If you’re one of the many who’s decided to start a weight loss journey for the new year, you may be wondering how you’re going to stick with it for the long haul. Dieting and regular exercise can be fun and engaging for the first few weeks, but it’s entirely normal to feel like you’re falling off the wagon after a while on any strict weight loss regimen. Any severe lifestyle change challenges you to alter both your physical patterns with your mental ones.
If you don’t have the resources to stay motivated, you may not stay on track! That’s why our weight loss experts are here to give you some simple habits that will help you stick with your journey for the long haul.
Meditate Regularly
Physical exercise is essential to shedding excess pounds, but so is a mental practice. Any weight loss journey will have a mental element to it. An excellent way to get this positive mental energy flowing is with regular meditation. Meditation can be done anywhere in your home.
Find a quiet spot and carve out ten to twenty minutes for your meditation. Put the phone away, get into a comfortable position where you won’t be fidgeting, and resist the urge to do anything. You may find your mind wanders initially while getting used to this quiet time, but bring it back to a state of calm as much as you can.
Returning to a calm, collected mind allows your brain to settle. You can focus on challenges you’re facing without distraction, highlight the positive things in your life, or daydream for a few minutes. The goal is to get away from the hustle and bustle of the day and spend a little time focusing on yourself.
Stay Hydrated
Hydration is crucial to your body’s natural function. The usual recommended intake for ladies is 2.7 liters of water per day, while men benefit from around 3.7. This is a lot of water if you’re used to drinking soda, coffee, and tea! Clear liquids help flush unwanted toxins, bloat, and excess sodium from your body.
Plenty of water has been shown to help your skin glow from the inside out. It also allows your muscles to contract fully during exercise. Adequate hydration even boosts concentration! All of this combines to say: if you’re well-hydrated, you can focus better on your weight loss journey. Your body isn’t stuck trying to adapt to a lack of fluids, so it can address losing weight efficiently.
Don’t Skimp on Sleep
The amount of sleep needed per person varies; some people feel alert with just six hours of sleep, while others need ten. Whatever your magic number is, make sure you reach it as many nights as possible. Adequate sleep is just as important as nutrition and exercise when it comes to weight loss! Your body needs time to recover from the changes.
Consider sleeping to be a slow reset button. As you allow your body to reset overnight, you wake up with clearer thoughts, higher energy levels, and rested muscles. Avoid using sleep aids when possible, and limit your caffeine intake throughout the day to have the best rest.
Learn To Say No
No is a complete sentence! A huge part of making your weight loss journey successful is by saying no when you need to. This applies to both mental and physical no’s. A mental no is one where you decline something that may not serve your weight loss journey.
A good example would be getting bottomless mimosas at brunch; the mimosas will be a good treat once in a while, but if you’ve had them recently, maybe it’s best to say no.
Physical no is usually in the sense of knowing your limit. Say no to the gym when you’re so sore and can barely walk. Be forgiving to yourself! Know your limits and needs and say no when you need to.
Be Patient!
Patience is a virtue when it comes to your weight loss journey. Learning patience can take some time. You put in work day-in and day-out to lose weight, but it can take weeks or even months to see results. This is completely normal – so are the feelings of frustration!
Be patient with your weight loss and allow yourself a little wiggle room. Saying you’ll lose X amount within Y days is just setting yourself up for failure. Instead, talk with a weight loss expert to establish a reasonable timeline for reaching your goals. The more realistic goals combined with patience is to give you better mental and physical satisfaction in the long run.
For more common weight loss and other related tips, please contact Advanced Medical Weight Loss.