Five Tips for Long Term Weight Reduction Success

First of all, let’s call it a Weight Reduction Journey. The reason to use the word reduction instead of loss is that you do not want to find the weight again, right? The next reason it is called a journey is that it takes time to replace negative habits with healthy, positive habits and to ultimately create a Weight Management Lifestyle that is sustainable long term.

Reducing weight is work and can take a lot out of us, physically, emotionally, and mentally. And many times, once it’s off, we feel like those calories will never return. But the sad truth is that we easily can pack on the pounds soon after because we fall back into the same negative habits as before.

If you’ve reduced some weight try following these 5 smart tips to help to keep the weight off for good.

1. Skip the diet

Dieters gain back their weight within 6 months to a year. Some even gain more than they lost after stopping their diet. So instead of following some 10-week eating plan, why not change our entire outlook on food?

Food shouldn’t be a substitute for anything. That’s the first rule. Food should be eaten for nourishment and sustainability. It should taste good and look good as well as appeal to all of the senses without being processed, high in sugars and fats.

Make it a habit to eat foods rich in fiber, protein, omega fatty acids, minerals and vitamins, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat meat, and fish. These give us the sense that we’re full for longer, and they contain few calories. Use aromatic vegetables like onions and garlic, as well as spices and herbs to make food look, smell and taste delicious. Use condiments that are low in sugar, fat, and calories to add flavor to dishes.

Plate Method

Another great trick to boost metabolism and keep those calories burning all day is to eat small amounts several times throughout the day. Use a 9 inch plate, even at dinner time and enjoy a nourishing dish every 3 - 4 hours. This helps maintain blood sugar levels, to help avoid that slump in the afternoon while keeping our energy levels up and calories at a minimum.

Mindful Eating

Also try to really focus on what we’re eating. Most of the time, we’re too busy or tired to notice how our food even tastes. This is one of the worst habits we can have because it forces us to eat more than we should and leaves us feeling bloated and heavy. Instead, take a few seconds to appreciate the food; its appearance, smell and texture.

Taking in the whole experience of eating, also known as mindful eating, allows us to enjoy our food more without having the need to overindulge and eat more than we should.

Hydration

Also, never underestimate the power of water. Drinking lots of water daily, especially before meals, keeps our body hydrated, increases metabolism and helps us burn off more calories. We can add vegetable or fruit slices for a healthy kick with a small amount of nut spreads or PB2, powdered peanut butter?

2. Strengthen our muscles

As we age, we lose muscle mass which is why it’s crucial to start strengthening our muscles to prevent fatigue, loss of balance, and weak bones. Also, muscle tissue burns more calories, even when we’re not working out.

This is yet another reason to stretch and pump those muscles. And when we think of strength training, this does not mean expensive workouts, lifting heavy weights or bulking up. In fact it can be as easy as picking up two water bottles, cans from the pantry, our own body weight, or resistance bands to strengthen our muscles, to boost metabolism, help with balance, and prevent fatigue.

3. Accept the setbacks

There will be days when we’re faced with difficult decisions, like treats at work, a party, or going out with friends. If we can plan ahead, then we’re one step ahead of the game. We can fill up on healthy snacks before the event, or even have something in our bag we can munch on, like carrot sticks or a granola bar.

Mineral Deficiency

There will also be cravings that gnaw at us until we can’t take it anymore. More often than not, cravings are never really about the food. They can be a signal that our body lacks a certain mineral. For example, when we crave chocolate, what our body is really saying is that it’s lacking in magnesium.

Cravings

Cravings could also be a reaction to a stressful day at work, or an emotional problem we’re going through. All cravings last about 20 minutes so find something to distract; watching TV, reading a book, drinking a glass of water, or even brushing our teeth will quickly kill off your craving.

4. Surround ourselves with supportive friends and family, also known as a community

People who believe in the same things as us make it easier to enjoy a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle. They support us and believe in what we’re doing, and sometimes even take the time to be our workout buddy or prepare meals with us. And, in turn, they become our accountability partner so that if, and when, we slip up, we have someone that provides understanding and support.

Accountability Partner

A pet makes a great accountability and exercise buddy as they are always happy to go for a walk, rain or shine. So get out their leash and head out into nature for a walk.

If we don’t have friends looking to reduce weight then reach out to online or local groups to support and learn from each other.

Community

I recently created a Facebook group to support, encourage and share information that has helped me to successfully reduce 40 pounds at this point. To request to join the group click on the link and answer the 3 questions to let me know that you found out about the group here and what your goals are. https://www.facebook.com/groups/SlimDownSuccess/

5. Exercise

The suggested minimum for maintaining weight reduction is 250 minutes per week. This comes down to about 35 minutes of moderate activity for 7 days.

While these numbers may seem disheartening, it’s actually simple. Pick an activity we enjoy, such as walking, swimming, and gardening. Skip the elevator and take the stairs. It is important to start where we are at, break the 35 minutes up throughout the day – take a walk at lunch, walk in place during TV commercials.

We can also mix and match, so we don’t get bored. To make things even more fun, get a workout buddy, or join a gym and start meeting new people. After a while, exercising will become a natural part of our daily routine, and we’ll even start to look forward to it.


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