If you’re trying to lose weight, you know how frustrating it can be to try and track everything you eat.
Over time, you may even find yourself obsessing over what you do eat, rather than focusing on your goals and staying positive about your progress.
To help yourself stay motivated and focused on your goals, try one or more of these 10 tips to help you lose weight successfully.
1) Eat something before you work out
Some of you may be wondering why on earth someone would workout on an empty stomach.
It turns out there’s actually some science behind it. By exercising while you’re fasting, you’ll burn more fat, because your body will have less energy to use from food.
This is one of those things that most people probably won’t notice as they’re going about their day, but over time and with repeated efforts, it can really add up and show in your weight loss results.
In fact, according to a recent study published in The Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, participants who ate carbohydrates before working out for 60 minutes burned more fat than those who exercised without first eating any carbs—despite burning fewer calories overall during their workouts.
2) Before going shopping, make a meal plan
Meal planning is a great way to keep your diet on track and save money. And, shopping with a plan makes it more likely that you’ll stick with healthy food choices instead of splurging on temptations.
If you don’t know what you want to eat yet, take five minutes and make your menu for tomorrow.
It might sound like an unnecessary time investment, but it pays off big time in terms of eating healthier overall.
Plus, if you shop after making your meal plan, you won’t be tempted by unhealthy options at the grocery store—and if there are unhealthy foods in your fridge or pantry, they won’t be there when you go to cook dinner.
Just remember: Having a meal plan doesn’t mean going hungry. Be sure to include some treats so that you’re still satisfied and able to enjoy yourself. Your body will thank you!
3) Don’t drink your calories
Studies show that people who consume calories from beverages are more likely to be overweight than those who get their calories from food.
While it’s not entirely clear why, researchers think it might have something to do with satiety—in other words, how full a food makes you feel.
Since beverages lack protein and fibre, drinking your calories means you’re likely getting them in liquid form and may not feel as full or satisfied as if you had eaten them in solid form.
If you must drink your calories, make sure they come from a nutritious source like skim milk or 100% fruit juice rather than soda.
And keep your overall calorie count under control by limiting alcohol consumption and swapping those sugary drinks for water.
4) Drink plenty of water
Drinking plenty of water not only helps you avoid hunger pangs but also works wonders for your skin.
Try drinking two litres of water every day; that’s about eight 8-ounce glasses.
For a weight loss bonus, you can add two or three scoops of natural thirst quenchers to each glass (raspberry iced tea is great).
If plain old H2O isn’t your thing, try spiking it with lemon or lime juice.
Not only will you feel more hydrated, but adding citrus to any beverage has been proven to help you consume fewer calories—which could lead to some serious belly fat loss!
5) Keep track of everything you eat
There are a lot of different dieting techniques out there, but keeping an accurate food journal is one of your best bets for shedding pounds.
Studies show that people who use tracking apps lose more weight than those who don’t.
Keeping track of everything you eat makes it easier to determine exactly how many calories you’re consuming, which will help keep you from overeating and ensure you’re getting all nutrients your body needs.
Whether it’s using an app on your phone or buying a notebook to write in each day, make sure there’s a record of everything you put in your mouth.
6) Think about your alcohol intake
Alcohol contains a lot of calories. If you’re trying to lose weight, consider cutting back or cutting out alcohol completely.
And if you do drink, opt for drinks with little or no alcohol in them: non-alcoholic beer or wine, hot chocolate and other non-alcoholic beverages are great options!
7) Set yourself realistic goals
If you set unrealistic goals for yourself and your weight loss, you’re just setting yourself up for failure.
Instead of striving for a number on a scale or trying to fit into someone else’s notion of success, define success on your own terms.
Whether that means achieving a certain level of muscle definition, weighing a certain amount or wearing clothes that fit better—that’s up to you.
But whatever it is, make sure it’s measurable. And once you do achieve it? Give yourself a pat on the back and reward yourself with something non-food related (you deserve it!).
8) Stay motivated with friends
It’s easy to get discouraged if you’re trying to lose weight, especially if you do it alone.
If that sounds like you, then find a buddy who is working on a similar goal and commit to each other.
Research shows that accountability is one of the most effective ways to stick with your goals.
Don’t underestimate how powerful it can be for someone else to know what you are doing, ask about your progress, celebrate your successes together, or even hold each other accountable when temptations arise.
If nothing else, a friend can help remind you of why it’s so important for you to achieve these goals in both big and small ways. (The support will almost certainly pay off!)
9) Surround yourself with healthy people
It’s easy to convince yourself that you can skip going out for a happy hour with your friends and instead enjoy a relaxing evening at home.
But friends who drink unhealthy amounts of alcohol on a regular basis are significantly more likely to be overweight or obese than non-drinkers, according to findings from two separate studies published in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research and Preventive Medicine.
Social norms may play a role here. Drinking large quantities of alcohol is often done in groups, says David Kerr, director of research communications at Alcohol Research UK.
We think it’s OK because everyone else is doing it and there’s no stigma attached. Or maybe you’re just tired of saying no.
10) Take time for recovery days
We tend to think of rest as only taking place when we’re not doing anything productive, but recovery days are actually important for maximizing your results.
After pushing ourselves, it is necessary for our bodies and minds to recover and rejuvenate.
So, make sure you’re giving yourself enough rest days, too.
If you find that you need help sticking with a workout routine or diet plan, take time off from training so you can fully recover before getting back at it again.
Your body will thank you for letting it recuperate—and so will your mind!
Conclusion
If you’re trying to lose weight, it can be hard to know where or how to start.
While there are tons of diets and exercise programs out there, no one approach is a magic bullet for weight loss.
The secret lies in creating an overall lifestyle change that is sustainable over time.
To get inspired for weight loss success, we rounded up an amazing example of a celebrity who lost lots of weight—and kept it off!
Is an American actor and producer Paul Giamatti who lost over 100 pounds of weight and surprised his fans. You must read Paul Giamatti Weight Loss journey.
