Losing weight seems to be a common goal no matter the time of year. People make New Year’s resolutions, want to get fit for Summer, want to look great for the holidays. Milestones come and go, yet so many people still struggle to achieve and maintain their ideal weight. What if there was a way to get to your perfect weight without starving yourself or running a half marathon every morning before work? Lucky for you (and pretty much everyone else) there are lots of ways to achieve this. If getting your body to a healthy weight has been on your to-do list for way too long, then read on for hot tips on how to create a realistic weight loss plan.
- Redefine Meals
Whipping up healthy meals can be a daunting task – especially when you are trying to lose weight. A great way to kickstart your weight loss while ensuring you get enough calories is to incorporate meal replacement shakes. A high quality shake will be high in protein, iron, and include essential vitamins and minerals, whilst also providing a balanced level of carbs to maintain energy levels. A meal replacement shake in the morning is a simple way to avoid feeling hungry or lethargic throughout the day, while still allowing you to effectively lose weight.
- Routine
Just writing a to-do list doesn’t mean the tasks get done. The same goes for setting fitness and weight loss goals. You can have all the dreams you want, but until you tie those running shoes and whiz up a meal replacement shake for lunch your goals will remain a distant dream rather than an achieved success. So, set a routine that works for you and tweak as necessary but be sure to stick to it.
- Go Hard or Go Home – Or Not
You don’t have to absolutely kill it at the gym everyday to see results. On the contrary, integrating movement of some sort into your everyday will be incredibly beneficial. Things like taking the stairs rather than the lift, taking a walk on your lunch break rather than eating at your desk, or packing healthy lunches for the week will all have a wonderful way with your waistline. You would be surprised that simple habits, like drinking water before a meal or eating an apple a day, can have on your weight loss!
- Cater to your Preferences
So, you hate kale and quinoa, then don’t eat kale and quinoa. Healthy eating does not have to mean boring, bland food that you don’t like the flavour of. If pasta and a meaty red sauce is what you like to eat post-workout then substitute it with gluten free pasta, use lean ground beef, and pack your sauce with diced up veggies. Losing weight does not mean living off salads and lemon water for weeks on end.
- Stay Positive
While you are trying to reach a healthy weight, the scale may not be your friend. As you lose fat, you will be gaining muscle. So, big drops in KGs may not happen at first. Gauge your progress on how you feel and how your clothes fit. With a disciplined eating and exercise routine, your body will indeed respond – you need to be sure to be able to recognise progress other than just in numerical form.
Whether it is New Years’ Eve or your best friend’s wedding, achieving and maintaining a healthy weight for your body is just a few simple steps away. If you write down your goals, come up with a sustainable plan, and track your progress you will be delighted to see your waist size decrease and your energy increase. And the most important element of it all is to have fun and enjoy the process and progress.