Weight loss can be very overwhelming especially when you have over 100 pounds to lose. You may get confused on where to start or which food and exercise plan is the best. There are thousands of options out there and it can seem impossible to know which one is right for you.
Here are five easy steps to creating a successful weight loss plan especially made for YOU:
1. Figure out where you are beginning
When you get directions to a new place you’ve never been, you have to plug in the starting address first. To begin your weight loss journey, you have to do the same.
Start by asking yourself the following questions:
What is my current weight?
If I had to guess what brought me to this weight, I would say it’s because….
What is my routine eating schedule?
What are the foods I eat in a normal day?
How much am I routinely moving my body?
Do I believe I am capable of making the changes to lose my excess weight?
These questions are great ways to determine where you are starting with your diet, exercise and mindset. Be careful not to get too overwhelmed or upset about how far you are from your ultimate goal. Don’t let this be a time where you plan for incredible acts of willpower or drastic measures that will get you to your goal the fastest. Remember when you are getting directions somewhere, they are given in multiple steps. If you were traveling across the country, you wouldn’t get upset because there are multiple roads and highways you have to take so don’t let that be a reason to be upset on your weight loss journey either. Especially when you have a lot of weight to lose, it helps to accept that the process is going to take time. Taking things slower ensures you don’t burn out and quit.
2. Make a list of what you are willing to do to lose weight
Remember to start where you are! It’s very easy to look for a diet and exercise plan that promises the results you want. Just remember that every diet out there works if YOU continue to work it. You have probably lost weight before on these other plans but ultimately failed because you stopped following it. You weren’t willing to continue to follow the diet rules. This time around you need to figure out what you are willing to do for the rest of your life to maintain a healthier weight.
If you are currently eating McDonald’s three times a day, changing to eating only salads that you make at home isn’t realistic and will feel terrible. Instead look for the small things that you are willing to do. Maybe it is ordering a smaller size fry or a regular hamburger instead of the Big Mac. You could also order your same meal and leave a few bites behind each time. Just make a list of all the ways you are willing to eat a little less, move a little more and explore why you are overeating in the first place.
Once you have a giant list (don’t stop until you have at least 20 things on it), figure out which ones are going to be the easiest to do and start with one of them. Yep, just one. Do one thing until you get really good at doing it and then layer in the next easiest thing. Small quick wins are a great way to start changing your habits, getting the weight loss ball rolling and not feeling like your life was turned upside down. Those quick wins will add up and before you know it you will be doing many of these new habits and it won’t feel difficult at all.
3. Create an action plan for when you fail
You are human. You will make mistakes. You will not do it right ALL the time. And that’s OK. The problem is that when you make a mistake, you ruminate on how terrible you are and how you’ll never make the changes needed to lose your weight. It becomes a catastrophe rather than a moment in time. That’s why it is important to create a plan for getting back on track as quickly possible. Having this plan in place ahead of time makes it so much easier to follow when you are in the thick of things and shortens the amount of time it takes to “get back on the wagon.”
First, create a list of thoughts that help get you get your mind in the right place to take your next best action.
This was just a moment in time.
I can learn from this and move on stronger and better equipped.
No matter what happened, I can always make my next best decision.
It’s not the mistake I made but how I respond to it that determines my success in weight loss.
Then create a list of the small decisions that you can make to get your weight loss ball rolling again.
Keep these really simple and something you can do in under five minutes. Some ideas are drink a glass of water, go for a five minute walk, write in your journal or listen to a motivational podcast. Finally and most importantly after completing one of these actions remind yourself that you are doing what it takes to lose weight again. Tell yourself how proud you are for getting right back at it!
4. Decide on how you will measure your progress
Please don’t just say the scale! The scale will not accurately reflect all of your efforts. You cannot control the scale. You can only control your actions so using a habit tracker is a much better way to measure progress. A habit tracker can show you that you worked out twice last week but you completed three workouts this week. That’s progress! You can also track sleep, adherence to food plans, overeats and journaling on habit trackers.
Progress pictures are another great way to track progress. When you look at yourself in the mirror every day it is difficult to see the small changes that are happening over time. If you compare a photo from day one to thirty days later, it will be way more noticeable the changes that are happening to your body. Track your progress using body measurements. Muscle is more compact than fat so if you are gaining muscle and losing fat the scale might not move much but body measurements may show a significant change. And don’t forget your other body measurements like blood pressure, resting heart rate, cholesterol and blood sugar levels, which show an increase in physical health.
5. Find ways to make weight loss fun and cheer yourself on
As human beings we are designed to seek pleasure and avoid pain. If you want to be successful on your weight loss journey, you will need to seek out ways to make it feel good. Using a habit tracker? Great! Each time you fill in a square for completing that habit, literally tell yourself how proud you are for taking that step. Drank a glass of water instead of another cup of coffee? You go girl!!
Not only is it important to congratulate yourself with words and thoughts but make it a little more fun by setting milestone rewards. You can choose rewards for a certain number of pounds lost or reaching a certain number of habits checked off on your habit tracker. I have always loved new clothing, workout gear or manicures and pedicures as my rewards.
Finally, if you are choosing to exercise be sure to choose movement that you ENJOY. Exercise should always be a celebration of your able body and never a means to only lose weight.
You only get one beautiful life. Even when you are losing weight, you can choose to enjoy the journey.
Your coach,
Andrea