8 Habits to Help You Lose 30 Plus Pounds for Good
8 Habits to Help You Lose 30+ Pounds For Good
So how come others have done it and so easily it seems but it has been quite a struggle for you? You may be wondering how other people can lose 30 plus pounds and then be able to keep it off for good,meanwhile you struggle with simply maintaining your weight or losing a 3-lbs minimum. You can probably ask what their secret could be but, what they really have are habits that they have formed, developed, and maintained that made all the difference. The key to weight loss that lasts is being able to figure out what works effectively and then making them into habits that become a healthy part of you. It is good to start by learning from those who have already been successful at it as vicarious learning is one of the best ways to adapt and learn.
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The ones who made it
What is the profile of those who already made it to their weight loss goal? Well, they are no super humans. They are your average people who worked smart to shed off their unwanted weight and get back in shape. They have lost weight and have kept it that way for a year or more. Recently, they have become willing participants to the National Weight Control Registry or NWCR, a research study that started in 1994 and have continued to this day as the biggest study of long-term and successful weight loss maintenance.
So far, 10,000 individuals have been registered to the NWCR and on average, a person has shed off 66 pounds and have kept it off for 5.5 years and counting. A majority of the registrants are between 44 to 49 years old and may have spent some time before they were able to get to the right mix of healthy diet and exercise habits. Another challenge that approximately half of them faced was the fact that they had at least one parent who was overweight.
The reason they joined the NWCR is that it gave them the opportunity to help the scientists establish that long-term weight loss strategy which will lead individuals to completely avoid the vicious cycle of yo-yo dieting faced by many. Of course, each person’s journey towards healthiness is unique, but there are 8 habits that are common among these winners that have helped them succeed and eventually, help you succeed as well. Here is how they got it right:
1. They never skipped breakfast
For 78% of the NWCR people, breakfast is a great way to start their day. They do not skip breakfast and the same routine is practiced by those who typically weigh less. While breakfast may not be the single most effective strategy for weight loss, fasting may not also be effective either. So while there are some people who skip breakfast as part of their intermittent fasting weight loss routine, it’s not also for everyone. Best thing to do is try a healthy breakfast and see if it will help you lose weight like these pro-breakfast folks.
A healthy breakfast helps reduces hunger mid-morning and squelches strong appetite for lunch. When you are able to satisfy yourself early in the day, there is a higher tendency that you will be able to consistently make better food choices for the rest of the day. In this way, you will also not be tempted to snack on anything that’s unhealthy when the hunger pangs attack.
An ideal breakfast is usually composed of high-fiber carbohydrates, protein, and fat at the right balance: say a half-cup of oatmeal, a cup of your favorite fruit, an avocado, and scrambled eggs mixed with some veggies.
2. They slowed it down on the calories
While the average American male and female in their forties consumed about 2,520 and 1,873 calories respectively, the NWCR folks only ate 1,685 and 1,306 calories. So yes, they ate a low calorie diet and do not mind keeping it that way. There is scientific evidence to weight loss and lower calorie consumption but in the past years, it’s been made clear that it isn’t just any kind of calorie. What matters the most is the quality of the calories that you consume. In the same manner, a 100-calorie apple may be not be the same as a 100-calorie licorice especially in making you feel fuller and less hungry for longer.
And so you can go on counting calories but if you make it into a habit, that might not work as easily. A better way would be to learn how to control your portion sizes. In this way, you do not need to count the calories but still achieve the same results. For instance, using portion containers that guide you as to the adequate amount of food and calories your body needs can be very helpful. Make sure to maintain calorie quality by keeping it well-balanced with plenty of fruits, whole grains, vegetables, healthy fat, and lean proteins.
3. They maintained the same diet throughout
Consistency is key to weight loss maintenance and this is the habit that the NWCR registrants are most dedicated to. The results have shown that when they ate a consistent diet the whole week, there is a 1.5 times more likelihood for them to keep their weight within 5 pounds in the course of a year in comparison to those who only dieted on weekdays.
It can truly be a challenge to stay true to your diet each and every day, including weekends, but this has to be the diet that you have to stick to, no matter what. This would mean lesser to none cheat days because this kind of disruption will only make it hard for you to go back to your nutritional plan again at the start of the week. So like the study participants, no holiday, vacation, or weekend should make you change your mind. Master the art of self-control and strengthen your will against temptation everyday until it becomes a habit you enjoy.
4. They ate as often as 5 times a day
It may sound like it doesn’t make sense but the registry participants actually ate more often than those who were overweight. And this was as frequent as 5 times a day or 3 meals and 2 snacks in a day. Scientific studies are still at the crossroads whether to support this frequent-eating weight loss plan or not, but the NWCR people had this habit that helped them consistently lose weight.
