If you want to lose weight, you know you need to do the things that will benefit your health, like eating nutritiously and keeping active. But there are many other factors that come into play when it comes to weight loss and your success, and quite often, we overlook them.
Serious about getting control of your weight and your health? Then donât just diet and exercise. Do these things too so you can really see results!
Eat mindfully
Many times, itâs not what weâre eating but HOW weâre eating. If you bring a snack to nibble on from your perch on the couch while binging on Netflix, youâre going to binge on it too. Even if youâve selected something healthy like hummus and vegetables, youâll be gobbling up more calories than you bargained for without noticing.
Aside from taking the time to enjoy your food without being distracted by TV, keep a journal of the foods you eat daily. Write down everything, even if itâs just a nibble, and write down what youâre doing and how youâre feeling. Youâll be able to spot patterns where youâre eating mindlessly and put a stop to them.
De-Stress
Stress is another one that spikes your cortisol levels. This can make stubborn fat stick to your midsection no matter how active you are or how healthy you eat. Do things to relieve your stress daily. A walk through the park, reading a good book, catching up with friends and laughing, or getting a massage are just some examples of how you can chase stress away and find success with weight loss.
Portion Control Is Key
While you should aim to eat healthy, life is all about balance and moderation. If you eat healthy 80% of the time, you should not feel guilty about eating something âbad.â Pizza isnât bad if you eat one slice of it for family pizza night. Itâs when you start cramming down slice after slice that itâs bad. Put your focus on eating right most of the time, and plan out when youâre going to indulge.
Thatâs not a free license to start stuffing your face though. Portions are a big part of it. When making your plans for a special occasion like a nice dinner out for example, try to look at the menu in advance. If itâs something extravagant, consider sharing it, ordering only half a portion, or if thatâs not possible, having them only serve you half a portion and sending you home with the other half. It all goes back to mindfulness.
Brush your teeth after every meal
When your mouth feels all fresh and minty, youâll be less likely to eat something. Thatâs because brushing your teeth gets that food taste out of your mouth. Keep up this habit, and youâll trick your brain into thinking that food time is over when it senses that minty flavor.
Make good sleep a priority
When you donât get enough sleep, your cortisol levels shoot through the roof. That also leads to lower levels of leptin which helps with your metabolism and hunger signals. You need to be getting enough sleep each day if you want to see the scales shifting in your favor. Sadly, sleep is something so many of us neglect and itâs critical for proper self-care. Try going to bed earlier each night. If you keep having sleep troubles, a chat with your doctor should happen so you can get to the bottom of whatâs keeping you up at night.
Connect with reality
Weâre always distracted with technology. Smart technology has certainly helped us be more productive from anywhere but it also keeps us disconnected and stressed. Take time each day to put down your devices and just connect with reality. Connect with your kids, your spouse, with nature, and most importantly, with yourself. Finding the real joy inside of you is critical to your weight loss success.
Try other mind tricks
If you use a smaller plate and fill it up, youâll eat less food than you would with a full-size plate. Your brain is tricked into thinking youâre getting a big portion of food when youâve actually cut the size of your portion down. Another technique you can use is to load up your plate with healthier items first, like vegetables followed by lean protein, which leaves you little room for other things. The latter is great for family functions and holiday meals. You simply fill up on those healthy things first and youâll feel too full for anything else. Even if you do indulge in dessert, youâll only want a taste, which is the point!
Let go of past failures
No one is perfect. Weâve all had some sort of failures before, and many people have failed to be successful at weight loss. Even if youâve failed before, you have to forgive yourself and move forward. Stop looking back after youâve identified where you went wrong. Instead, move ahead using this information.
For example, if you found that every time you tried to lose weight, you didnât keep healthy foods in your kitchen or made excuses for exercising, change that mindset. Work with a buddy or get the help of a dietician or personal trainer (or both). See success and be that success and youâll find your weight loss efforts will take off running.