Five Weight Loss Lessons For Success

I became so disillusioned with bouncing from one fad diet to another and no lasting successes. It seemed that no matter what I tried, I just couldn’t get back to a weight I was comfortable with. When I was in my teens, I looked and felt great. But as the years crept by, the weight crept on and it got harder and harder to lose it.

I finally got wise and started focusing on the basics. Instead of thinking that there was some secret formula that would help me lose all of the weight that I had put on, I realized that I would have to focus on some tried and true principles of getting healthy, exercising and cutting calories. I learned a lot of lessons through my weight loss journey that I would like to share with you. They helped me get back to my goal weight, and I hope that they might do the same for you.

5. Learn to Love The Right Foods

Instead of getting your enjoyment from desserts, fried foods, fast foods, and other empty-calorie foods, learn to enjoy healthy meals. Healthy foods do not need to mean – blah! I picked up a couple of health-wise cookbooks and couldn’t believe how much the whole family enjoyed the recipes.  I also learned a lot about cooking healthy. In no time I got used to new foods and found that the change in my diet really wasn’t very difficult.  When you want a snack and you find yourself reaching for fruit or yogurt, instead of cookies and Twinkies, you know you’ve made progress.

4. Start an Exercise Program

Like it or not, but without exercise, it’ll be difficult to have much lasting success. I’ve been a runner for years now and I find that it has been a great way to burn off calories and stay in shape.  A couple of years ago, I purchased a Garmin Forerunner and made it a point to track my “stats” every day.  My favorite stat is “calories burned” and I found that reviewing this and the other pieces of data that the Garmin provided kept me motivated to stay on track with my weight loss. If you choose an exercise that you enjoy, it’ll be much easier to stay focused on your efforts to get healthy.

3. Occasional Cheat Meals Are Allowed

The reality is that pizza, beer, chocolate, and cake all taste great. You don’t need to eliminate them from your life completely. Instead, you need to learn to indulge in moderation. Celebrate a unique occasion with a special treat, but don’t make it a regular habit to have treats in the house. Friday nights are my cheat meal which is typically pizza.  Knowing that I could eat pizza on Friday nights made it easier to skip it on other occasions during the week.

2. Set Achievable Goals

Depending on how much weight you want to lose, it can be tough to stay motivated. Shedding unwanted weight in a healthy fashion can take some time. If, instead, you focus on losing a few pounds each week or month, then success happens quicker and easier which turns into a prime motivator to continue. Each time you reach one small goal, your motivation will skyrocket, and you will be pumped for the next challenge. Before you know it, the time will have passed and you will hit your target weight.

1. Being Healthy is a Lifestyle

I know you’ve heard it all before, but you need to include exercise and healthy eating habits into your lifestyle. As you slowly include healthy meals and regular exercise into your daily routine, you start feeling so good that it’s hard to go back to your old habits. But if you adopt the mindset that healthy eating and exercise is only required until you lose all of your weight, then you are likely to fall “off the wagon” as soon as you hit your goals. Instead, if you learn to enjoy exercising and eating well as a lifestyle change, you will find that your goals will be accomplished much easier than you thought possible.

Weight loss isn’t easy. There are going to be bumps in the road ahead. You might even gain a few pounds along the journey. Don’t get discouraged, just get back on track. With a partner, easily attainable goals, a healthy relationship towards food, and the development of a healthier lifestyle, you will be celebrating your successes in no time.