If you’ve tried to lose weight and failed, you’re probably thinking that it’s a mighty difficult task to accomplish. Do you feel like you’ve tried every diet out there and nothing works? Or have you dieted and still was left feeling sicker, with more weight gain. Well, help is on the way. Here you will learn how to start a diet plan.
Don’t give up! Achieving your weight loss goals might be easier than you think, and working with a professional can not only demystify the weight loss journey but also measure your progress which can keep you motivated as see the scale drop.
Small Changes = Big Results
As you’ve no doubt noticed, weight loss isn’t a quick fix. You can’t go on a two-week diet, lose the weight, and then think that the weight will stay off for good. Even if you’re really good about following a diet at first, you’ll more than likely gain the weight back. This has to be a lifestyle of eating healthy and not a quick fix. This is why fad diets do not work, because they are more focused on quick fixes that are not sustainable for long term which leads to further frustration.
Why?
It’s because a two-week diet does nothing to alter your lifestyle. The best results come from changes that you incorporate into your daily life, and many of these changes aren’t drastically different from what you do now. This way it fits into your life with ease, which will make it more sustainable over the long term.
You can even continue to enjoy the foods you love as long as you do so with a wise plan! I always recommend one cheat meal per week.
If you make a series of small changes, one at a time, you’ll give yourself a chance to get used to them which will make it less overwhelming, more attainable, and slowly making shifts. It won’t seem like such a shock to your system when you introduce the changes gradually. Sooner than you think, you’ll lose the weight and gain the healthy body and lifestyle that you desire you just have to be consistent, as well as focused.
Here are some weight loss tips to implement into your new lifestyle:
1.) Increase protein. Eating enough protein can keep the blood sugar stable, lower cravings, and keep the unhealthy calories from fat down. Add a protein shake as a snack or a simple protein snack in between meals can help keep the calorie count down and the blood sugar balanced.
2.) Cut out soda. Soda is a big offender when it comes to empty calories. The best thing you can do for your body is to replace the soda you’re drinking with water. Water is critical to your good health. Shoot for drinking half of your bodyweight in ounces of water. It also helps fill you up and has zero calories, no matter how much you drink!
- If you’re having trouble kicking the soda habit, try alternating soda water each time you go to get a drink. This will gradually get you used to less soda and increase your water intake. This was very helpful in making the shift from soda to water, because of the fizz.
3.) Start walking. If a regular exercise routine is difficult for you, strive to walk more often. Walking doesn’t feel so much like true exercise, but it is and you’ll be rewarded for it. Some simple tips to add extra walking into your day include:
- Park farther from the store so you have to walk a little distance.
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Go for an enjoyable walk with your neighbor. You can visit, catch up, and exercise all at the same time! This is a great way to exercise and multi task
- If you do not have anyone to walk with throw on an audiobook and enjoy learning more about a specific subject this can make you more motivated to walk if you have something to look forward.
4.) Watch your portion sizes. Portion sizes just keep getting larger and larger. You may not even realize that you’re consuming a portion that’s much too large for you. Look up what a healthy portion size really is for the meal you’ve chosen. You might be surprised at the results!
- Start your meals with a full glass of water.
- Combat oversized portions by using smaller plates.
- Half your plate should be vegetables, a quarter should be protein, and the other quarter should be carbohydrates. Eyeball these portions and if you eat out take half of the meal to go for a later meal
- Give yourself the correct amount of food and then refrain from seconds. This may mean measuring your food, or proportioning your food to understand portion sizes.
5.) Have desserts sparingly. Save desserts for special occasions or times when you deserve a nice treat. Avoid eating them every day, or you’ll be adding massive amounts of calories to your daily intake.
- It’s a good idea to plan ahead for occasional desserts and only buy them for those certain meals. That way, they aren’t there tempting you the rest of the time. Try not to keep them around the house accessible and when you do indulge eat it at that time and let the rest go.
- Have plenty of healthy snacks available to curb hunger or cravings in between meals specifically protein snacks.
You can easily turn these tips into healthy habits by incorporating them into your lifestyle one at a time. Get used to one tip before you add another one. This should be an easy and effortless process, and not a difficult one. The more difficult you make it for yourself the less likely you will want to continue. Most of them involve only small changes. However, these small changes will enable you to achieve how to start a diet plan! If you are looking for more practical tips and tricks subscribe to our YouTube channel for more nutrition and health tips.