Weight lose is a struggle that many people battle with each day. At least that is the way it seems. The truth, however, is that weight loss is rather simple. The issue is sticking with a new exercise or diet routine. You get bored and you go back to your old habits. weight lose is dependent upon you sticking with your diet and exercise routine. To help overcome the hurdles of staying motivated to lose weight.
Set Realistic Goals. It is perfectly natural to be gung-ho and jump into a new diet and exercise routine and set the goal of losing those 20 pounds, fitting into that size 8 when you are a size 16. While those goals are possible, you need to set “stepping stones” that will help you get to that big goal. Focus on losing 5 pounds, or swapping out 1 can of soda for a bottle of water each day. That way your goals are not overwhelming, it is going to take time to lose 20 pounds… 5 pounds will come off quicker than you think and the weight loss will happen quicker.
Start a Food Journal. In order to change your dietary intake you need to know what you are eating. You may be surprised to find out what you eat, how much you eat and what you can easily stop eating. Its best to keep track of your food intake for at least two weeks. That will give you a pretty good idea of what your normal food intake is.
Keep an Exercise Journal. You want to make sure you work out regularly by doing both cardiovascular and strength training workouts. Write down each exercise you do along with the number of reps performed and the amount of weight used. For cardio workouts take note of your total time, distance and the number of calories burned if you can. Exercise will accelerate your weight loss efforts and help you lose weight faster.
Avoid the Scale. While many experts will tell you to weigh yourself every day, it is best to not stand on the scale every day when you are starting out. The reason is that weighing yourself daily can be discouraging because weight naturally fluctuates. The best option is to stand on the scale once a week, the same day each week and the same time if possible to monitor your weight loss.
Measurements. The first weight that comes off is usually water weight. Once the body stabilizes it may not seem as though you are losing weight at all. This is why measuring your waist, hips, arms, thighs and so on will provide you with a much more accurate way to see that there really is weight loss going on.
Pat Yourself on the Back for a Job Well Done. Remember the small goals that you set, when you reach one, reward yourself. When you reach a main goal, really reward yourself. For example, you lost your first five pounds, get your nails done, buy a new CD or buy those new running shoes. Positive rewards for hard work will help maximize your weight loss efforts.
Keep in mind that the struggle people have with weight loss isn’t losing weight. The struggle is sticking with a new program and making it a new way of life. If you are worried that you may get bored with your workout routine, make sure you are changing up the exercises so you are not doing the same thing every day. This will help make sure your body stays on track to lose weight. It is easy to lose weight as long as you stay committed and motivated the entire time.
Many people struggle with weight loss but the truth of the matter is that it’s not exactly that hard to lose weight. It’s always fairly easy to lose the first few pounds but then people get bored or tired with their diet and fall back to their old eating habits. In order to lose weight and stay successful with weight loss you need to eat healthy and exercise regularly for best results. There really is no other way around it if you want to keep the weight off. Here are some tips that may help give you the extra push to lose weight and stay with it.
Make Small Goals. When you’re starting out, it’s okay to have a large goal in mind, such as losing 50 pounds, but it’s also important to make smaller goals. You will be able to attain these smaller goals much more quickly and each time you meet one it’s going to keep you motivated to move forward. A goal of 50 pounds is a great one but it can feel overwhelming when you’re getting started with weight loss. To help you lose weight successfully, set a few small goals for yourself.
Have a Food Diary. The best way to know what needs to be changed in your diet is to really know what it is you eat each day. Keep a journal for at least two weeks, and write down each and everything you eat or drink and how much. Keeping track of the amount of sugar you use is also important. At the end of the two weeks take a look through the journal to get a better idea of what needs to be changed and slowly start making those changes.
Start an Exercise Diary. If you are keeping track of the food you eat, it only makes sense that you keep track of the exercise you are doing. Make sure that your each journal entry includes the amount of weight you are using during strength training as well as how many reps you have done. For cardio exercise write down how long you worked out, what you did and if possible the number of calories you burned. Exercise is essential to any weight lose efforts you are making.
Don’t Weigh Yourself Every Day. Weighing yourself everyday can be very discouraging because weight fluctuates a lot. Consider weighing yourself just once per week at most and you want to be sure you weigh yourself on the same day each week at around the same time. This will give you a true account into how your weight loss efforts are going. You could lose weight one day and gain weight the next if you were to weigh yourself daily so it’s not recommended.
Use Measurements. A more accurate way to track your progress is to get a tape measure and measure various areas of your body such as waist, hips, arms, and thighs. If possible, take your first measurement before you start your new routine and then measure at periodic times throughout to track your progress. This will help you see the true change in weight loss and muscle tone. Keep in mind that it isn’t always about the amount of weight you lose, especially after you have started losing weight. Its about getting in shape.
Reward Yourself. Don’t forget to reward yourself when you meet your goals. You should reward yourself each time you meet one of your smaller goals and reward yourself even more when you attain your main goal. So every time you achieve a weight loss of 5 pounds you could reward yourself for the hard work you’ve been putting in. Instead of rewarding yourself with food or snacks, consider buying yourself a new workout CD, download new songs to your iPod or invest in some new athletic apparel to workout in.
The problem isn’t losing weight. The problem is sticking with a new routine. Everything seems easy when you first start out, then the reality sets in and maintaining the diet and exercise can be difficult. You can do other things as well such as switch up your exercise routines so that you aren’t doing the same thing every day. Weight loss is easier then you think. Sticking with your program using these simple tips will help you maximize your weight loss efforts.
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