Best Weight Loss Program Tips To Be Motivated Share
Jun 19th, 2010 by Robert
Many people struggle with weight loss but the truth of the matter is that it’s not exactly that hard to lose weight. It’s always fairly easy to lose the first few pounds but then people get bored or tired with their diet and fall back to their old eating habits. In order to lose weight and stay successful with weight loss you need to eat healthy and exercise regularly for best results. There really is no other way around it if you want to keep the weight off. Here are some tips that may help give you the extra push to lose weight and stay with it.
Set Small Goals. When you start a new exercise or diet routine, it is normal to go at it full force. You buy everything you need for the diet or the exercise routine. You work at it every day… for a couple of weeks. Then reality sets in and you realize that it is going to take a lot of effort. Don’t focus on losing 50 pounds, focus on 5 pounds at a time. Don’t overhaul your entire diet, make small changes such as adding more vegetables or drinking more water.
Have a Food Diary. The best way to know what needs to be changed in your diet is to really know what it is you eat each day. Keep a journal for at least two weeks, and write down each and everything you eat or drink and how much. Keeping track of the amount of sugar you use is also important. At the end of the two weeks take a look through the journal to get a better idea of what needs to be changed and slowly start making those changes.
Start an Exercise Diary. If you are keeping track of the food you eat, it only makes sense that you keep track of the exercise you are doing. Make sure that your each journal entry includes the amount of weight you are using during strength training as well as how many reps you have done. For cardio exercise write down how long you worked out, what you did and if possible the number of calories you burned. Exercise is essential to any weight lose efforts you are making.
Avoid the Scale. While many experts will tell you to weigh yourself every day, it is best to not stand on the scale every day when you are starting out. The reason is that weighing yourself daily can be discouraging because weight naturally fluctuates. The best option is to stand on the scale once a week, the same day each week and the same time if possible to monitor your weight loss.
Use Measurements. A more accurate way to track your progress is to get a tape measure and measure various areas of your body such as waist, hips, arms, and thighs. If possible, take your first measurement before you start your new routine and then measure at periodic times throughout to track your progress. This will help you see the true change in weight loss and muscle tone. Keep in mind that it isn’t always about the amount of weight you lose, especially after you have started losing weight. Its about getting in shape.
Pat Yourself on the Back for a Job Well Done. Remember the small goals that you set, when you reach one, reward yourself. When you reach a main goal, really reward yourself. For example, you lost your first five pounds, get your nails done, buy a new CD or buy those new running shoes. Positive rewards for hard work will help maximize your weight loss efforts.
The problem isn’t losing weight. The problem is sticking with a new routine. Everything seems easy when you first start out, then the reality sets in and maintaining the diet and exercise can be difficult. You can do other things as well such as switch up your exercise routines so that you aren’t doing the same thing every day. Weight loss is easier then you think. Sticking with your program using these simple tips will help you maximize your weight loss efforts.
Weight lose is a struggle that many people battle with each day. At least that is the way it seems. The truth, however, is that weight loss is rather simple. The issue is sticking with a new exercise or diet routine. You get bored and you go back to your old habits. Weight lose is dependent upon you sticking with your diet and exercise routine. To help overcome the hurdles of staying motivated to lose weight.
Set Realistic Goals. It is perfectly natural to be gung-ho and jump into a new diet and exercise routine and set the goal of losing those 20 pounds, fitting into that size 8 when you are a size 16. While those goals are possible, you need to set “stepping stones” that will help you get to that big goal. Focus on losing 5 pounds, or swapping out 1 can of soda for a bottle of water each day. That way your goals are not overwhelming, it is going to take time to lose 20 pounds… 5 pounds will come off quicker than you think and the weight loss will happen quicker.
Keep a Food Diary. Try to write down everything you consume each day for a minimum of 2 weeks. This is an effective way to know exactly wh at you’re eating and how many calories you’re taking in. Sometimes you don’t realize just how much you’re eating until you think about it and write all of it down. You’ll be able to see which foods you should start eliminating from your diet as well which will help you lose weight. Identifying the problem areas in your diet can you jump started on your weight loss goals.
Have an Exercise Journal. If you are keeping track of the food you are eating it only makes sense to keep track of the exercise you are doing as well. Make sure that your routine includes both strength training and cardiovascular workouts. Your journal should have the exercise you are doing, how long you did it for and how many you did. For the strength training, reps and the amount of weight you use should be written down. For cardiovascular keep track of time, distance and the calories that are burned. Working out gives your weight loss efforts a huge boost.
Don’t Weigh Yourself Every Day. Weighing yourself everyday can be very discouraging because weight fluctuates a lot. Consider weighing yourself just once per week at most and you want to be sure you weigh yourself on the same day each week at around the same time. This will give you a true account into how your weight loss efforts are going. You could lose weight one day and gain weight the next if you were to weigh yourself daily so it’s not recommended.
Measurements. The first weight that comes off is usually water weight. Once the body stabilizes it may not seem as though you are losing weight at all. This is why measuring your waist, hips, arms, thighs and so on will provide you with a much more accurate way to see that there really is weight loss going on.
Reward Yourself. Don’t forget to reward yourself when you meet your goals. You should reward yourself each time you meet one of your smaller goals and reward yourself even more when you attain your main goal. So every time you achieve a weight loss of 5 pounds you could reward yourself for the hard work you’ve been putting in. Instead of rewarding yourself with food or snacks, consider buying yourself a new workout CD, download new songs to your iPod or invest in some new athletic apparel to workout in.
The problem isn’t losing weight. The problem is sticking with a new routine. Everything seems easy when you first start out, then the reality sets in and maintaining the diet and exercise can be difficult. You can do other things as well such as switch up your exercise routines so that you aren’t doing the same thing every day. Weight loss is easier then you think. Sticking with your program using these simple tips will help you maximize your weight loss efforts.
