photo credit https://totalshape.com/

Tips to lose weight naturally

For anybody embarking on a weight loss journey, there is so much information to wade through that you can be put off before you even begin. From celebrities telling you how they lost weight to books, blogs, and magazines, the over-saturation can leave you feeling lost and confused.

The endless advice that is on offer is often so frustrating because ultimately there is no “one size fits all “ answer to how to lose weight and keep it off. Everybody is different and what works for one person may not work for someone else.

Each person is different genetically, with different lifestyles and overall health factors there is no one easy solution for people to work with. We are all unique and our bodies will all react differently to food because of our genetics and our metabolism.

Therefore, it is unrealistic to expect to lose weight by following a diet plan that has worked for someone else. You need to treat losing weight as a personal journey and focus on yourself and not on others.

People are losing weight for different reasons, health, a special occasion, injury or because of how they look and feel.

At the end of the day, each person’s weight loss journey is personal, it takes time and commitment to find a diet and exercise plan that fits in with who you are and what your lifestyle is like.

Although many people find that losing weight can be difficult, whether just a few pounds or much larger amounts for health reasons, it is very achievable with the correct information and the right mindset to lose weight and keep it off for good.

1. Why am I overweight?

Before you even begin to embark on a weight loss programme, you must first understand why you are overweight.

This is a question with a much more complicated answer than just not exercising, eating too much or the wrong food. For many people, the issue of being overweight goes much deeper than the food they consume and the quantity they have.

Yes, we all indeed eat out much more these days and food portions are much bigger than they used to be so we now find ourselves consuming more fat and sugar in our diets than ever before. We also lead a far more sedentary lifestyle with cars being used over walking and people not fitting as much physical exercise into their lives.

For some people though, the issues go much deeper than this. There are emotional issues as to why overeating happens. Think about why you are eating. Are you unhappy? Do you immediately reach for the biscuit tin when you are stressed? Do you even realize that you are eating too much at times? Are you aware of what you are actually eating and how much?

All these questions need to be answered before you can start on a diet, if they are not addressed beforehand then you will not have the overall results that you want. Being conscious of what you eat and why is the first step you must take.

Keeping track of the food you eat and when you eat will help you to understand your eating habits. Many people’s eating habits will go back to when they were children or teenagers, addressing deep-rooted beliefs around food is essential if you suffer from emotional eating.

You may also find that as you age, you start to put on weight, especially for women around the years of perimenopause and menopause. This will then have a lot to do with hormones and so will need to be approached differently.

During midlife, there are many changes to the body due to a drop in estrogen and therefore weight gain is very common and can come as a real surprise to many women who may have never suffered from weight issues before. Addressing the whys of weight gain is paramount before any weight loss plan can be put into place.

2 . Set an achievable weight-loss target for yourself

Once you have made the commitment to lose weight and have started to understand any issues you may have with food and how much you consume, you next have to set yourself an achievable weight-loss target. There is absolutely no point in setting a target that you have no chance of reaching or setting a time scale to lose weight that has no chance of being realistic.

If you want to lose weight and keep it off you have to set a reasonable target otherwise you will just give up at the first hurdle. If you only have a few pounds to lose then setting a short time frame for weight loss is acceptable. If however, you have a larger amount to lose then set a goal that isn’t going to be too daunting.

Break down your weight loss journey into different goals over a longer time. This way you are going to be much more likely to not only stick to your plan but to lose the weight that you want to and stay at your ideal weight.

Losing weight over a longer period is going to set you up with a healthier eating and exercise plan and will become your default lifestyle choice much more than crash dieting will ever be.

You have to be honest with yourself, there may be times when you slip from your weight loss plan. You are dealing with the human brain when embarking on a diet and it is always going to take the easy option or the habit that it knows best.

Having this information at hand is crucial in understanding your mindset for dieting. Don’t be too harsh on yourself. if you find that you have slipped from your plan, admit it, accept it and start again. This is not a reason to give up, it will happen to almost everyone who embarks on a weight loss journey.

3. Eat a healthy balanced diet

Crash diets are never going to work in the long run and are never good for your body. or your mind. They make you constantly think about food and put your body under stress. The only one you should ever follow incorporates a healthy balanced diet to make sure that you get all the nutrients that your body needs and that isn’t going to make you feel constantly hungry.

