The end of 2024 is almost approaching. If you're on a fitness quest, have you seen the results you wanted? If not, some of your behaviors may be preventing you from reaching your full potential. A few easy modifications will help you prevent weight cycling, which occurs when you gain weight after losing it, and start fostering healthy behaviors that you can stick to for the rest of your life.
Remember that weight does not determine health. You should always talk to your doctor about other aspects of your health that you may focus on instead of reducing weight. If you're serious about reducing weight, you should try a different approach, such as figuring out the optimal time to exercise.
You should also think about certain hazards you might avoid to boost your chances of success. Here is what not to do.
1. Stop focusing on the short term.
Everything on this list is a harsh reality, but this is frequently the most difficult to accept (and change). If you tackle weight loss with a short-term mindset, you may end up stuck on the yo-yo diet train.
Without a long-term strategy to weight reduction, you may drop 10 or more pounds in two weeks only to have a rebound when you realize the program was not working for you. This is all too prevalent when people follow stringent diets like keto or paleo, or fad diets that promise quick weight loss. In reality, most people benefit from a well-balanced diet that includes all food groups and some pleasures over time.
Understanding that fad diets, excessive exercise, and "detoxes" are rarely effective is a key component of long-term weight reduction success. They only last as long as you have willpower, which I believe ranges from two weeks to many months.
There are no fast fixes, miracle cures, or magic medicines for weight reduction, despite what the health industry may want you to believe. Losing weight includes sticking to a plan that encourages long-term healthy habits.
The standard suggestion for weight reduction is 1 to 2 pounds per week; however, early weight loss may exceed that for persons who are extremely overweight before slowing down to the recommended one to two pounds per week. Studies have shown that this is an efficient approach to losing weight while retaining lean tissue and avoiding a rebound.
2. An all-or-nothing perspective may be dangerous.
Many people who struggle with a short-term outlook also suffer with an all-or-nothing worldview. I started my health and fitness journey with this approach. I eliminated all processed foods: no bread, no pasta, no milk, no cheese, and no individually packaged snacks. I mainly lived on chicken, veggies, and berries.
This was amazing until it wasn't, and I ended up running to CVS for as much chocolate and Goldfish as I could carry in two hands. Then, because I'd "ruined" my diet, I'd eat everything I could physically bear because, "Why not? "I have already ruined it."
Then I'd feel awful about the goodies I ate and go back to my extremely tight diet the next day. This is a harmful cycle, yet I see it all the time with my personal training clients. An all-or-nothing perspective can trap you in a never-ending cycle of lose-gain-lose, as well as feelings of shame and guilt over eating.
This all-or-nothing principle also applies to fitness. If you've been performing the best exercises to get in shape in the shortest period of time but still don't feel fitter or stronger, you may be doing too much. Toning it down might, counterintuitively, be the key to boosting your fitness (and long-term success).
3. A greater support system may be sufficient.
Supportive friends, family members, and significant others are essential for effective weight reduction. If asked to name the most prevalent reason for not adhering to a healthy diet among my previous personal training clients, I would answer stigma.
That's correct. As ridiculous as it may sound, people are mocked for eating healthily, particularly in areas where food is a vital part of the culture. Growing up in southern Louisiana near New Orleans, I saw this frequently when I chose to modify my diet.
At family parties and social events, I'd hear comments like, "That's all you're eating?" Alternatively, "You're really not going to eat any dessert?" Alternatively, with irony, "Next time we'll have a salad potluck."
It's not enjoyable to be mocked or sneered at, especially over things you care about (like your health!), so it's all too easy to fall into the trap of eating and drinking for the sake of socializing. This is why a strong support system is essential for long-term weight loss. Without it, the trip may feel lonely and daunting.
If you currently believe you lack a support system, try having open discussions with your friends, family, and partner about it. You may make it plain that they don't have to modify their eating habits if they don't want to, but that your health is very important to you, and you'd appreciate it if they didn't criticize or minimize your efforts.
If an in-person support system isn't working for you, consider joining online forums that encourage both wellness and body positivity. I adore Flex and Flow on Instagram, Health at Every Size, and the Intuitive Eating Community. These societies prioritize health rather than weight, which is beneficial since focusing on health outcomes makes it easier to achieve your ideal weight. Reddit also has a terrific thread (/r/loseit) where you may read many real-life weight-loss experiences.
4. Exercise doesn't always conquer everything.
If you're familiar with the wellness business, you've probably heard the phrase "Abs are developed in the kitchen, but not the gym." Even if your goals do not entail a shredded stomach, the aphorism remains valid. You simply cannot out-exercise a lousy diet.
Exercise should be part of your overall weight reduction strategy since it has been shown to help reduce body weight (not to mention its numerous other health advantages), but it is difficult to lose weight alone through exercise. Many individuals overestimate the number of calories they can burn from their workouts; it's usually a lot less than you think and significantly less than the calories your body burns at rest during the day just to keep its current body.
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