When it comes to weight loss, there are all kinds of diet out there to choose from. But do any of them work? The short answer is yes, although it comes with a big but. If you’re looking to shrink the other kind of butt and shed your excess weight for good, you’ve got to be in it for the long haul. It’s a change of lifestyle, not a quick fix.
Americans spend billions of dollars to lose weight, but the best way to do it is finding a sustainable path to health and wellness. Something that works for your best friend might not work at all for you which is why you’ve got to focus on the long-term for effective weight loss. Here’s how!
Make healthy swaps
One of the biggest ways to achieve long-term weight loss is to change what you eat. Adjust the way you cook food from fried to steamed for example. Add more vegetables. Drop those processed foods. Make a few healthy changes each week so it doesn’t feel overwhelming and you’ll start digging your new, healthier lifestyle.
Write it down
Be honest about everything you eat and keep a food journal. Write down moods too so you’ll see if something like stress from work is causing you to run for that bag of chips in your pantry. After a month, you’ll see patterns of your eating habits and can work to make better changes.
Don’t drink your calories
Switch to beverages that contain no calories. If plain water is too boring, add fruit to it for loads of flavor and extra nutrients without added fat or sugar. Go for coffee but make it black. And for the love of everything, no more soda. Ever!
Get active and stay that way
It’s hard to get moving when you’ve been sedentary but you must make it a habit to be active every day. Trapped at work? Take a 10-minute break several times a day to walk around the office and stretch your legs. Every step you make counts. In fact, if you wear a fitness tracker, it will help motivate you to keep moving. The more active you are, the more calories you burn so get out there and find something fun to do. Run, swim, try yoga, ride your bike, or anything else that keeps you moving!
Add new changes slowly
If you really want this to work, start adding these changes slowly. You don’t have to cut out eating everything you like but start shifting your food focuses. You don’t have to run a marathon today, but start building up to it.
By balancing your life with healthy eating and more activity, you’ll find you don’t need some crazy fad diet that has you eating only cabbage for a month. You’ll feel satiated, more energetic, and you’ll also start to see those pounds and inches melting away!