Tips to help with Weight Loss

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE: The Road may be bumpy, but stay committed to the process!

We’ve all been there, we’ve braved the scales, we’ve crawled off in self disgust and decided with steely determination that this time, this time right now, will be the time we will change our lives for good.

And it’s hard in that moment to think we will run out of motivation, and we’ll discover will power just isn’t enough. And before we know it, we say to ourselves, ‘I’ve been really good this week, surely this cake, or that pack of crisps, or in my case, that FULL pack of biscuits or full chippy supper won’t do any harm, just this once!’ and we fool ourselves with, ‘I’ll start again tomorrow’ and go on to eat those things. And tomorrow never comes.

OR

We’ve been doing fabulously well, we jump excitedly on the scales, and then could cry – ‘how?’ we ask ourselves, our minds goes crazy wondering what we’ve possibly done to deserve this unfair number flashing back at us.

So, here are a few tips to help us on our journey:

Find a regime you will be happy with

There’s absolutely no point in choosing a plan you are going to be bored with or sick off. For me, I couldn’t do a regime where a food group is removed – I personally don’t think they’re the best way forward, and I would constantly miss the thing I wasn’t allowed. Neither could I do a meal replacement plan with shakes or the like – I need the feel of food! Here’s a link for a review on some diet plans: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/top-diets-review/

Don’t worry if the scales don’t match your efforts

It’s so disheartening when the scales don’t move, or go up, when you’ve dieted well, but don’t let it ruin things for you – our bodies are a living, breathing organism, with loads of chemical and biological actions going on. Think about the weight loss you’ve worked hard for up to that point, including the bad week, is it still an overall loss? if so, then you’re doing everything right. Keep on the ball, battle through, the results will start showing again.

Don’t berate yourself if you’ve slipped

For instance my day yesterday – it wasn’t a good day. What good does it do for our self belief and self confidence if we beat ourselves up over this, we are human, there could be plenty of other people just waiting to have a pop at us, we sure as hell don’t need to do it to ourselves! Draw a line under the day/days, we can’t change it, all we can do is change the future. And as per the previous paragraph – think of the overall weight loss you’ve already achieved so far, and give yourself a clap on the back.

If you’re constantly ‘falling off the wagon?’…

Maybe you’re on the wrong kind of regime, have a rethink about your choice, if you still believe it’s the best for you, see if there is anyway you can give yourself a ‘naughty’ treat, maybe that will help keep you on track.

Keep a food diary

I know, I know – it’s sooooo boring! but I have found in the past that if I use this as a tool to help me understand what my intake actually is, it really can differ to what I believe I’ve taken in. Remember to include your drinks – even if it’s water!

Preparation

For me this is the biggest and most important thing! I try to prepare my lunches on a Sunday – that way I have a few days worth of salad and eggs ready to take from fridge to work. And to try and combat the evening meals I used to have a clear plan of each meal for each night, along with recipe instructions if it was a new recipe, this way there was no excuse for me to think ‘don’t know what to do…. TAKEAWAY!’

If you’re not a natural kitchen dweller?…

Be brave! start searching online for recipes – there’s thousands, probably millions! Sometimes there can be a whole load of ingredients, and that alone will scare you off the recipe, don’t be fooled – the instructions are usually easy! Explore, experiment, enjoy! Here’s a dedicated food site I’ve used in the past – specifically catered (excuse the pun :D) towards healthy food: http://www.slimmingeats.com/blog/

Support!

A nod here to Slimming World – I have used them in the past but circumstance meant I was no longer able to attend – friendly groups for men and women – lots of good advise, lots of friendly banter – never, ever made to feel crappy!

But if groups aren’t you’re thing, look for support from loved ones or friends, you are probably not the only person you know trying to shift the poundage – why do this journey in isolation when it’s much more fun and confidence building doing it with someone, and gives you each other perspectives.

Also, it can be really hard if you’re not getting support from those closest to you, sometimes it can feel like you’re fighting an uphill battle, here is where you must learn to put your needs first, find someone who you can trust to vent to, but keep you in mind at all times, you first, you first, you first…

Small steps

I know, I need to lose around 80lb, this will just get me into the healthy weight range, and I could think to myself ‘if I lose 1.5lb each week, i’ll be close to my goal by this time next year!’ This isn’t really practical – a year is a long time and 80lbs is a lot of weight, instead think to yourself, ‘Ok, I do have a lot to lose, but I’m going to aim to lose 12lbs in the next two months.’ – that’s much more doable, and not such a scary prospect. You might lose more, you might lose less, but realistically all that matters is that you do lose.

Only 1lb you say?

There is no such thing as ‘only 1lb’ If you’ve lost 3lb or 1lb celebrate! And if you don’t believe me, walk yourself round to a shop, go to the meat section, pick up a couple of 8oz steaks, look at them, balance them in your hands, and think to yourself – yep! I’m actually really pleased with 1lb or pure lard no longer in my body! BTW – it’s recommended that we aim to lose between 1 and 2 lbs per week for healthy weight loss.

Hour by Hour, Day by Day

On the days where it all just seems too much, take each hour as it comes, if you’ve stuck to your plan after hour 1, give yourself a clap on the back, the same after hour 2, keep going, you can do it. Let those hours roll into days, keep doing it, don’t cheat yourself, keep in mind the dress/trousers you want to be able to wear, or the number you want to see on the scales.

Remember – you are doing something amazing

By starting and continuing with your journey you are doing something incredible for all aspects of you – your confidence, your health, your mental health. You may be doing it for the first time, or the umpteenth time, doesn’t matter, you have this within your grasp, your power to change, there isn’t a single person stronger than you when it comes to your own willingness for your own sake – Whether it’s 7lb or 170lb, you have the ability to make this happen, Believe in yourself, take courage, get ready for it and go with the flow!

You are going to be BANGING it this time!

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE: The Road may be bumpy, but stay committed to the process!