Short-term weight loss is easy for some people. They get super restrictive with their eating and the weight melts off (along with some muscle mass, perhaps?). All that super-restrictive stuff can only last for so long, though.
Long-term weight loss is much harder to achieve. We have to ditch the diet mentality and switch our mindset.
I don’t think the answer is in one single habit or action. I believe it’s a combination of things. I sum it up to pretty much 5 things. So, here are my 5 tips for long term weight loss:
Habit #1: Reimagine Yourself
If your health or your physique is not where you want it to be right now and you’re not currently making an effort to change this situation – you’ve accepted the shape that you are in. Even if you hate it, you’ve got a certain level of comfort or acceptance of it. Read that again to make sure it sinks in. You are comfortable with the body that you have right now, and until you decide it’s no longer comfortable, you’ll be stuck in the shape that you currently have.
Take a moment and spend time reimagining yourself leaner. Really let that new image sink in until you’re more comfortable with it than you are with the image of your current situation. The clearer you can see and feel and imagine yourself in a lean body, the more urgency and desire you will create to achieve and maintain it.
Habit #2: Break-Up With Sugar
Too much added sugar in your diet could be holding you back from living in a lean-for-life body. I see it in the client food journals I analyze all the time (most people are really surprised at how much sugar they eat!).
The good news is that every day spent without lots of added sugar will make the next day that much easier. Your cravings will also become that much weaker. Stay strong, and soon you’ll be more than happy with the occasional sweet treat rather than the all-day sugar drip that’s sabotaging your swimsuit dreams.
Habit #3: Forget Dieting
Going on a “diet” implies a start and end date, but if you really want to change your body composition for good, there is no end to your healthy lifestyle. It’s a marathon of adapting to healthier (and healthier!) habits over time that you maintain for the rest of your life. The day that you stop trying is the day that your body reverts to its old (less svelte) shape.
Don’t worry, the more time you get under your belt with healthy living, the easier it becomes. Soon your lean for life habits will feel like a normal day – just as your current habits feel like a normal day now. The key is to stick with it until the new habits fully stick, and to vigorously fight the urge to give up.
Habit #4: Plan Your Indulgences
Being lean for life doesn’t mean swearing off pizza and ice cream for the rest of your days (thank goodness! I want my Friday night wine!!!). On the contrary, you’ll find that planned indulgence meals of your favorite foods are more enjoyable than ever before.
The fun thing about enjoying an indulgent meal while living a lean lifestyle is that there is absolutely zero guilt associated with the pleasure. Most of us experience twinges of guilt associated with some of our meals and snacks, because in the back of our mind is the thought that we should really be eating healthier in order to lose the weight that we have yet to lose. Once you’ve lost the fat and are actively living a lean life those indulgent meals will be 100% pleasure!
Habit #5: Hang Out With Fitness-Minded Friends
Belonging to a group of fellow fitness enthusiasts is key to making and maintaining your body transformation. There’s a quote by Jim Rohn that comes to mind: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”
Who are you hanging out with? Are they eating pizza and fries at every gathering? Hitting the alcohol nightly? Or are they also eating healthy, exercising regularly and practicing healthy lifestyle habits?
Being fit is easier achieved in a supportive and encouraging group, rather than alone. The accountability provided from your fitness peers will save you from missing workouts and will get you to push yourself to try harder.
lifeSport Fitness Bootcamp
Want to put these tips for long term weight loss to work? If you’re not currently working out with us and you want that “Fitness is a lifestyle” social support – come on over!
Not only will you exercise alongside fitness minded peers, you’ll also experience safe programming, the support of your coach, and will get the accountability that is so crucial to your success.
Fill in the form below to sign up for a free one week trial at our early morning boot camp and start your “lean for life” lifestyle today!
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