Losing weight is a challenge for even the healthiest, most
active person. Realistically, natural weight loss requires planning and
dedication, but it's not an impossible task. More importantly, losing weightnaturally isn't about strict diets or intense exercise regimes. Instead, you
should make gradual changes to both your eating and exercise habits so that you
can develop a healthier lifestyle that promotes natural, long-term weight loss.
Not only do you need to set weight loss goals, but you need to
set realistic goals. One of the best reasons to set achievable goals is that
you'll feel the satisfaction and accomplishment as you achieve these goals.
Moreover, setting goals will motivate you to take action. So, not only should
you have a major end goal, but set up mini goals along the way so you can
experience positive results as you go.
Start a Food Diary
If you want to lose weight naturally, you'll need to honestly
evaluate your eating habits. One of the best ways to get an idea of what and
how much you eat is to keep a detailed food diary. You'll want to do this for
at least a couple weeks, as our eating habits can actually differ drastically
from day to day. Plan to make some small changes to what and how you eat so you
can develop sustainable and healthy eating habits without feeling like you're
making major sacrifices.
Dieting is an ineffective method for achieving sustainable,
healthy, and natural weight loss. While you may very well lose weight rapidly
on a fad diet, once you return to your normal eating habits you'll gain the
weight (and likely more) back. To address your weight loss goals, try eating
smaller meals. Instead of eating 3 large meals every day, try eating 6 smaller
meals. In addition, if you want a treat, don't stop yourself but eat less. Cut
a smaller piece of cake, share a chocolate bar, or use a smaller plate. You'll
still get the satisfaction of eating what you like, but you'll be cutting your
calories as well.
Choose Healthier Snacks
As mentioned, you want to make small, manageable changes over
time. One of these changes can include choosing healthier snacks. Cut out high
fat, high calorie snacks such as sweets and chips, and choose fruit or
vegetables instead. Obviously, you're still likely to crave your favourite
snacks from time-to-time, and that's fine; but, the more often you make a
healthy choice, the more likely you'll be to lose weight naturally.
Think Fruit
Fruit contains high levels of vitamins, antioxidants, and other
nutrients so it makes a great addition to your diet. As an added benefit, fruit
can satisfy your sweet tooth while helping you maintain a healthy weight.
There is some debate about how much water we need to consume on
a daily basis, but one thing is for sure: drinking water helps you lose weight.
Not only does water give us energy, but it also helps to boost your metabolism
and give you a feeling of fullness so you avoid unnecessary snacking. Aim to
drink 2 litres of water every day to promote natural weight loss.
Be Active
The final step in losing weight naturally is getting an adequate
amount of exercise. You don't have to start out running marathons; even
choosing to take the stairs instead of the elevator will have a positive impact
on your weight loss. Still, if you want to promote natural, sustainable weight
loss, you should aim to get at least 30 minutes of exercise daily. This can
include walking, swimming, cycling, or joining a sport or exercise class.
