7 Steps to Lose Weight & Keep It Off For Good!

By Joanna 04/01/2022 In
Knowledge
Fitness Tips
Mindset

Happy New Year!! For most people, staying fit and healthy has always been one of the main new year’s resolutions. This is the time when we would whip out our planner and start planning our workout regime and meal plans to start the year strong. What about you? 

It’s great to have a fitness resolution, however, we know that the real challenge is to stick to our resolution. Studies have shown that 80% of people have failed in adhering to their new year’s resolution by the end of January. I don’t want you to be the 80%, I want you to be the 20% who not only succeed but stick to it in many years to come. In this video, I will be sharing the 7 ways to lose weight and keep it off for good!

 

1. Start off easy

One of the first mistakes most people tend to make when it comes to starting a weight loss journey is to have “the more, the better” mindset. They would immediately commit to working out 5 - 7 days a week and drastically change their diet. It is good that you are taking steps and setting goals towards the direction of improving your fitness, however, your body and mind need time to gradually adjust to an active and healthier lifestyle.

So instead of beating yourself up when you’ve missed a workout session or failed to meal prep, start off easy and focus on small achievable goals. For example, focus your goal on staying physically active throughout the day by walking more, taking the stairs instead of the lift or escalator, standing up and moving around the office whilst at work, or even doing house chores. Those incidental activities will benefit your health in the long term. Or even simple healthy habits such as drinking 2 - 3L of water a day and getting between 6 - 8 hours of sleep. Start off with those simple healthy habits and slowly build on them.

 

2. Set realistic expectations

Most of the time, people fail because they start off by setting goals that are unrealistic and too overwhelming. For instance, I want to lose 20kgs in 3 months or I want to prep every single meal and workout 7 days a week.

Before setting your goals, it is important that you understand your lifestyle and daily commitments. Do you have the time to hit the gym every day? Is that realistic? Have you eaten takeaways every single day and do you think you’ll be able to change that and cook every meal yourself? It is important for you to have an honest conversation with yourself before setting your goals. Don’t set yourself unrealistic expectations because by doing that, you’re only setting yourself up for failure. You’d get frustrated when you failed to show up for a workout session, or you failed to meal prep.

So be honest and set realistic and achievable goals because this will lead you to success. Perhaps you are able to commit 3 - 4 days to exercise, that’s absolutely fine. If you achieve more days, then well done, and you can slowly increase your expectations. Perhaps you can prep one meal a day and choose healthier options when you eat out. A realistic weight loss goal is 2 - 4kgs a month. So if your goal is to lose 20kgs, let’s make it a 6 - 9 months goal. I’ve created a video on “How to Design a Workout Plan” which you can watch and set your own workout plan.

 

3. Ditch dieting! Eat mindfully

Nutrition is extremely crucial when it comes to weight loss. I’m sure you’ve heard this saying, 80% food 20% exercise. However, hopping onto a fad diet as part of your new year’s weight loss resolution may only lead to more yoyo dieting and this is not sustainable long term.

If there’s one thing you can do now, is to ditch the word “dieting”. When we think of “dieting”, it’s often associated with restriction, short-term and unsustainable regimes. Most people who have the “dieting” mindset tend to gain more weight over time. Let me know in the comments below if you have dieted before.

So ditch “dieting” and change that to “healthy eating” instead. Focus on nourishing your body instead of depriving it, and be mindful of your eating habits. Watch this video here and learn how you can “Lose Weight Without Eating Less”.

Most of the time, we tend to overeat because we’re not aware of our hunger and appetite. We eat until we’re stuffed and sometimes we’re not even aware of the food we’ve eaten. If I were to ask you right now, think back on all the meals and snacks you’ve eaten today. Can you list it down? How did you feel when you ate? Were you truly hungry? How did you feel afterward? Satisfied or guilty? I’ve also filmed a video on the “8 Type of Hunger” which you can watch here and learn more about your eating habits.

Once you’re able to eat, and stop when your body feels about 80% full, you’ll realise that eating healthily and mindfully is not that different and this habit helps you to keep the weight off for good and maintain a healthy weight for life. Our goal primarily is to become a fitter, healthier and happier person from the inside and out.

 

4. Reorganise your pantry

What if I told you that shedding those pounds can be as easy as engaging in a little spring cleaning? Well, it's true! The new year is a good time to spring clean and organise your pantry! This is a perfect opportunity to create a clean slate of food supply at home.

Remove all processed and junk food from your home that isn’t helping you to lose weight. Replace them with fresh natural food. If you store junk food at home, chances are you will eat them. If you stock up on fresh natural food, similarly you are more likely to eat them too. Just think about, if you have cookies out on your kitchen counter, will you reach them when you feel like snacking? Of course! So replace them with healthier snacks such as nuts and seeds, so that you will reach for healthier options.

I truly believe that weight loss starts from home and the simple trick of cleaning out and organising your pantry can help towards a healthy lifestyle not just for you, but your family too.

 

5. It’s not just about the numbers on the scale

Weight loss is not just about the numbers on the scale. Of course, It’s important to weigh yourself to know if you are on track with the amount you need to lose. Saying that however, I don’t want you to be obsessed with weighing yourself every single day and determine your success solely based on the number on the scale. Only weigh yourself once a week, and know that your progress is not solely determined by the number on the scale!

If you are wondering why the number on the scale isn’t moving, but you feel that your clothes fit better and that you look slimmer, that’s because you have increased in muscle mass and reduced in body fat. That’s because 1lb of muscle is more dense than 1lb of fat. So even if your weight remains the same, you will look more firm and toned.

Beyond that, staying active and eating well will also contribute to your overall health in the long term such as feeling happier, having more energy, better sleep, and lower stress levels. To me, those are extremely important factors in staying fit and healthy.

 

6. Be part of a community

I truly believe that having a support system can be that extra support and motivation we need to stay on track and achieve our goals. When you’re able to share your goals and progress with like-minded people, it’ll give you a sense of accountability. They will also be able to offer you support and motivation when things get tough. It can either be a workout partner, a family member who cheers you on, or even a personal trainer

If you do need some help getting started as well as to stay accounted for your goals, you may try out our fitness app “Fio” and get access to a wide variety of workout programs, meal plans, and even mindset videos to guide you through. Links and special discounts are in the description box below.

 

7. Trust the process

Most people who jump off their weight loss resolution bandwagon do so because they don’t see results within the first 4 weeks of adapting to change. We need to remember that change takes time and patience. Know that by adapting to healthy lifestyle practices such as exercising and eating well, you are already setting yourself towards success, but the keyword here is “adaptation”. Allow your body to adapt.

So you got to work towards achieving what you want every single day. Forget about going on the fast lane. And because it’s a journey, there’ll be lots of ups and downs. I can tell you right now, it won’t be a smooth journey and it won’t be easy. You’ll have days when you feel extremely motivated, and out of a sudden, you might fall back into your old habit of binge eating again.

If you can foresee this, you can better prepare yourself when it’s about to happen, and overcome it with certain strategies. Remember, do not turn relapses or temporary failures into meltdowns or excuses for giving up. Instead, acknowledge the mistake, look at ways on how you can better manage it when it happens, and recommit to the path.

 

Alright guys, time to put your best foot forward and kickstart the new year strong! Let me know what’s your fitness goal in the comments below and how you plan on achieving that.

 

 

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#jsohactive
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