What usually happens is that, when they ate often, it gave them a great strategy to deal with and satisfy their hunger as it comes instead of starving themselves or skipping a meal and overeating later. Plus, they also snacked on veggies, fresh fruits, yogurt, cheese and the like, so even if they did ate often, it was still healthy. They took pleasure in eating right and in putting their metabolism into high gear when they ate frequently. As such, the idea is to eat often at smaller portions to avoid craving for more and overeating.
5. They don’t binge in front of the screen
There are two ways binge watching can ruin your weight loss plans. One is that it takes you away from physical activity as you sit for hours just watching TV for your favorite series or going on a movie marathon. While there is nothing wrong with this kind of pastime, it becomes wrong when you need to lose weight and have to be moving constantly instead of allowing yourself to be a couch potato. The second way it can make you gain more weight is when you binge eat while you are in front of the screen. Eating while watching certainly makes the relaxation sweeter, but it also increases your weight gain tendencies. Combine the two – eating while watching – and you have a sure recipe for disaster. You make it even worse when you do it often to help you relieve stress or take breaks.
Accordingly, this is the habit to loose if you want to lose weight. What you need then is to replace this habit with an exact opposite that will encourage pound-shedding more. When you feel stressed, reach for an exercise video and sweat your stressors away. And instead of binge eating, cook or bake a healthy snack. These are the kind of new habits that will really make a difference in your life. Unless you make the change, you will never reach your ideal weight and keep it that way for good. To make a gradual change, try reducing your TV hours to less than 10 in a week just like the NWCR folks. When you limit your screen time, it will give you more time for healthier activities as well.
6. They made exercise a daily habit
Exercise should be an important part of your life that you cannot live without. It is not something that you can just put off when you feel too busy or too tired. It has to be an inevitable part of your day just like healthy eating is. A good 90% of the registry participants dedicate an hour daily for exercise. This is a particularly welcome habit because weight loss is most effective when exercise and diet are combined together. Besides, exercise and weight training will help build more muscles, which in turn promote faster weight loss for you.
Adding weight training or high-intensity interval training are effective ways to change your body’s composition. Including the same to your workout routine can help hasten the process. The benefits also extend to you being able to wear those dresses you like, sleeping better, improving your mood, and increasing your productivity. There is just so much you can get out of daily exercise that there is really not a need to convince you any further.
7. They let the weighing scale guide them
Immediate feedback is important when you are trying to lose weight and the weighing scale can tell you a lot. You too can make the scale as your guide as it shows you your progress each week. In specific, the majority of the registry participants, at 70% weighed in weekly to check whether they are on the right track or not. It doesn’t scare or intimidate them when they are not able to reach their goals right away. Besides, healthy weight loss takes time and you cannot expect to lose a lot after a week and expect the scale to just magically go down.
As such, the role of the scale is to constantly remind you that every day is an opportunity to lower that number you see when you weigh in each week. If you didn’t do well for a particular week, take it as a challenge, find out what didn’t work, and do better the next week. As long as you are doing your very best with your diet program and exercise routine, there is no need to dread a weekly weigh in. In fact, when you make it a weekly habit, it’s going to help you feel more conscious about every move you make because you do want to lower or maintain that number on the scale. Sometimes, it may look like you still have a long way to go or the scale doesn’t seem to be budging no matter what you do, but if you give up or go back to your old, bad habits, then it will not better your weight either. So make the scale your friend, stay consistent, keep it going, and all your efforts are definitely going to help you get slimmer in the long haul. You will have nowhere else to go but down on the weighing scale.
8. They made patience part of the program
The most important habit the NWCR champions developed was patience and this is where some other people can fail. In this world of instant everything, it is hard to continue to do something when you can’t seem to purview instant results. Well, it is obvious that the transformation didn’t happen overnight. Nor did they stop after a few months. By being patient with themselves through the whole process, they realized that by keeping it going, they will be able to reach their weight goals successfully.
Consequently, if you want to achieve what they have, you have to form these habits and make them an integral part of who you are as a person. Weight loss is more than just a physical goal. It is a holistic goal where you make healthy living a conscious, mental part of you that brings you a happy and productive quality of life.
Are you ready to lose weight, build muscle, or feel more fit? Join Beachbody On Demand, and get unlimited access to Beachbody’s world-famous programs, including 80 Day Obsession, 21 Day FIX®, Insanity, P90X® and 100’s more. Don’t miss out on your chance for amazing results. Sign up today!
