Weight Loss: 5 Strategies for Success

Mindlifespirit Weight Loss 5 Strategies for Success

Written by Whitney Holcombe

Whitney Holcombe is a freelance writer currently residing in the sunshine state. After losing 100 pounds as a teen, Whitney has since had a passion for all things health and fitness related. Now, she gets to write about it for a living. You can find her on Instagram @whitnyc22

May 28, 2022

Introduction – Weight Loss: 5 Strategies for Success

Getting fit and healthy is on most adults’ “to do” list. 

A healthy body is linked to a longer lifespan and can prevent your risk of serious diseases and health concerns. Unfortunately, as of 2021, 36% of the adult population in the US is reported as being overweight or obese.  

Obesity carries with it the risk of many health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, joint pain, depression, and low self-esteem. An inactive lifestyle coupled with a Western diet that is devoid of nutritious fruits and vegetables is the most common cause of obesity. Fortunately, many of the health risks associated with obesity can be avoided or reversed by losing weight. 

How Do You Lose Weight?

To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you take in

Your body uses the calories you ingest from your food and converts them into energy to fuel your daily activity and bodily functions. When you eat more calories than your body needs, those calories are stored in fat cells. By overeating on a regular basis, your fat cells grow as your body continues to store those extra calories. 

Fat storage is our bodies evolutionary defense against famine. When we overeat, our bodies take that as a sign that we may be experiencing a food shortage soon. In response, your body stores those extra calories for use later. Should you experience a period of none or very little food intake, your body will burn your stored fat for energy. 

When you’re trying to lose weight, you essentially need your body to think you’re experiencing famine. No, you don’t have to starve yourself, but you do need to burn off more calories than you take in. To do this, you either need to eat less calories, burn more calories through exercise, or do a combination of both. 

5 Best Weight Loss Strategies for Success

Weight loss is a simple equation. Eat less, move more, and you’ll lose weight. It sounds easy but like many things, it’s easier said than done. 

Losing weight is not as simple as cutting back on dessert or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Weight loss requires you to develop a whole new mindset about your daily habits. It’s not just your body that will change. You as a person will need to change. 

Below are 5 of the best weight loss strategies for success. 

Set Goals

Before you start your weight loss journey, get clear on what your goals are. Decide what exactly it is you are working towards.

How much weight do you want to lose? How much muscle do you want to build? What are your physique goals? What is your ideal weight or dress size? 

You must first define your goals before you set out to achieve them. Having a clear goal in mind gives you a more tangible outcome to look forward to. 

Say your goal is to be able to fit into your favorite evening dress. You now have a clear destination in mind for your weight loss efforts. You are working towards a tangible reward, rather than an opaque future reality. 

A clear goal gives you something to work towards and a reason to keep going when you feel like quitting. Determine what your goals are then break them down into long term and short-term goals.

For example, maybe your goal is to lose 100 pounds. Losing 100 pounds is a large amount of weight and may seem like a daunting task to complete. However, losing 10 pounds sounds a lot more achievable. 

While losing 100 pounds may be your long-term goal, focusing on your short-term goal of losing 10 pounds will help get you there. Once you’ve achieved your short-term goal, you can set another until you eventually achieve your long-term goal of losing 100 pounds. 

By breaking down your long-term goals into shorter goals, they mentally seem less daunting. After achieving each smaller goal, you will gain more confidence in pursuing your ultimate goal. 

Focus on Eating Healthy Foods, Not on Avoiding Bad Foods

Most of us understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy foods

We understand that an apple is a lot healthier than a slice of apple pie. We know that fast food and sweets have a lot more calories and fat than organic fruits and vegetables. It’s common sense for most of us that to lose weight and be healthy, we must not eat unhealthy foods. 

While this is true that unhealthy foods should be avoided, focusing on not eating unhealthy foods may be counterproductive. When you are focusing more on what you shouldn’t be eating, you don’t focus enough on what you should be eating. 

For example, say French fries are your biggest vice. You know that French fries are bad for you and should be avoided. But because you are so focused on avoiding French fries at all costs, you are constantly thinking about French fries. 

