With the New Year just behind us, it’s time to actually do something about that weight loss resolution you made. Whether it’s 15 or 150 pounds you’re trying to shed, no plan is easy. Despite what the newest fad might suggest, real weight loss is hard work.
That’s not to say we haven’t all fallen victim to a fad diet or two in the past. They promise quick results, and we end up thinking: “Who knows, maybe this one really does work.” But, of course, it doesn’t. Maybe we lose five or six pounds, only to put on eight more the next month.
The trickiest part is that when a diet fails, it can be hard to stay hopeful about future weight loss. We’ve all had a diet not work out the way we wanted it to, and it leaves us feeling defeated and right back at our old, unhealthy eating habits. That’s why it’s critical to choose your diet plan wisely and stay positive about your goals.
Here are a few of suggestions for healthy, long-term weight loss:
Incorporate physical activity into your every day routine. You’ve heard it a million times: park at the back of the parking lot, take the stairs, do push-ups or sit-ups while watching TV. There are hundreds of ways to add movement to the activities you do every day. Movement doesn’t have to mean gym membership if you’re willing to be a little creative.
Maintain portion control. The easiest way to control portions is to eat off of a smaller plate. But another way to cut back is to only make enough for one serving—you won’t have seconds if there aren’t seconds to be had. And be sure you’re filling up on food that’ll leave you full until your next meal.
Talk to your doctor about your diet and exercise plan. You might be surprised how much your doctor knows about what your body needs—although you shouldn’t be. Your doctor can help you build a diet and exercise plan and give you healthy expectations for how much and how fast you can expect to lose weight. There is no diet book or blog in the world that can do that.
Stay positive. There will be days—weeks even—when you might not lose a single pound. But don’t give up, just because your weight loss has stalled this week doesn’t mean you won’t start losing again next week.
So remember, as enticing as they may sound, those fad diets will only leave you feeling down and discouraged about weight loss. And if healthy dieting and exercising hasn’t worked for you, come to one of our free information seminars and see if bariatric weight loss surgery’s right for you.
I have books that I only read on the exerbike. This strategy helps me to look forward to my daily dose of Dean Koontz, etc. Try it! It worked for me to the tune of 50+lbs.