I have lost weight and maintained it over the last 15 years. Over that time I have tested a lot of different methods, diets and tools to help with my goals. Over time I have developed habits that have contributed to my success. Here are my 7 habits to try for successful weight loss:
Tracking
This is my cornerstone.
I started doing this on a spreadsheet before the days of the app. Actually, I don’t even think the iPhone was out! I was keeping a food diary with everything that I ate and the number of calories they contained. It was pretty rudimentary but I used to eat a fair amount of pre-packed food so this was easy. It was also an eye-opener. I was eating loads! Many of us are under a false illusion about the amounts that we actually eat. I was, for sure.
We have become a nation of mindless eaters. It’s only when you sit down and think about it that you realise that you likely eat too much.
These days I use MyFitnessPal to track everything. There are many calorie trackers out there but this is the one I’ve always used. Try it, or one of the others, see which you get along with. The main thing is that it’s easy to write stuff down, this is why I love MyFitnessPal.
Consistency
100% Key.
For me, there are two strands to this.
1 – be consistent with your tracking, even when you have off days! It’s difficult to start with, but stick with it as it will pay dividends. If you miss a day (or days) it’s ok. But make sure that you keep getting back into it.
2 – be consistent with the foods that you eat. It is important to stick to a plan. Don’t try or flit between fads, this is the worst thing that you can do.
Famine will lead to feasting, leading to putting weight back on. In my view, this is the definition of a diet. Take a view that you can eat what you like in moderation. Tracking will help you to hit your goals. You can still enjoy yourself without starving yourself!
Excercise
This is the hard part for a lot of people. You can achieve your goal without it, of course you can. But it will be a whole lot easier with a bit of exercise. There are so many other health benefits to exercise. From heart health to mental health, it’s worth doing even if you are not trying to lose weight.
You should find something that you enjoy. Something that you can be consistent with. This might be walking for some, or running for others. Set goals and enter events, this gives you something to focus on. Exercise will help you to lose weight and it will help you maintain it once you get there.
Water
Drink a lot of it. Guzzle it when hungry!
The body’s signal for dehydration is often misread as hunger. Slurping on a glass of water can help to distract you and keep you satisfied. Of course, try to drink eight glasses of water a day, more if you can. If you can keep a container of water by your side at all times you will smash it.
Fibrous veg
Think things like cabbage, broccoli, beans etc
Along with protein, which helps to satiate me, build muscle and burn fat, I eat a tonne of fibrous veg. I use it to pad out my dinners if I am trying to limit carbs in my diet.
Limit sugar, limit alcohol (Boo!!)
Boring! But, I thought I’d throw this one in… it’s the one that I struggle with. But, it’s the one that I know makes things so much easier if I can do it.
Alcohol and sugary snacks are so calorie-dense and useless. For me, and many others, alcohol leads to more eating… Sugar leads to more sugar. If I stay away from these completely (I’ve recently completed dry January) it means I can eat more! On the upside, I worry less about busting my calorie target. That said, if you are following and tracking what you are doing you can enjoy these. On the downside, I find that I am always having to compensate. The more I don’t drink, the more I realise it’s not worth it!
Use tools
Measure stuff… I do it all the time and it drives my wife mad.
The kitchen scales are your friend. One person’s hand full of Frosties is another person’s bowl! Know what you are using and things will be easier to track
There are so many more things that will help you to lose weight. These were my top 7 to get you started. They are habits that I have developed over time and that work for me.
I’m not promising everything will work for you, we are all different. Take one or two of them at a time… see what works for you. Successful weight loss is trial and error. Some things will work better for you than others. The key is to remember to find something that you can do that is achievable and that you are comfortable with. Setting yourself with something that is too difficult to maintain is a sure road to failure.
Maybe you are already on your way on your successful weight loss journey but motivation is a struggle. If so, check out this post I wrote about my struggles and the 5 things I do to stay motivated.