Instead of thinking about all the healthy foods available to you, you are reinforcing the idea that you must deprive yourself of your favorite food. Instead of enjoying healthy meals made from healthy ingredients you love, you are bitter about not being able to eat French fries. 

Finally, after a period of avoiding French fries, you break down and eat them. Afterwards, you feel guilt and the cycle starts all over again. 

The more you focus on something, the more it will take precedence in your life. If you are continually focusing on not eating French fries, the more you will be tempted by French fries. 

But if you focus on eating healthy foods you love, you will train your brain to see healthy foods as a reward. Instead of feeling deprived, you will feel satisfied eating foods that are better for weight loss. 

Eat Low-Calorie, High-Volume Foods

Cutting back on calories is necessary for weight loss.  

The only problem with cutting back on calories is that you risk eating too little. Not eating enough makes you hungry and when you’re hungry, it’s more difficult to stay on track with your healthy diet. You will be more tempted to splurge, usually on unhealthy, high calorie foods. 

By eating more foods that are low calorie and high fiber, you can eat more and stay full longer. Foods like broccoli, spinach, Brussel sprouts, and cucumber are examples of low-calorie foods that contain a ton of filling fiber. You can eat as much of these foods as you want and not worry about overeating. 

Other examples of low-calorie, high-volume foods can even include apples, oranges, or lean meats like chicken, fish, and poultry. These foods are very difficult to overeat because of their high fiber and protein content. 

There are only so many apples you can eat before you become so full of fiber. Similarly, the protein content in poultry and fish is so high, there is only so much of it you can eat before you’re stuffed. 

Including more low-calorie, high-volume foods in your diet makes cutting back on calories easier. You won’t feel like you’re eating less because you won’t be. You’ll be eating as much as you want. But because you’re eating nutritious foods that are naturally low in calories, you won’t be going over your calorie limit

Work on Creating New Habits

Eating healthy and working out regularly are habits, just as eating unhealthy and not working out are habits. To lose weight, you must nix your bad habits and adopt healthier ones.

Being healthy is a lifestyle, just as being unhealthy is a lifestyle. If you are overweight or obese, you likely have more than a few bad habits.

For example, you might not think of your night owl habit as something that contributes to weight gain. But sleep is a vital element to overall health and wellbeing. 

Without proper sleep, you lack energy during the day. When you’re low on energy, you’re more likely to skip workouts and reach for unhealthy snacks. By simply turning off the TV and going to sleep earlier, you will have way more energy throughout the day. You won’t be too tired to work out and will be less likely to snack. 

Your habits determine what kind of life you lead. Everything you do is connected. Meaning, when you engage in one unhealthy habit, it has a domino effect on the rest of your life. Similarly, when you adopt a healthy habit, you’re bound to make healthier choices elsewhere in your life. 

Take a hard look at your habits and be honest with yourself about what needs to change. What are some unhealthy habits you have that are negatively affecting your weight loss efforts? 

What will you do to change them? 

Move More

Regular exercise is essential for living a long and healthy life. 

Your body was meant to move. Movement is natural for humans, yet modern day lifestyles encourage us to be sedentary. 

Without regular exercise, we become less limber, less athletic, and of course, gain weight. Not getting enough exercise is linked to numerous health risks as well as a shorter life span. 

If you’re trying to lose weight, you need to move. Plain and simple. Exercise burns calories, speeds up your metabolism, improves your health, and even boosts your mood. Regular exercise will not only help you lose weight, but help you keep it off in the long run. 

Find some form of exercise you like doing, whether that be walking, dancing, lifting weights, running, or swimming. It doesn’t matter what kind of exercise you do as long as you do it consistently.

In addition, make a point to move more in your daily routine. Take the dog for an extra walk around the block, do more work around the house when you’re bored, or simply pace back and forth while you’re chatting on the phone. 

Every little bit of movement counts, especially when you’re trying to lose weight. 

The Takeaway

Weight loss is a challenge, but it can be done. 

Your mindset plays as much of a role in your weight loss efforts as your lifestyle choices do. You can’t change your body without first changing your mind. Make sure you are doing the mental work as well as the physical work. 

By setting achievable goals and creating healthier eating, and exercise habits, you can lose weight and completely change your life for the better. 

Featured Image Credit: Andrea Piacquadio (Pexels)

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