Top 10 Strategies for My Successful Weight Loss
Weight loss and weight maintenance are really two sides of the same coin - in reality, the habits that help you drop pounds are the same ones that will help you maintain your weight loss. After all, losing weight isn't really considered a success unless you manage to keep it off.
If you ask people who have successfully lost weight how they did it, they'll often say that losing weight is the easy part - but keeping it off is a lot tougher. Sometimes you're so focused on weight loss that you're paying more attention to the end results - like what the scale says or how your jeans fit - than you are on establishing new habits. But once you've reached your goal, it's easy for those old habits to sneak back up on you.
Some people are more successful at losing weight than others. Many people set unrealistic goals or try to lose weight too quickly, and this can undermine dieting efforts in no time. Drastic changes - even if they lead to short term weight loss - are hard to sustain, and dieters then convince themselves that they don't have what it takes to win the battle of the bulge.
Instead, it helps to think more about replacing old habits with new ones and shifting attention away from the end results - in other words, paying more attention to the journey, rather than the destination. As new behaviors become established and take hold, the weight will usually take care of itself.
Here are the top 10 strategies of my successful 'Weight Loss':
1. I got to know myself really well.
One key to success is learning how to manage my own high risk situations - such as eating when I was stressed or cleaning my plate out of habit rather than hunger. For Successful weight loss, I adopted and planned ahead - I understood what situations might get me into trouble and have a backup plan for dealing with it.
2. I do a lot of exercise.
I do about 30-45 minutes of moderate to high-intensity exercise daily. The most popular exercise is jogging, running, sprint and skipping helping me increased my pulse rate above 160.
3. I set goals and monitored my behavior.
Setting goals - ones you measure, like how many minutes you will walk, how many calories you will take in, or how many sit ups you will do - are helpful because you can track whether or not you meet these goals. I kept a track of how much exercise I do, and kept food journals - sometimes using a food log to plan meals ahead of time. These self-monitoring strategies are critical and provide much-needed feedback on behavior changes.
4. I have my regular meal patterns and frequency.
Many people get in trouble with their weight because their eating patterns are so disorganized. I make a note of eating at regular intervals and snacking only when I'm hungry. Skipping meals usually backfires, and having routine meal times means that you don't go long stretches without food - which often leads to excessive snacking or larger meals later on.
5. I eat a low fat, nutrient dense diet.
No surprises here, but a high-quality diet - one with plenty of protein, fruits, vegetables and whole grains - is what keeps people satisfied. The fruits, veggies and whole grains are bulky and filling, but their calorie cost is relatively low. Adequate protein is key, since protein is highly satisfying and will keep hunger at bay between meals.
6. I am practicing portion control.
By learning what size portion I need to eat to feel 'not hungry any more' - as opposed to feeling 'stuffed' - I can trim my food intake significantly. Portion control strategies include using smaller plates, serving your food in the kitchen (rather than having serving dishes at the table), and using meal replacements such as protein shakes, bars or frozen meals.
7. I am practicing stress management.
Food is so often used as a comfort when we're stressed - but we usually feel guilty afterwards, which just increases the stress and keeps the cycle going. I have learnt to find other ways to reduce stress. I exercise, call a friend, or practice some meditation or deep breathing.
8. I had an attitude adjustment.
Many people who have successfully lost weight say that they had to change their thinking about dieting and weight loss. Some felt it was 'in their genes' to be fat, or that they couldn't lose weight because they'd never been successful in the past. Eventually, they faced the problem head on - recognizing that weight loss and, weight maintenance, success would come through a series of small steps and a lifelong commitment to a healthy lifestyle.
9. I adopted a plan, and I stayed with it.
Now I have an established routine of how I generally eat, and how frequently I exercise, sticking with this routine day in, and day out. People who have lost weight and are successful in maintaining that weight loss do this - even on holidays or when they go to restaurants. Many dine out less often, because they prefer having more control over what they eat by preparing more meals at home.
10. I control my environment.
I learnt how to control situations that are most likely to get me into trouble. The foods that are available in the refrigerator or cupboard at home, in restaurants, at the workplace or in the grocery store are all environments that can be controlled. To gain control over the food environment, keep 'safe' foods in the house, choose restaurants where you know you can get the healthy foods that you want, bring appropriate foods to work and prepare a shopping list before you go to the supermarket.
