Weight loss is hard, especially if you are doing it on your own.
Here are 3 strategies I know could be helpful at getting you out of a weight loss plateau or get you back on track!
If you find the information below useful, be a helpful friend and send this to someone that you know would benefit from this!
Now, let's get into it!
Number 1: being too hard on yourself
Anyone that is close to me knows that I am one to put too much pressure on myself.
And let me tell you that it usually ends up making things worse.
Weight loss can be hard for many people.
And the the current diet, weight loss, and even health culture makes it all to easy to be too critical on yourself.
The ultra processed foods are engineered to make us crave more, we are flooded with trendy diets that either don't last or end making you gain more weight after they are done, and not to mention social medias shoving unrealistic expectations with filters and camera angles in our faces.
My point here is to cut your self a damn break.
One bad meal won't make you gain weight and one missed workout doesn't mean you failed.
Weight loss is never a smooth process.
It has ups and downs, periods where you are on top of your game, and other times where you feel like why even bother.
Allowing some flexibility can help with the bigger picture.
Rather than fixating on a bad meal or a missed workout, try to shift to the positive changes you have made since you started the process.
Have you been feeling better, more energetic, have you been working out more overall, are you more active in general, have you been eating more nutritious whole foods.
Those are are huge wins that will make your results last!
I hope you can see where I am going with this.
If you find yourself getting stuck in your journey, remind yourself of what healthy changes you have made to help you lose weight feel healthier overall!
One last point, if you are looking to start a weight loss journey, expect these challenges and struggles.
When you expect them you can plan for them.
When you plan for them are better prepared for them.
When you are better prepared for them, you have options.
And options keep you on track.
Number 2: those pesky hidden calories
When it comes to weight loss, a caloric deficit is the name of the game.
However, it is very easy for extra calories to sneak into your meals.
Things like condiments, sauces, toppings on sandwiches or salads, coffee creamers, and those little bites you sneak throughout the day add up.
Now I don't want you to read this and think you can never have these things again.
The key is being aware that these add to your total calories on the day.
However, here are ways that you can still have your condiments, sauces, and toppings.
Ask for your dressing and sauces on the side
Remove one topping, preferably one you can do without. For example, if you are getting a baked potato with your filet mignon, ask for no sour cream.
Reduce the use of your creamers throughout the week. Instead of telling yourself you are gonna quit your vanilla sweet cream caramel cold brew from Starbucks, limit it to a few days a week or just the weekends. (This is exactly what I do, with that exact order too!).
Where a lot of people miss the boat with this particular concept is that they don't even consider these things in their diet.
However, with these strategies you can cut reduce some calories while still having the foods and toppings you like.
Number 3: rushing through your meals
Most of us probably eat between meetings, driving the kids to practice, or even late at night after working overtime to meet the next deadline.
Distracted eating can lead us to eat more calories, can make us less aware of our hunger cues, impact digestion, and even hinder our relationship with food.
When we rush through our meals we are not as aware of how much we are eating.
Think back to when you were snacking on chips while watching the Giants or Jets last fall.
Being that we are in New Jersey I assume most of you are Giants or Jets fans.
I am willing to bet you were not counting every chip you had.
It's pretty easy to overeat when you aren't paying attention.
For more of a scientific perspective, our hunger signaling hormones tend to be altered when we rush through our meals.
It takes time for our bodies to recognize we are full.
If we rush through our meals we don't give our body time to register we have had enough.
Thus, we end up eating more than we wanted.
Rushing through meals can easily add an extra 100 - 200 calories or more per meal.
Our digestion system is an intricate process.
When we rush through meals we end up with more in our stomach than desired.
And our digestive system is impacted.
We end having a larger amount of food to break down, digest, and absorbs.
Which increases your chances of feeling bloated or uncomfortable after a meal.
If you find yourself rushing through your meals try these helpful tips.
Take a bite and put the fork down after each one
Don't take another bite until you swallow your previous one
Eat at the dinner table more often and away from the tv and phone
Finally, food is meant to be enjoyed.
Enjoyed with family, friends, and ones you want to be around.
If you are distracted you lose sight of that quality time.
You may miss out on hearing about your partners day, or what your kids learned at school.
Don't neglect these other benefits that food has to offer.
There you have it.
3 tips you can use immediately to help you on your weight loss journey.
If you are ready to get past your weight loss struggles, build strength, and feel more energized throughout your day, I would love to hear from you!
Write an email to tim@stirohfitnessandnutrition.com, and ask about a free 60 minute training session and nutrition consultation!
All the best,
Tim
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