You wake up one morning and decide that you want to lose some weight. Maybe you’ve had a bad break-up or you’re just feeling a bit down. Whatever the reason, suddenly you’re motivated to change your lifestyle and start exercising more. You make a list of all the reasons you should lose weight and you stick to it.
You limit yourself to eating healthy foods and you work out for an hour each day. On day five you’re feeling great and despite the cold weather you decide to go for a bike ride. While cycling you realize that you’re not feeling hungry as you normally would be after working out. You keep up the good work and before you know it you’ve lost five pounds. You eat healthy and exercise and you feel amazing!
Cut to five weeks later and you’ve put the pounds back on. However, you feel better than you have in years and you want to keep that positive attitude so you decide to commit to another round of healthy living.
The cycle continues and before you know it you’re back at your old unhealthy weight. It’s disheartening and discouraging to keep relapsing but it’s not uncommon. Sometimes we need a little motivation to achieve our goals and when that doesn’t seem to be helping we may need to look for alternative methods.
Lose Weight With A Friend
One of the simplest ways to lose weight is to ask a friend to be your accountability partner. The two of you can chat through the day and compare notes on your respective progress. You can also set weekly goals for each other so you’re not setting unreasonable expectations. If you work out together you’ll have extra motivation to work hard because the other person is watching you.
This method has several advantages. First, you have someone to help support your fitness goals. Second, you have someone to share your experiences with. Third, you have someone to help motivate you to stick to your diet plan. Fourth, you have someone to help celebrate your successes when you reach them.
Eat What You Want, When You Want It
For some people, food is one of the major issues that they need to deal with. They may have a huge binge eating disorder or an addiction to sweets that makes it hard for them to maintain a healthy weight. If this describes you, you can try a new approach. Instead of focusing on what you shouldn’t be eating, focus on what you should be eating.
To do this, you need to take control of your eating habits. Instead of going for a meal whenever you feel hungry, you need to eat only when you’re physically hungry. The best way to tell whether you’re physically hungry or just because you feel like eating is to pay attention to your stomach. If you’re not actually physically hungry when your stomach is grumbling, then you need to wait until you are before you eat. This will help you avoid over-eating and it will also improve your overall health.
On the other hand, if you feel like you’re starving even though you’ve eaten recently, then it may be time for a snack. However, if you’re really starving and you haven’t eaten in a while, then you should think about food allergies or some other kind of dietary issue that’s causing you to lose weight. If you suspect this is the case, then you need to consult with a nutritionist or doctor so that they can diagnose the problem.
Try New Activities
In the same way that food is an issue for some people, physical activity is for others. If you’re the kind of person who needs to keep busy to stay motivated, then you can get active in a variety of ways. You can join a sport team, you can take up ballroom dancing, or you can even join a gym and work out with weights.
However, if doing conventional sports isn’t your kind of thing, then you can explore other activities. For example, you can try kayaking or canoeing, or you can go camping and explore the great outdoors. Sometimes the key to losing weight is just getting out there and doing something different. If you need some inspiration, then take a look at the gear that professional athletes use. You may find that the equipment is a little more sophisticated than what you’re used to, but that’s what makes the workouts so effective. If you’re not sure what kind of activities would suit you, then ask someone who knows more about conditioning than you do.
Take Advantage Of The Weather
It’s no secret that the weather can have an impact on our eating habits. The temperature outside often determines what we crave. If it’s too hot outside, then we want to stay cool by drinking lots of water. This makes us thirsty and we may drink alcohol to quench our thirst. On the other hand, if it’s cold outside, then we want to stay warm. We could eat soup to stay nourished or we could opt for hot dogs and sausages to keep our body heat levels up. This is why the weather can affect our weight considerably. If you want to lose weight then you may want to consider the elements that make up the weather in your area.
You may decide that since it’s cold and wet where you live that it’s best to keep your windows closed, set your heating controls high, and eat frozen food. If this sounds like something you can put into practice, then great! Just remember that the environment can influence our behavior and we should always consider the impact that our actions have on the world around us.
Consume More Water
Water is essential for survival and if you want to lose weight then you should drink more of it. We’re always advised to drink eight glasses of water per day, but the truth is we probably should drink at least ten. Why? It’s vital that we get enough liquids to flush out our system. Fluid is crucial for good health and it also helps prevent urinary tract infections and constipation. All of this just makes water extremely important for everyone, especially for people looking to lose weight. If you suspect that you’re not drinking enough fluids, then drink more. Find a drink that you enjoy and stick to it.
Consuming more water will also help flush out toxins and waste products and it will further speed up the process of weight loss. It’s important to drink plenty of liquid every day, even if you don’t feel thirsty. You may feel that you’re not needing much liquid, but if you drink enough then it will register as being thirsty on your body’s hydration scale. This will give you a better idea of how much fluid you’re actually consuming and how much your body needs. Try to drink at least 16 ounces for every hour that you spend outside to ensure that you stay well hydrated. If you follow this guideline then you’ll be well on your way to reaching your optimal weight.
Join A Group
One of the beauties of living in a modern world is the fact that there are a multitude of options when it comes to finding support when you need it. Even if you decide to go it alone and take control of your health, there are still places, such as online forums, where you can connect with people who are going through the same thing as you. If this is something that appeals to you, then get involved and find people who share your values. You may not need to lose a lot of weight to be able to join a group but it may be the difference between you struggling to keep off the pounds or being able to maintain your ideal weight.
People in groups tend to be more successful at maintaining healthy lifestyles. This is because when you’re in a group, you tend to look out for each other and hold each other accountable. In addition to this, groups of people are often more effective at combating eating disorders and other bad habits than individuals are. If you’re in the process of trying to change your unhealthy lifestyle, then try finding a group of people who share the same values as you. The more support you have, the better. Even if you don’t think that you have an eating disorder, it may still be a good idea to join a group so that you can get some validation and accountability.
Take Advantage Of Your Boredom
If you need an incentive to get moving, then it’s time to take advantage of your boredom. Sometimes all we need is a little bit of motivation and inspiration to get the job done. If this sounds like you, then you can always use your boredom in a positive way. Instead of watching TV or laying around the house all day, you can get out there and do something productive. This could be as simple as cleaning out your house or parking lot, walking or biking around the neighborhood, or even taking up a new hobby.