FITNESS,  FOOD,  HEALTH,  Personal Development

6 Ways to Stick to Your Weight Loss Goals

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Setting weight loss goals is great, but the hard part is sticking to the plan and reaching your final goal.

This entire concept is new for me because I have been a lifelong thin person who never really had to think about her weight and I now want to lose a few pounds – not just tone up. Most of my weight gain is mostly due to the anti-rejection meds and not being able to work out after my transplant.

Now that fall is here, the weather is a little less oppressive (Houston) so exercise may be a bit easier.  Maybe you want to reset after a fun summer of traveling. It’s good time for a reset on your weight too. It’s a new season so time for new goals, right?

Today I want to share 6 tips with you that will set you (and me) up for success. Ready to learn how to stick to your weight loss goals? Here we go.

Use Visualization

Visualization is a powerful tool. Close your eyes and picture yourself at your ideal weight. How do you look? How does it feel? How will you feel being able to run around the park with the kids or climbing up those stairs without running out of breath? Paint a clear picture in your mind of the lean you. Make it a habit to visualize this slim and healthy version of yourself daily.

Create Accountability

Sometimes it’s just a little too easy to make bad choices. That chocolate cookie or a few scoops of ice cream won’t hurt, and it’s not that big of a deal to skip a work out. Before you know it that whole plate of cookies (or pint of ice cream) is gone and you haven’t been out to walk for over a week. Accountability will help you keep on track.

Find a friend who also wants to lose weight and hold each other accountable. Or ask a loved one to keep you straight. If this sounds a little too intimidating or just isn’t your thing, consider keeping a journal. Just knowing that you’ll have to write down that you ate that piece of cheesecake is enough motivation to pick an apple instead.

Make It Attainable

You want to push yourself, but you also want to make sure your goals are actually reachable. Setting a huge goal like losing 30 pounds can seem almost insurmountable. Instead, start with a smaller goal like losing 10 pounds over the next 2 months. Then set another 10 pound goal and repeat until you reach your weight goal.

Take Breaks

If you have attainable goals and some accountability in place, it’s OK to take a little break every once in a while. Take a break from your workout. In fact, except for low impact exercise like going for a walk, you don’t want to overdo it. 3 to 5 days at the gym is plenty. And it’s OK to have birthday cake – in moderation. Just make sure you work on getting exercise and eating healthy 90% of the time.

Create Good Habits

Which brings us to another great tip. Use this time to work on creating healthy habits. Make going for that daily walk part of your new lifestyle. Make eating three healthy meals a family habit. Not only will it set you up for success now, those healthy habits will also help you keep the weight off long after you’ve reached your goal.

Celebrate

Losing weight is hard work. Don’t forget to celebrate each success. If you made it out for a 30 minute walk each day this week, celebrate with a mini movie marathon. Did you lose your first 15 pounds? Take yourself out to get your nails done or treat yourself to a cute new top. Reward yourself for each success and milestone reached.

All of this seems simple but as anyone who has tried to lose weight knows these steps get skipped or glossed over.

I’m looking to lose 10 pounds, but I’m going to focus mainly on these tips. I figure if I incorporate those, I’ll be well on my way.  I had made some progress during the month of June but since my mother’s death in July, I lost some of my willpower.

Things in life are calming down a bit, so I’m getting back on track now…I will keep you up to date on my progress.

Remember to check out my guide to a healthier fall here.

Have a great weekend!

Loving Life—the Reboot!

Dominique

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