Everywhere you turn, there are fad diets and weight loss gimmicks that try to rope you in with unrealistic claims of quick and easy weight loss. Many people who get caught up in them may find great success in losing weight quickly. Unfortunately, the weight almost always comes back — sometimes with a few extra pounds. Why? Because these programs are not sustainable over time.
If you are looking to lose weight and keep it off, then you need to develop a healthy relationship with food by making permanent changes.
Here are the top 6 things to keep in mind for long-term weight loss.
1. Take the Time to Understand Your Body
In order to make long-term lifestyle changes, you need to understand your body. This means putting in the work to discover why you are eating the way you eat. Take a look at the foods you consume, the amount you consume, when you consume them, and how you were feeling when you did. Are you eating because you are truly hungry?
Long-term weight loss comes with changing your relationship with food. Rather than seeing it as a means of comfort after a long day, for instance, you begin to see food as fuel. It becomes more about what it can do for you.
Keeping a food journal will help you to see patterns in behavior so that you can work with your nutrition coach to learn how to address them.
2. Consistency is Key For a Healthy Lifestyle
You cannot expect to eat well today and binge tomorrow – while still maintaining your weight loss and health for years to come. This is not good for the mind or the body. The best part is you don’t have to be perfect to be consistent.
Staying consistent in your plan is key. Work toward your goals, show up to your coaching sessions and workouts, and be willing to do what it takes to set yourself up for an accomplishment.
3. Believe That There is No ‘Quick Fix’
As mentioned, there are so many weight loss programs out there claiming to have the fastest and easiest way to get the body of your dreams.
Remember — your weight didn’t appear overnight and it isn’t going to disappear overnight, either. You have to get in the mindset that there is no quick way to achieve long-term weight loss.
Instead, work toward changing your relationship with food and developing new, positive habits. This is what will get you the success story you are seeking.
4. Learn How to Eat Healthy
You can change the way you eat and still lose weight, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you are eating healthy. In order to lose weight and keep it off long-term, you have to do it in a way that nourishes your body.
When you work with a nutrition coach, you will learn how to eat healthy and give your body what it needs. You will eat the foods you love while benefitting your body rather than only eating to lose weight.
Knowing what to eat is vital for long-term weight loss.
5. Find a Way to Enjoy Physical Activity
We all know that physical activity is important for weight loss. And we know that if we want to lose weight and keep it off, then we need to push ourselves harder, getting the heart pumping and the blood flowing.
If you loathe something, you won’t want to do it. This is where so many people get stuck when it comes to fitness. They may start off strong, but it gets boring and repetitious.
In order to achieve long-term weight loss, you are going to need to find a way to enjoy physical activity. Try new things until you discover something you like.
6. Shift Your Perspective, Change Your Life
Long-term weight loss requires a positive outlook and healthy mind as much as it requires eating healthy and exercising. In other words, your mind has to be on board with your weight loss efforts or you are going to struggle.
It can be hard to get everything to come together so that you can crush your goals. However, when you start working with a nutrition coach and surround yourself with people who want to see you succeed, your perspective will begin to change. And once it does, your life will change, too.
Beyond The Box Nutrition goes beyond dieting with certified nutrition coaches who personalize programs to help clients develop healthy lifestyles and maintain long-term weight loss.