Weight loss feels like an uphill battle sometimes. Here are a few achievable steps that will help you reach your weight loss goal.
WEIGHT:
W ~ walk or workout. Do little things like park your car farther from the door when shopping, walk up a flight of stairs (or more) instead of taking the elevator… any extra steps you take add up by the end of the day.
E ~ eat healthy choices. There's many options nowadays for a "lighter" many ingredients. Pack some fruit or nuts in your bag so if you are hungry when you are out and about, you have something handy that's healthier for you.
I ~ imagine yourself thin. Positive affirmation and "seeing" yourself in a different way has shown to go a long way in training your brain into a new way of thinking.
G ~ gain confidence, not weight. When you are following any weight loss program or healthy lifestyle the upside is, that as you lose weight, your confidence tends to increase triple-fold over the pounds lost.
H ~ have a support system. It's hard to be the only one fighting a weight loss battle. Put together a support system. This isn't so much a person that's your designated "food police", but maybe someone in your home willing to eat the same meals you are or be a walking buddy.
T ~ think before you eat. Yes, you can eat it, but do you really want to? How much exercise or activity will you need to do to lose those same calories? Another thing to ask yourself is, do you really want it or are you just eating out of boredom?
LOSS:
L ~ little by little, small changes. It's been shown that making too many changes, or too drastic of a change, at any one time leads to failure. Put ONE new habit or piece of your plan in place at a time… We've all heard the saying of "biting off more than you can chew"… This is the same concept.
O ~ only eat when hungry. Learn the signals of real hunger. In the beginning, when you think you are hungry, drink a glass of water. Sometimes dehydration or thirst is mistaken for hunger. If you're still hungry 15-20 minutes later then go ahead and have something. Another thing to look at is, are you eating from boredom or just routine? Those are the small habits you are trying to retrain your brain to think of differently… Find something else to do and it may mean you taking up a new hobby.
S ~ Start now, set things up to win. Get ready but don't go overboard and buy a bunch of dieting stuff or expensive workout outfits. Take it a week at a time and go shopping for the food you will need to have on hand. Have better choices readily available. Look for things you can quickly grab to eat instead of the non-healthy choices that may already be in your pantry. Prep items for healthy meals; make portion controlled snack size baggies of some good nuts & snacks.
S ~ SUCCESS!!! All roads will lead to your success. Little by little, all those small changes, routines, choices and a positive attitude, will put you on the path for you to WIN!