Meal plans, supplements, fat-burning workout programs, cleanses, macro tracking, the keto diet, and other nutrition regimes — where do you start if you want to lose weight?
Here’s the truth: the world of nutrition can be very confusing. There are a lot of too-good-to-be-true promises and outright lies to sift through. It’s no wonder many people struggle with weight loss.
But I have great news for you: simple healthy habits can help you move toward your goals!
In fact, you can take some simple steps today and you’ll be on the right track. I’ll provide you a few things you can do right now if you want to lose weight. If it all seems “too easy,” remember, simple habits are sustainable habits and sustainable habits produce long-term results.
Weight Loss Habit #1: Get Moving
You know all those workout programs you see on TV and social media?!
You don’t need to complicate things if you’re just starting out. Instead, just get moving. And if you’re already moving each day, increase the amount of ‘something’ a little bit (intensity and duration are examples). Movement will help you burn calories and get your metabolism going.
The movement could involve working out and I’d advise you to eventually do workouts specifically designed to help you reach your exact goals. But in the beginning, just adding general movement to your day will produce results.
Here are a few ideas if you’re just starting out:
- Go for a short walk twice per day — especially after a meal
- Spend time doing yard work or tackling a project which requires movement
- Play a sport with a child or grandchild
- Pick up a ball, racket, or club and head to the park or field
- Get on a bike or into a canoe/kayak
- Use the stairs at work any time you have to go to another floor or walk the stairs on a break
Try to do something every day and give yourself a checkmark on a whiteboard, calendar, or sticky note. Collect your wins!
Once you get a string of days with activity, you’ll have confidence and momentum. The next step? You might add some light workouts to your routine — maybe two or three times a week in addition to your daily movement.
What should you do?
You can find many workouts for beginners searching online but you might want to consider talking to a fitness professional who can tell you exactly which workouts will help you reach your goals fastest. If you want to book a free consultation with us, CLICK HERE.
Weight Loss Habit #2: Focus on Vegetables & Protein
Improving your nutrition can be daunting. It can also be quite simple with the right guidance.
Most people eat too many carbs and added sugars. Many popular foods combine the two and make it very tough not to overeat. But to accomplish your weight loss goals… here are a few simple, and very effective, strategies:
- First, fill half of your plate with veggies at every meal
- Veggies are packed with vitamins, nutrients, and fiber while they don’t provide huge amounts of calories. We call these nutrient dense foods.
- They’re nutritious, filling, and they can be delicious too!
- Second, focus on protein at each meal
- Steaks, hamburgers, fish chicken, turkey (we are in the holiday season, of course) are great to fill this need!
Protein will help you fuel your body and build muscle. Some of these choices will ensure you don’t take in a lot of calories from overeating starches and added sugars.
Again, much like above, you can track your “wins” by giving yourself a checkmark each time a meal has veggies and protein. Your body will love what you’re putting into it and you’ll feel great!
Momentum is an amazingly powerful thing too! Once you have some momentum, you might find you want to fine tune your plan and add in some other healthy nutritional related habits. That’s where a pro comes in: we can suggest additional habits to help you move closer to your goals. To chat with one of our amazing nutrition coaches, CLICK HERE.
Simple & Effective
If you ever feel overwhelmed by all the noise around weight loss, just remember that neither fitness nor nutrition have to be complicated. At first, the key is to move a little more and eat a little bit better each day. Beyond that? An expert can help you tailor your plan so you get the best results.
If you have any questions, or you want to talk more about weight loss strategies, book a consultation HERE. Then go for a walk and refuel with some delicious food!
