Keep Weight Loss on Track With These Tips
By Rachel Carver
Weight loss is a journey. This journey has milestones, setbacks, and plateaus.
Science shows you do not have to create a new lifestyle to change your scale number. In fact, adopting small strategies such as drinking more water and increasing your step count can go a long way toward success.
Here are some additional tips to keep you on track.
Reframe Your Mindset
Usually, the weight loss journey is exciting in the beginning. You smile when the scale number changes after eating healthy. You feel hopeful and have more energy.
However, old habits can sneak up on you. It is easy to browse Facebook instead of taking your lunch break walk. Many of us love sugar, and it can be tempting to reach for that sweet treat when you feel stressed.
Think about managing those habits. Pick one night each week to enjoy ice cream. Schedule rest days between workouts to relax your body and mind with your favorite show.
Schedule Your Food
Regular eating habits balance your hormones and blood sugar. A meal schedule also regulates your metabolism, helping you to lose weight. You can establish specific meal times, or prep your meals in advance to make healthy food easily accessible.
An established routine will help you on days full of meetings or when something unexpected happens. When you need to deviate from your schedule, you will be able to pick it right back up again.
Take Care of You
Our to-do lists get long. We usually have many tasks to complete for others. Balance everything on your plate. Maybe your partner can cook dinner. Or the dishes can wait so you can complete your daily workout.
Prepare for Plateaus
Plateaus will happen during weight loss. If your scale number decreased but is not moving right now, this is not a bad thing. It means your body has adjusted to a new level. Losing weight in smaller increments makes the loss more likely to be permanent. Stick with your healthy habits and routine, and your number will continue to drop.
Get More Sleep
Most of us wish we could sleep more. Research shows people in a calorie deficit who lost an hour of sleep did not lose as much fat mass as those who slept the full needed amount. Sleep deprivation negatively affects hormones, which might make you hungrier than normal.
Check your sleep quality before you adjust your exercise or calorie intake. Try to get 7 to 8 hours each night.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Mukilteo, Wash.