10 Weight Loss Strategies That REALLY Work: Part 2

By spring most New Year’s resolutions have been abandoned for old habits. Perhaps they proved to be overly ambitious or failed to deliver results quickly enough, or required actions that were simply unsustainable. Whatever the reason to ditch the plan, it’s never too late to embark on a path that’s reasonable, long-lasting, and enjoyable – a healthier lifestyle. 

Part 1 of this blog discussed the following five weight-loss strategies: 

• Tracking Food

• The Mediterranean Diet

• Self Appreciation in the Mirror

• 12 Hour Fasting

• Preplanning Meals and Workouts 

This month I will share five more weight loss strategies that really work. 

     What Works                                                                  What Usually Doesn’t 

1. Distilling your “WHY” for motivation                    Not having a deeper “WHY” 

Here’s Why: Have you ever started a change plan with a determined fervor, hit a few bumps, lost steam, and then wondered why you even started in the first place? I have, and this is a common phenomenon!  But it can be avoided. Before you leap, spend some time reflecting on the deeper reasons that you want you to make a specific change. How will the change help you align with your values, or feel better, or focus more? Instead of just saying “I want to exercise more or lose weight”, get to the heart of how this change could really affect your life. Then remind yourself of your deepest “why” every single day. 

1. Balancing your microbiome                                  Having an unhealthy Gut 

Research has started to connect the dots between a plant-based diet, a balanced microbiome(gut flora), better health, and potential weight loss. Eating to balance your zillions of gut bacteria is the same as eating healthy- lots of plant foods and fiber to feed desirable gut bug growth.  These bugs, in turn, improve mood, immune system, and possibly your waistline. Recent studies have given the nod to the Mediterranean Diet as a standout microbiome improver. 

1. Sticking close to plan “most of the time”           Letting Loose on weekends & vacations

Here’s Why:  Being consistent, not fanatical, is an important part of building lasting habits. Deviating too far from plan too often undermines your commitment and your ability to get back on track. If your plan is balanced you won’t need to stray far from it, AND, it will include a bit of mindful straying so that you can enjoy the foods you love too.

1. Consistent and Varied Workouts                          Sporadic and The Same Workouts

Here’s Why: Regular exercise improves both health and mood, burns calories, and transforms your body into more of a fat burner at rest. Doing workouts at the same intensity level and for the same duration will have diminishing returns. A mix of cardio, strength, and yoga, performed at varied durations and intensity levels provides the body with the stimuli that it requires to build muscle, endurance, and flexibility. 

1. Starting over                                                              Being hard on self when you go off track

Here’s Why: Research shows that the kind to self approach trumps the big stick one. Berating and punishing yourself when you go off track will keep you there. Instead, support yourself to start yet again with encouraging verbiage and doable disciplines.

With a lifestyle approach to wellness, there is no rush to get there. In fact speeding toward goals has been proven to be problematic. That fast lane is hard and rarely sustainable. On the contrary, because a lifestyle is an ongoing practice there is no endpoint to make haste toward. It teaches you to slow down and enjoy your life while in the process of getting healthier and wiser.

Any burning fitness questions that you’d like me to write about? Let me know!

Namaste,

Shannon