Losing weight takes more than a new diet and some exercise. It requires dedication to a new lifestyle with a weight management routine that puts health and longevity first. This process is not an easy one, and we all know why.
Weight Management Routine
Making the hard choice to get out of bad routines is extremely difficult, but thankfully, there are some habits that you can implement in order to give yourself the best chance at success.
1. Start Small
One of the biggest causes of failure in many weight loss journeys is the pressure that many people put on themselves when just starting out. Losing weight—and keeping it off—requires a complete lifestyle shift that takes time to cultivate and ingrain into your daily life and overall mentality. For this reason, we recommend taking it one step at a time. Eat a healthy meal once a day. Go to the gym. Take that walk. Skip that sugary snack. Early on, each small win is huge. The real value comes from consistency over time.
Overall, be sure that you set specific goals. Just saying “I want to work out” or “I want to lose weight” will most likely not stick. Make tangible goals such as going to the gym at a certain time a set number of times per week or eating a specific diet over a specified time period.
2. Make A Commitment!
Just making that commitment with yourself can go a long way towards giving yourself a better chance at sticking to the program. Try to start by making a pact with yourself. If this is something you really want for yourself, it will be easier to make those hard decisions when your habits are taking you in a different direction. Some people find it helpful to write down their goals and treat this as a contract with themselves.
This “contract” may include the lifestyle changes you would like to make or the reasons why you want to be healthier. Examples include improving your mental health, being more patient/kind, or leading by example for family/friends, etc. Try to avoid things such as how much weight you want to lose or deadlines as these motivators rarely result in permanent changes.
3. Get Checked Out
In order to get an idea of where you are physically and where to begin your weight management process, it is a good idea to analyze where you are currently with your health and fitness. The best way to do this is to see your primary care provider. During physical exams, your doctor will help you learn more about your body and what weight-related health risks you currently face.
Also, assess your current lifestyle and try to identify the factors that get in the way of your weight loss success. This can help you to identify these triggers when they happen and give you a better chance at making the conscious choice not to repeat this behavior.
4. Check-In With Yourself Periodically
One of the best ways to build sustainable momentum is to check-in with yourself every once in a while to gauge your progress. This can help you to see the progress you are making and motivate you to keep going with small, achievable day-to-day tasks. The more ways you can give yourself credit and see how the daily victories begin to add up, the better chance you have at leading a better lifestyle.
Importantly, it is crucial to be realistic and not put extreme pressure on yourself when it comes to weight management. Leading a healthy lifestyle, losing weight, and keeping the weight off is not something that happens overnight. It is the culmination of many small decisions that add up to big results over the long-term. So when starting a weight management program, be good to yourself, reward yourself, and be consistent!