscle and stimulates your metabolism, so it’s best if you combine the two for optimal results.
Both of these exercises should be included in your workout routine. You can do strengths training on some days and cardio on others or combine the two in a single training session. The results will be the same whatever you choose.
Consulting a professional is also a good idea, he’ll be able to give you the best advice on what to pay attention to according to your body type and goals.
- Get some quality sleep time
Getting the proper amount of sleep every night is also very important if you want to have success in your weight loss process. If you’re feeling tired your body will need more energy and this means that you’ll feel hungry.
Exercising is also much more difficult if you’re not well-rested. Even if you go to the gym you won’t be able to exercise properly is you’re exhausted.
Enough sleep is very crucial. Without a proper sleep, you will feel stressed. That can make you
- Walk more
We spend the majority of our time sitting on our behinds and this is one of the main reasons why we struggle with obesity so much. Instead of taking the cab, walk after work, even for a block or two, do something to get moving. When you move you burn calories, bear that in mind always. Whenever you can, opt for a more dynamic way to spend your time, don’t just sit in front of the TV, this is what led to the problem in the first place.
Losing those 50 pounds is not an impossible mission, it will be difficult and challenging at times but if you really want this you can do it! Keep a positive mind, start small and dream big. Ask for support from your friends and family and do it one small step at a time.