Losing weight is not just about dieting or exercising; it’s about having an overall healthy lifestyle.
An excellent way to start that journey is by getting rid of the bad habits which can lead you down the wrong road.
So get on the right path and learn how to have a healthy lifestyle and lose weight! It is time that you take care of all aspects of your wellness to get the body and mind results that you deserve!
1. Get Rid Of Bad Habits
Many of us continue to do things the same way because that is how we have always done them. When you want to change your lifestyle, you must create new habits. This takes time and practice.
Some easy new habits that you can incorporate into your life today are:
- When you eat, use a smaller plate. This encourages you to take smaller portions instead of taking as much as will fit on your plate.
- Stop stocking your kitchen with junk food. If you see it, you will eat it. Instead, substitute it with healthy choices, so when hunger strikes, you aren’t tempted.
- Be sure to read the labels on food packaging. When you understand what is in your food, you may no longer want to eat it.
- Limit your consumption of alcohol. Instead of having two drinks, have one and supplement with club soda. This allows you to continue to be social but reduce the alcohol you consume.
Every new healthy habit you create, no matter how small, will add up in time and make a big difference! Think about the long-term effects of your actions. I can assure you that your efforts will compound!
However, to be successful at anything, it’s important that you first have the desire and ability to do so. So, try starting with a new habit that you find easy or fun!
2. Practice Mindful Eating
Mindful eating gives you more control over yourself. It helps you pay complete attention to your experiences, cravings, and body cues while eating.
Some of the benefits are:
- It helps reduce binge-eating and ultimately allows you to feel better.
- You eat slower. This allows you to make sure you taste and enjoy what you are eating. Most importantly, it helps you pay attention to your body, telling you that you are full.
- It helps you make healthier choices by understanding the consequences of your food selections. Therefore, it stops you from making emotional decisions about food. Before you stop to get that donut, stop and think, “is that donut going to help me reach my weight loss goals?”
Incorporate mindful eating into your lifestyle as a strategy for losing weight. This way, you will pay attention to your triggers and make eating an intentional act. Eat for function, not taste.
If you are serious about practicing mindful eating, give meditation a try to help you acquire this ability.
Download this cheat sheet to learn the secrets to go from busy and out-of-shape to energetic and fit!
3. Why Should I Avoid Fad Diets?
When you see a diet that promises drastic weight loss in a short period of time, you want to stay away from it. Diets are not intended to be long-term.
They may help you shed a decent amount of weight quickly, but they are not sustainable. Instead of a diet, you want a healthy nutrition plan.
When you wonder how to have a healthy lifestyle and lose weight, you want to make fundamental and long-lasting changes to the food you eat. It must become a lifestyle.
When you restrict yourself too much, you may become unhappy and start eating whatever you want. Instead, focus on making good, healthy choices most of the time.
Choose whole foods that are not processed and are plant-based. Fad diets often remove food from your diet that is nutritionally necessary. Missing nutrients causes an imbalance that is bad for your body and can slow down your metabolism instead of improving it.
4. Make Time For Yourself
When life gets busy, the first person you push to the side is yourself. We tend to focus on the needs of others first before we focus on our own needs. When this happens, it is easy for healthy habits to disappear.
You have to put yourself first. Once you commit to prioritizing your health, it will become easier for you to find time in the day to prepare healthy meals and exercise.
Don’t forget that although eating well, exercising, and sleeping are critical to a healthy lifestyle, so is relaxation. While things like massages and spa days may feel like a luxury, they are vital to a healthy lifestyle. It gives you a chance for downtime.
5. Change Your Mindset
Many of us tend to fall into the bad habit of thinking negatively without even realizing it. We convince ourselves that something is too complicated or that we cannot do it.
When a thought has the words can’t, don’t, hard, or impossible in them, stop yourself. Instead of saying I can’t eat that, say I don’t eat that. This way, you won’t feel like you are punishing yourself by not stopping at the McDonalds drive-thru, but rather making a conscious decision.
Change the way you talk to yourself. Pay attention to all the thoughts you have daily, and retrain your brain to think positively. I recommended that you practice positive self-talk in the mornings to empower yourself to take on the day!
6. Have A To-Do List
While it may seem odd that creating a to-do list helps you get on the path to a healthy lifestyle, it is true. When you make a list, you have committed it to paper.
This makes you more likely to follow through. Write down all the things you want to accomplish, no matter how minimal they may seem. You can get the satisfaction of checking off the item when it is complete.
For example, you can add: go to the gym, meal prep, and eat breakfast to your list. You can also plan your meals on your list, so you will not have to think about it when it comes time to eat. All of your meals have already been decided!
7. Challenge Yourself
Many of us face life from a place of fear and doubt. We stop ourselves from doing things because we are afraid it will be too hard or that we will fail.
Part of a healthy lifestyle is challenging yourself to push past those mental barriers. You can do more than you think you can. You have to believe in yourself.
Challenging yourself may feel uncomfortable to you at first, which may make you want to stop. If you force yourself to push through the discomfort, you will be happy you did.
Commit yourself fully to whatever you are doing. For example, if it is exercise, do not cheat on your reps. The only one you are hurting is yourself!
8. Don’t Overcomplicate It
Don’t overcomplicate things. You’ll be happier with your progress and accomplish more in less time!
For example, if you are just starting out on your weight loss journey, don’t think that the first thing you need to do is sign-up for an expensive gym membership and that you need to exercise for 2 hours 5 days a week.
Instead, start out by adding more steps throughout your day. Walk around while you talk on the phone. When there is a commercial, get up and walk around until they are over. Take your dog for an extra walk.
Or, don’t go out and buy every single weight loss book in the bookstore. It’s easy to get lost in the weeds learning every single scientific fact about weight loss before even getting started.
Finally, don’t over-complicate things by trying too many different techniques at once – pick one thing right now and commit to doing it 100 percent!
We all have 24 hours in each day! It’s important to be intentional with how you spend that time so you can get closer to achieving long-term success. Just start; you will learn as you go!
Conclusion
The journey to a healthy lifestyle is not just about dieting and exercising. To truly be successful, you need to make lasting changes.
If you want to lose weight, the first thing that needs to change is your mindset. You choose how you live your life and what habits will help you succeed at achieving your goals.
So, get rid of all the bad habits and replace them with healthy ones like mindful eating or avoiding fad diets.
Also, take time for yourself every day. It’s important not just because self-care feels good, but also because when we are happy and fulfilled emotionally, our physical health improves as well!
These changes may seem difficult initially, but there is no going back once you start seeing the pounds melt off!
Lily
Hi, I'm Lily! Like you, I have struggled with my weight. It was not an easy journey but I was able to lose 40 pounds and have kept it off for 14 years. My goal is to share with you all the research, tips, and tricks that I have learned over the years to help you lose weight also.Download this cheat sheet to learn the secrets to go from busy and out-of-shape to energetic and fit!