Think more in terms of eating the correct food as opposed to low-fat and low-sugar versions. Quite often for some people, it can be something as simple as portion control; you may be eating the right food but just eating too much. For many people though it is more a question of yo-yo dieting which then starts to play havoc with their bodies.

This form of dieting can leave your body starved of food so when it gets some, it hangs on to it in the form of fat. Having a healthy balanced diet will help you to feel full and will prevent you from bingeing on food if you feel that you are not getting enough.

Having plenty of fruit and veg will fill you up far more than a bar of chocolate ever could. It’s all about developing a healthy lifestyle as opposed to being on a diet. Thinking of it more as a lifestyle change will not seem as severe as being on a diet and once you have made the change it will become part of your routine and will be much easier to stick to.

Food that you should be consuming;

• fruit and vegetables

• good oils such as olive oil

• nuts and seeds

• whole grains

• legumes and beans

• whole wheat bread and pasta

  Food to avoid

• processed food

• cakes and biscuits

• saturated fats

• alcohol

• sugar

4. Stay hydrated

Hydration is crucial when losing weight. A woman's body is 50% water, and on average we lose 2 litres of water every day so staying hydrated is a must. Many people also confuse thirst with hunger which is one way that they overeat.

When you feel that you need food try drinking water instead. you will no doubt find that you are thirsty, not hungry. Water will give you energy, a clear mind, and healthy skin and is good for the heart. Try downloading a food tracker app onto your smartphone to keep track of what you are consuming

5. Make sure the changes you are making fit in with your lifestyle

There is absolutely no point in embarking on any form of weight loss if it is not going to fit into your lifestyle. To lose weight you have to be realistic about not only how much you are going to lose but how you are going to go about it.

For instance, it is highly unlikely that you will lose weight if you choose the Christmas period to begin your diet. You are also unlikely to lose weight if you find that you cannot keep to a set eating and exercise plan.

Think about your lifestyle. Do you have the time to cook healthy balanced meals every day or do you struggle to eat at proper set times and instead eat on the go?

Do you have to socialize a lot in working situations so find that you end up eating out far more than you should? All these factors need to be taken into account when starting on a weight loss journey, there is no point in setting unrealistic goals that will cause you stress and will leave you feeling bad about your abilities and doubting yourself. Unrealistic expectations will mean you will not stick to any weight loss programme.

Be realistic. Even if it means just taking small steps that seem insignificant, they will have far more effect in the long run and you are far more likely to stick to them. Instead of just focusing solely on your diet to lose weight, think about incorporating more exercise into your daily routine. We’ve all heard it before…” Take the stairs instead of the lift” but it works.

These are the changes that are easy to do and easy to stick to and over time will give you results, the beauty is that some of the most effective changes you can make will be easy to do and you won’t even feel like you are putting in any effort.

Think in terms of 10-minute chunks of exercise and see how quickly it starts to build into longer amounts. Exercise will not only help you to lose weight and tone up, but it will also fill your brain with feel-good chemicals giving you a mental boost meaning that you are far more likely to stick to your routine. As you lose weight, you will have more energy and will be able to do more exercise.

As with all new goal-setting challenges, the important thing is making the changes that are going to fit easily into your lifestyle and that you are more likely to stick to. These are the changes that will help you to achieve your results.

Final thoughts

If you feel that you need the aid of Coaching to assist in your weight loss goals then many tools can help you to break through stubborn mind patterns and emotional issues that you may have to achieve your weight loss goals and get you back in control.

Weight Loss Coaching Programme

If you find that you need more help or direction during your weight loss journey, then take a look at the Life Coaching for Women full 4-week weight loss programme, where we will look at where you are at, understanding, emotions and weight and exercise and diet.

This programme will give you all of the information you need and the tools to get through your weight loss journey.

This programme offers 1-1 coaching with follow-up emails in between each week’s coaching session, offering you practical advice and sound solutions as to why you are feeling the way that you do and what you can do to make the change

If you would like to listen to the audio version of the blog press below.

If you have enjoyed this bog post please comment and share