Small Steps to Lose Weight and Keep it Off

You want to lose weight and keep it off. “Dieting” does not promote healthy weight loss. Transform your eating and exercise habits by making healthy choices every day.

If you’re asking, “Carol, where do I start?” We start with creating a plan comprised of small, actionable steps.

Set small, specific, and realistic goals

You want to be a size 4 like you were when you were in college. But, to do that you would have to lose more than 50 pounds. Lower the bar a bit when you start. Set a more realistic goal, like losing 5% to 10% of your weight.

Give yourself plenty of time and some flexibility to reach that goal. According to experts at Harvard Medical School, it takes most people at LEAST six months to lose that much weight in a healthy way. Success lies in setting specific and short-term (daily or weekly) goals, like:

· I will choose a few healthy recipes and shop for the ingredients on Sunday and do necessary preparation when I return from the grocery store.

· I will prepare healthy lunch instead of ordering take out at least three times next week.

· I will call a friend to take a socially distanced walk after work on Monday and Wednesday.

· I will decrease the temptation to snack on junk foods by either removing them from the house or keeping them out of sight (put them in the pantry or in a drawer, not sitting out on the counter.)

Here’s one think you can try:

Eat breakfast slowly-and mindfully-every morning

Many people skip breakfast, not because they practice intermittent fasting, but because they’re too rushed or they aren’t hungry. Skipping breakfast can lead to high-calorie cravings later. Try getting up 15 minutes earlier (which means going to bed 15 minutes earlier) to make time for breakfast. Practice eating slowly by putting down your utensil or sipping water, coffee, or tea between bites.

Start building your healthy habits

Choose one thing to start that seems the least daunting for you and try to stick with it for a week or so. The goal is to make these healthy habits routine. Once you find yourself doing one fairly consistently, add another. Over time you will realize that many of these habits can be interconnected or stacked.

Do you need help to set and meet your health goals? Contact me to learn how I can provide the system, support, and or accountability to reach your health goals.