Meal plans, supplements, fat-burning workout programs, cleanses, macro tracking, the keto diet and other nutrition regimes—where do you start if you want to lose weight?
Here’s the truth: The world of nutrition can be very confusing, and there are lots of too-good-to-be-true promises and outright lies. It’s no wonder many people struggle with weight loss.
But I have great news for you: Simple healthy habits can help you move toward your goals.
In fact, you can take some simple steps today and you’ll be on the right track. I’ll provide a few things you can do right now if you want to lose weight. If it all seems “too easy,” remember, simple habits are sustainable habits and sustainable habits produce long-term progress.
Weight-Loss Habit 1: Get Moving
You know all those workout programs you see on TV? You don’t need to complicate things if you’re just starting out. Instead, just get moving. And if you’re already moving every day, increase the amount a little bit. Movement will help you burn calories and get your metabolism going.
This movement could involve working out and I’d advise you to eventually do workouts specifically designed to help you reach your exact goals. But in the beginning, just adding general movement to your day will produce results.
Here are a few ideas:
- Go for a short walk twice a day.
- Spend time doing yard work or tackling a project that requires movement.
- Play a sport with a child or grandchild.
- Pick up a ball, racket or club and head to the park or field.
- Get on a bike or into a canoe or kayak.
- Use the stairs at work any time you have to go to another floor or walk the stairs on a break.
Try to do something every day and give yourself a checkmark on a whiteboard, calendar, or sticky note every time you do an activity.
Once you get a string of days with activity, you’ll have confidence and momentum. The next step? You might add some light workouts to your routine—maybe two or three times a week in addition to your daily movement.
What should you do? You can find many workouts for beginners online, but you might consider talking to a fitness professional who can tell you exactly which workouts will help you reach your goals fastest. If you want to book a free consultation with us, click here.
Weight-Loss Habit 2: Focus on Vegetables and Lean Protein
Improving your diet can be very simple. Most people eat too many carbs and too much fat. Many popular foods combine the two and make it very tough not to overeat. And sometimes you definitely deserve a treat. But to accomplish weight-loss goals, use a few simple but very effective strategies.
First, fill half your plate with veggies at every meal. Vegetables are packed with vitamins, nutrients and fibre and they don’t provide huge amounts of calories. They’re nutritious and filling and they can be delicious too!
The other part of the plan: focus on lean protein. Juicy hamburgers and deep-fried chicken wings won’t fit well with this plan. But things such as lean steaks, chicken breasts, turkey cold cuts, and fish are great and there are other options if you’d prefer not to eat meat.
Protein will help you fuel your body and build muscle and lean choices will ensure you don’t take in a lot of calories from fat.
Again, you can track your “win streaks” by giving yourself a checkmark every time a meal has veggies and lean protein. Your body will love what you’re putting into it and you’ll feel great.
Once you have some momentum, you might want to fine-tune your plan and add in some other healthy habits in the kitchen. That’s where a pro comes in: we can suggest additional habits that will move you closer to your goals. Again, you can book a free consultation with us here.
Simple and Effective
If you ever feel overwhelmed by all the noise around weight loss, remember that fitness and nutrition don’t have to be complicated. At first, the key is to move a little more and eat a little better every day and then an expert can help you tailor your plan so you get the best results.
If you have any questions or want to talk more about weight loss, book a consultation here today. Then go for a walk and refuel with some delicious veggies and chicken!