Have you set a weight loss goal for yourself and are you determined to reach it? Do you want to be sure that you not only lose weight, but keep it off? To achieve this, it’s always best to use healthy weight loss tips, that not only focus on the scale, but total body health and well-being. Fad diets are never a good solution and can often result in weight gain after the initial loss happens. To help keep you on track and ensure you don’t get discouraged here’s a look at four dos and don’ts of healthy weight loss.
Do Look at Weight Loss as a Permanent Lifestyle Change
One of the biggest mistakes people can make is to latch on to the diet of the moment, drastically cutting calories, only to go back to “normal” once they hit their goal. This is how you will get caught up in a never-ending cycle of weight loss followed by weight gain.
It’s important to look at weight loss as a lifestyle change. This means you commit yourself to eating healthily and staying physically active from now on, not just temporarily. The moment you start viewing it as a new way to live your life, suddenly you break free of the dieting cycle, and you’ll find that the results will continue both externally and internally.
Don’t Get Too Obsessed with Calorie Counting
The cornerstone of many diet and healthy-eating plans is to carefully count your calorie intake. While it’s certainly important you aren’t consuming more calories than you need, sometimes people give calorie counting too much credit. There’s a lot more to losing weight, with glucose monitoring being a big part of it.
The logic behind glucose monitoring is that you start to understand how your body makes and then uses the fuel (calories) that you are giving it. Ideally, you don’t want to see huge dips, crashes or swings in your glucose as this can make weight loss difficult. So, stop guessing and get yourself a continuous glucose monitoring device. This will provide you with all the details you need and it’s also a good idea to do some research on how big of a role glucose plays in losing weight.
Do Boost Your Level of Physical Activity
Although a healthy diet while trying to lose weight is important, it’s only half the battle. It’s extremely important to also boost your level of physical activity both in the number of times you work out each week and the intensity level. You want to push yourself so that you get that full workout and reap the benefits.
Some of the best exercises that promote weight loss include:
- Swimming
- Biking
- Running/jogging
- Walking
- Yoga
- Weight training
- Pilates
- Interval training
To keep things interesting and provide your body with a challenge, be sure to mix things up and try a variety of activities. Experts recommend four to five days of exercise per week if your goal is to lose weight.
Don’t Get Discouraged by Slow Results
The final tip is not to let yourself feel discouraged if your results are slow to show. Everyone is unique; some people are lucky and can shed weight relatively fast, whereas others take time. You may also be stuck at a plateau, which means mixing things up can be helpful. Keep your eyes on your goal and stay motivated and positive. Remember the saying: slow and steady wins the race.
Being mindful of these common dos and don’ts of healthy weight loss means you’ll be setting yourself up for success when it comes to your goal.