If you are struggling with keeping the weight off right now and you are desperate to make a change, then congratulations. You have acknowledged that you want to evolve your physique and hit a new health target, which is often the hardest stage for many people.
Despite this, you are no doubt confused and anxious about how to make a permanent change to your physique, and where to start. This is perfectly understandable because once you become conscious of your weight and want to lose it, every day feels like you are failing to make progress.
Thankfully, losing weight is, from a theoretical point of view, incredibly simple. You need to consume fewer calories than you burn off every day, and you need to stay consistent with it for months or even years on end.
Obviously, the more drastic a change you want to make, the more intense this diet and exercise regimen will be, but it won’t be anything you can’t handle. However, the real challenge takes place in your head. It can be easy to slip into unhealthy thought patterns or to force a change in a way that is damaging to your physical well-being.
To help avoid this, here are some useful tips on losing weight in a healthy way.
Find a diet and exercise routine that suits you
The first step to losing weight in a healthy way is to find a diet and exercise routine that suits both your end goal and your current lifestyle. There is no point trying to become David Goggins overnight, so relax and gradually ease your way into your new, healthier routine.
Start with the diet, as this is where the majority of your progress will come from. Obviously, you will want to start eating less sugary foods, cutting your calorie intake, and increasing the amount of whole foods that you are eating.
For example, you could start a keto diet, which essentially eliminates the carbs from your diet. There are plenty of keto friendly meals to choose from, and can be delicious when prepared correctly. However, be sure to allow yourself a cheat meal every week as a reward, and to help ease you into your new life.
Similarly, you need to start exercising regularly, to burn off excess calories and develop a stronger physique. Start with light exercise, and slowly increase it as time goes on.
Lose weight for the right reasons
To lose weight healthily you need to be in the right mental state. You should only be losing weight because it is a healthier way to live, rather than because you have a negative self-identity.
Not only is this damaging to your mental health, but it will prevent you from progressing with your goal because you won’t identify with the physique you want to build for yourself.
Approach the process gradually
You need to approach the process of losing weight gradually and gently. If you are out of shape then you can do a lot of damage by trying to force progress before you are ready. This is especially true of first-time gym-goers, who can hurt themselves lifting weights they are not ready for.
Instead, take it slow and work at a sustainable pace for you. Over time, you will make better progress as a result.
