Weight Loss Tips

Most of my clients tend to aim for the 'lose weight, tone up' category and I encourage these clients to find more specific SMART goals to give their weight loss goals purpose and direction. It is always a great thing, to want to improve yourself. To be a healthier and better version of what you already are.

I have compiled some weight loss tips to help you set your own unique goals that can help you stay sustainable.

Set Performance Goals

Weight loss goals are incredible, don't get me wrong, I'm 1000% sure I have done this more times than have changed my knickers. Setting a performance goal, such as running 5KM in under half an hour, or deadlifting a certain weight, learn to do a pull up, join a local sports team, etc. These goals give you the drive to push a little harder, run a little faster. Have a good think about something that drives you, something that resonates with you.

Performance goals have a success rate when it comes to exercise adherence.

Anything you chomp you log!

If you are tracking calories, and you find this tool helpful, ANYTHING that passes those lips needs to be logged. Any beverage should also be measured, and chewing gum, and those random bites of food you eat while cooking, sauces you use, and that random sweet your colleague offered you. You need accurate numbers to allow for the results to follow.

If you aren't logging correctly then you cannot use it as a tool to measure energy in vs. energy out.

Get Your NEAT Up

When we diet we naturally move less. Our body are incredibly clever and know exactly what amount of energy is going in and out of our bodies, and if it is below our energy output then our body will try to conserve energy by moving less, whether that is less fidgeting or just natural overall movement. NEAT stands for non-exercise activity thermogenesis. So if we increase this, we increase our daily energy output regardless of how much energy we consume. NEAT tends to be stuff like the house work, gardening, moving stuff, fidgeting, etc. basically non planned exercise. But planning regular walks or movement will allow for greater energy output as we reduce our calorie intake.

Emotions

Many people use food as an emotional support. Learn to be in control of your emotions and manage them in other ways. Some examples would be, keep a gratitude list, on a daily basis note down 3-5 things you have enjoyed about your day. It can help you see the day as a success even when it hasn't felt like it. Be aware of how you speak to yourself as well, are you critical, do you say negative things about your appearance, how do you respond when it comes to your own work? Each day, say a nice things, like, I like that I am patient, my legs are strong, I have amazing friends and family, I am kind and generous. Try to fit in 20minutes of something I love each day, be that colouring, reading, a nap, this can help regulate my emotions, puts my energy in to something to keep my mind from overthinking and when you do something you enjoy it will naturally life your mood.

Plan ahead

Planning ahead for the weeks food and activity can help keep you on track. My daughter and I plan our meals for the week. We write down the meals we want to eat for the week and that includes snacks and lunches, then we then plan our food shop around this. We don't then spend more than we need...sometimes! We know each night what we will be having. Some mornings I can prep dinner for that evening so that if I'm working late, it's all ready to go.

Keep a Photo

Yes weigh and measure yourself regularly if this works for you, but a photo of you in your pants can help you SEE the changes that weight lifting or running or whatever exercise and weight loss program you are on is really making to your incredible body! everybody hates a basic underwear shot, but who doesn't! It is however, only for your personal use. It is what will help you see those subtle changes that can really make a difference to keeping you on track or falling off that wagon! But if you fall off, there is no reason why you can't get back on.

Other changes that exercise and maintaining a healthy weight can do are increase confidence, feel more energetic, feel and become healthier, become fitter, gaining strength and clothes fit better.

SWEET Thang!

So, who needs a sweet something after dinner? Something that was is often ingrained in people growing up, I'm sure there are many of you. So buy portioned desserts. Desserts that can hit that sweet spot but can easily fit within your calories, such as a chocolate mouse, frozen yogurt, snack size chocolate bars, Popcorn. Just be aware of those portion sizes.

Sleep

Sleep is one of the most essential and basic things you can do for weight loss. For one, if you sleep for 8 hours, that's 8 hours you cannot eat! Sleep isn't just for not eating, it allows hormones to regulate themselves better, preventing unnecessary hunger and allows your mood to remain more stable. Both of these factors will play a huge role in fat loss.

Sleep is also essential for recovery exercise and plays one of the biggest roles in improvements in your training. Sleep is also vital if you study, sleep allows your brain to process all the reading you have done and can help store it in your long term memory.

When it comes to being the best version of you, it can take time and patience to learn what is right for you. You need to find what works for you, because everyone is unique, everyone has unique desires and why they do what they do. It should be because you love your body and not the other way round. Love the one body you have been given and respect it.