5 Keys to Sustainable Weight Loss… Worldwide, the percentage of obese adults has more than tripled since 1975. With almost 40% of adults now falling into the overweight or obese categories, weight loss has become a global issue. Unfortunately, for most people, it is much easier to gain weight than it is to lose weight. Here we’ll give you five practical strategies to lose weight and keep it off long-term.
Importance of Weight Loss
If you are overweight or obese, weight loss brings significant health benefits. In fact, research has shown that just 10% weight loss produces significant improvements in well-being, health and quality of life. Medically, losing weight lowers your risk of lifestyle diseases like type 2 diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease, high cholesterol, osteoarthritis and even some cancers.
Weight loss also has more subjective benefits. For many people, putting their health first and focusing on weight loss translates to more self-confidence and better relationships with their friends and family. If you feel like your weight is holding you back from reaching your full potential, it may be time to consider a plan for achieving healthy, sustainable weight loss.
Keys to Sustainable Weight Loss
Moving closer to a healthy weight is undeniably beneficial for health, but the vast majority of dieters regain the lost weight (and sometimes more) in 2-5 years. So, how can you lose the weight and keep it off? Here are five ways to make your weight loss stick long-term:
1. Find a Strong Personal Motivation
It’s important to have a meaningful reason to lose weight. Whether it’s your health, your children, your looks or your lifestyle, identifying your “why” and searching for ways to maintain your day-to-day focus proves critical.
Before you embark on your weight loss journey, write down 2-3 reasons you want to lose weight and get healthier. If you can, elaborate a little on each one to reinforce each of these points to your future self. Then, put the paper or the note in a safe place. Anytime you feel your motivation slipping, refer back to your list so you can remember why you started. This is a great way to stay motivated for months, or even years, at a time!
2. Adopt a Healthy Diet
No one feels their best when they’re eating poorly or consuming too few calories to power their daily activities. As you start losing weight, focus on creating healthy, sustainable eating habits: focus on portion control and nutritional balance, skip any radical “fad” diets that promise quick results but rarely deliver sustainable solutions.
There is no perfect diet for weight loss, and what works for your friend or family member may not work for you. If you’re not sure where to start, work to incorporate more lean protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats while cutting down on processed foods/meats, sugar and bad fats.
3. Incorporate Regular Exercise
Regular exercise improves our physical fitness and endurance, increases muscle tone and strength, preserves bone density and promotes greater mobility and flexibility in the joints.
Exercise is helpful for weight loss because it burns extra calories, promotes the creation of lean muscle mass and triggers the release of feel-good neurotransmitters. Moreover, athletes burn more calories at rest than their sedentary counterparts due to active individuals’ higher percentage of lean muscle mass.
4. Prioritize Rest and Relaxation
Sleep and stress management are critical to achieving and maintaining hormonal balance.
Sleep is beneficial to weight loss because it reduces stress, improves mood, strengthens immunity and helps control cravings. Unwinding during the day is also important to decrease cortisol levels. High levels of cortisol cause the body to retain fat and trigger unhealthy cravings, both of which inhibit weight loss. Plus, adequate rest and relaxation help us stay emotionally healthy by increasing creativity and improving memory function.
5. Consider Natural Supplements
Last but not least, consider natural supplements to boost your weight loss. Companies now offer everything from appetite suppressants to fat burners to metabolism boosters, all designed to help you reach your goals faster. Some ingredients – such as caffeine, garcinia cambogia and green tea extract – have shown particularly effective for weight loss.
It’s important to be careful. However, given that dietary supplements are not regulated by the FDA or any other governmental body. Make sure to always read the entire ingredients list and read reviews before purchasing a new weight loss supplement.
If you are still not losing weight after undergoing the above lifestyle changes, consider speaking to your doctor about medical weight loss options. He or she can help you identify reasonable goals, eliminate underlying problems, and prescribe weight-loss medications if necessary. What is your comment on these sustainable weight loss tips.
5 Evolutions For Sustainable Weight Loss
