If you have followed multiple weight loss plans but failed every time, you may be doing something wrong. A big reason why most weight loss plans collapse is due to the physical and mental whiplash.
For instance, they ask you to curb down your favorite foods immediately. However, by doing so, you start binge eating after a few days, resulting in more weight gain than loss.
Not just that, this pattern is even detrimental to your long-term well-being.
So how about we change this “quick concept” of losing weight and gel it into our own wellness. This means no counting calories and no intense workouts, just developing good lifestyle habits to achieve our weight loss goals.
In this guide, we will discuss how to start losing weight most healthily.
How to Start Losing Weight in 5 Steps
In this section, we will talk about five basic steps that help significantly in getting rid of those extra pounds.
Step 1: Plan Your Meals
Whether you’re at home on weekends or at work, you must learn how to eat better and plan your meals accordingly.
For instance, if your current job includes dine-out brunches thrice a week, ensure that you’re only putting healthy items on your plate. This way, you wouldn’t be eating junk and won’t need to keep tabs on your daily calorie count.
Moreover, sticking to veggies and chicken definitely won’t cost your weight loss journey. So include more of such foods into your diet.
Step 2: Restrict Your Cravings and Stick to the Schedule
We all know it’s hard to say no to sudden temptations. But if you want to see a real difference in your body, you must set boundaries for your consumption.
Like, if you eat your favorite tacos twice a day, the best bet is to narrow it down to four times a week. This way, your taste buds will never miss the taste of that crispy tortilla, and your calorie count will also be balanced.
Besides, if you want to know how to eat better and healthily, you can make your favorite meals at home with organic ingredients.
Step 3: Avoid the Triggers
Once you set your boundaries, the next thing to look for is the triggers that push you to “eat more.” Unfortunately, these triggers take the essence out of your weight loss journey and tend to take you back to square one.
So, keep a proactive approach and identify your triggers beforehand. Also, try to find out what makes you vulnerable or give in to them. Is your stress making you eat more chocolates, or is your best friend talking you into having more brownies?
Simply learn to say “No” and stick to it to continue your journey.
Step 4: Prioritize Yourself
We often forget to work out due to a busy day, or we may be too tired even to do push-ups.
But, no matter what the case, you must always adjust the exercise to your daily routine. So, despite how busy you are, you can do a workout, jogging, running, or incorporate yoga into your routine.
For instance, if you have to go to work at 9 a.m., you should wake up at 7 a.m. and do a bit of exercise.
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Step 5: Assess Your Needs and Wants
The final step is to know whether you really need to have a snack or it’s just a momentary craving.
Giving in to cravings will only add extra pounds to your body. Thus, whenever you feel like munching on a bag of chips, pause for a moment and think about what you actually want. This way, you won’t eat anything bad for your weight loss journey.
Effective Weight Loss Tips
Along with these steps, you can also follow some practical weight loss tips to up your journey. These tips include some behavioral changes, lifestyle adjustments, and obviously – a healthy diet.
Here are a few weight loss tips that will add more value to your journey:
- Sleep Well: Make sure to sleep for 7 hours daily to fulfill your daily requirements. According to a study, women who sleep for 5 or fewer hours a day have a 32% higher risk of becoming obese than those who sleep 7 hours.
- Have a Healthy Breakfast Every Day: Never skip your breakfasts. Instead, make them a powerhouse of nutrition to stay active throughout the day. So make sure to eat eggs, bananas, yogurt, berries, or chickpeas for breakfast.
- Eat at Regular Intervals: Don’t stay on an empty stomach the whole day. Instead, eat snacks every 3-4 hours in small quantities to stay active. Plus, keep in mind chips and sweets don’t count as healthy snacks at all.
So go for roasted peas, baby carrots, nuts, and hard-boiled eggs to satisfy your daytime hunger. Similarly, instead of carbonated drinks, go for healthy smoothies and sugar-free beverages.
- Relax: Too much stress can lead to the release of cortisol that causes an increase in appetite. So avoid your anxiety triggers and try to stay relaxed.
- Drink Lots of Water Before Meals: Yes, even science backs it up! As per a study drinking 500 ml of water before meals leads to the consumption of fewer calories.
- Hit the Gym: When trying to lose weight, exercise and doing physical activities top the list. So make time for yoga, walking, jogging, and workout sessions daily.
How Long Does it Take to Lose Weight?
This question arises in everyone’s mind whenever they start following a weight loss plan.
The courses that say “weight loss tips that work in 5 days” are nowhere close to reality. Yes, they might give you results in days, but with several underlying health issues that you won’t even get to know.
According to Meg Sharp, the PT director for the Cambridge Group of Clubs, effective weight loss plans take around 8 weeks to show results. However, keep in mind that you may not see visible definition in your body, but your clothes will surely fit you better, and that’s huge!
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this guide has helped you know how to start losing weight most healthily.
Remember that dieting isn’t the only solution; it could lead you to gain weight in the future. So instead, you should try following healthy habits along with the five steps we mentioned above to get a fit and nourished body. Keep in mind; you need to be patient, as even according to weight loss experts, it will take around eight weeks to lose weight.
