12 Habits Of People Who Reach (And Maintain) Their Goal Weight

It is really easy to talk about all the reasons people fail to lose weight. There are numerous things that factor into an inability to reach your goal weight but focusing on those isn’t always very productive. Instead of casting these struggles in a negative light, lets take a look at people who have succeeded in their weight loss goals! Here are 12 things they are doing that you may not be:

1. They plan their meals.

Planning meals is easier than you would think. Simply sit down and write the foods you need and the meals you will have each day for the entire week. This will save you prep time and prevent you from making poor, last minute meal time decisions. Give it a shot on Sunday night and see how you make out.

2. They are flexible with their diets.

100% compliance with a diet is near impossible. People who have kept their weight off successfully know this. It is more than okay to have an indulgent treat now and then as long as you are eating healthy most of the time. In fact, keeping a strict diet can lead to you caving completely and bingeing on complete rubbish.

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3. They don’t obsess over small things.

If you are a sucker for all the little rules, like ‘no carbs after 6 p.m.’ or ‘training while the body is in the fat-burning zone,’ you may be driving yourself around the bend. Relax. While those ‘rules’ you hear at the gym and read in fitness magazines can be useful, they aren’t everything. Focus on your calorie intake, eating healthy foods and setting up a regular workout routine. That’s all.

4. They exercise regularly.

Sure, we can all name someone who lost weight without exercising. And although it may sound like a wonderful dream, exercise is good for many other things too. To live a healthy lifestyle without exercise is impossible. Try to break a sweat 3 to 4 times a week.

5. They track their food intake.

Counting calories may be tedious but it can help. Keeping track allows you know what you are ACTUALLY eating. Research has found that most people underestimate the number of calories they are consuming and overestimate the amount they are burning. One way around this is to write it down.

6. They drink water.

Keeping yourself hydrated is important. Studies have shown that drinking water can help with your weight loss. It will help you feel fuller, sooner and keep your metabolism working as it should. Try to drink 2 liters a day.

7. They don’t starve themselves.

Skipping meals or depriving yourself is never a good idea. Your body doesn’t know when it will get its next dose of energy so the metabolism slows and the body holds on to fat for fuel.

8. They account for all the calories they consume.

Your total daily calorie count should be your TOTAL DAILY CALORIE COUNT. That chocolate bar you had to get you through the afternoon or that latte you grabbed on your way to work still count. Don’t cheat yourself by ignoring these things.

9. They eat home-cooked meals.

If you cook your own meals, not only will you get the joy of making delicious food, you will know exactly what goes into the food. Making your own meals allows you to control factors like sodium and sugar content.

10. They develop habits they can maintain long term.

They realize that these changes they’ve made in their lives need to be lasting ones. They don’t jump around between fad diets or exercise trends. They find, and grow, habits they can sustain for a lifetime.

11. They follow workout routines.

Having a workout routine is like having a meal plan. It allows you to know what you will be doing from one day to the next. If you don’t have one, you are more likely to skip workouts or waste a lot of time wandering the gym, trying to decide what to do next.

12. They track their progress.

Weigh yourself once a week and take your measurements. Do this at the same time, on the same day, using the same scale. Trying to do these things more frequently will only drive you mad. Weight can fluctuate over the course of an average day for many reasons, most of which have nothing to do with how well you are sticking to your plans. Save yourself the stress and aggravation.

It is not necessary to try to adopt all these habits at once. Remember, we are going to for sustainability. Make one or two changes every week and before you know it, you’ll have them mastered.

Do you practice any of these habits?

Source: MindBodyGreen

 

 

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