The depressing myth that 95% of people who lose weight regain it quite fast has been busted (The New York Times). However, while there are no accurate numbers on the subject, it’s a fact that quite a few of the people who struggle with excess weight do regain it. This mostly happens after a rapid weight loss induced by often unhealthy programs.
This isn’t surprising because such plans don’t make a real difference in your body. They simply starve you, so you lose body mass fast, and usually it’s the muscle mass that goes. Therefore, if you want to shed some pounds and stay that way, you need to go slowly. You have to not only make your body lean but to train it how to stay that way. This means using a weight loss program that you can sustain and eventually turn into a lifestyle.
Top 3 Tips for Gradual Weight Loss That Sticks
- Switch to a healthy diet that isn’t low on anything.
Low-fat, low-carb, and low-protein diets all have their uses and can help achieve your weight loss goals. However, you can’t stick to any of them all the time without endangering your health.
What you need is a well-balanced diet that contains all essential nutrients. You might use more restrictive meal plans for a short time, but stick to a well-balanced one for longer periods between them. In the beginning, your balanced diet will need to be low-calorie overall to help you burn fat faster.
2. Learn to control your appetite
It’s difficult to stick to a low-calorie diet when making first steps in a weight loss program because you feel hungry all the time. This can dent your motivation and will have a negative impact on your mood. Therefore, you have to learn how to control your appetite. This will require some tricks, like eating more protein for breakfast or nutrient-packed nuts for a midday snack.
By controlling your appetite naturally, you will be able to adjust to your healthy diet and stick with it for life. You might need to use some supplements to make the transition easier in the beginning. But the point is that eventually, your hunger will be under control.
3. Don’t jump headfirst into exercising
Physical exercise is essential for your health, so you should aim to be more active by default. However, when your main goal is weight loss, exercising too much can be bad for you.
First of all, you need to understand that workouts alone won’t make you lose weight (Vox). But it does make you burn off a lot of energy, which makes you hungry. And no amount of appetite management tricks will help you control this kind of hunger. Ignoring it can lead to fatigue, fainting, and anemia.
Diet is the main focus of any effective weight loss program, so skip on that gym membership for now. It will be better to simply start moving more. For example, go on daily walks or hike on weekends. You should also consider riding a bike to work or when you go shopping. The secret is doing something that you genuinely enjoy and turning it into a routine. You should progress to regular workouts eventually. But do this after you are used to your healthy diet and choose the type of activity you like. Vita Living also suggests some tips.
Using these simple tips will help you lead a healthy lifestyle. This is a lifestyle that will prevent you from regaining weight.
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