Universal weight loss tips no matter what "diet" you are on.
1) Keep Hydrated- WATER
2)Sugar is not your friend. Stop adding sugar to coffee, sodas, and sweets. Don't be scared of fruit - first, focus on actual sugar. Don't restrict it, but be mindful.
3) Portion Control
4) Get active
5) weigh in often (but not too often! Once a week is fine, multiple times a day-not)
6) It is a mental game! Deep thought about assessing your habits, downfalls, problem areas, mindset, challenging emotional eating, working through it, and reflecting about why you use food for other than substance. This is not easy and DEEP things will come up. Journal and pray.
7) Shop mostly from the perimeter - There are unhealthy choices in the perimeter, too, so use judgment. There are great things in the middle aisles, too. Basically, avoid/minimal cereals, white bread, chips, candies, pies, ice creams. Sodas-highely processed foods. Good middle aisel items include frozen and canned vegetables, fruit, and beans, whole grains, broths, condiments, spices and herbs, nut butters, nuts, and seeds. (Of course somethings are no go depending on the 'diet', but majorly processed foods are typically a no-go on all of them).
8) Eat the rainbow! Focus more on what you are adding to your meals versus what you are taking away. Vegetables are so bright, beautiful, and photogenic. They are low in calories and full of vitamins.
Things that helped me in the past-
1) community/accountability
2) Active lifestyle- biking, walking, hiking, beach body work outs, cleaning, less TV
3) Competitions with myself and friends - bike miles, miles walked, step counts, map my route screenshots, 30-day challenges
4) Portion Control- 21 day fix colored containers, now I have portion control serving spoons, portions plates, and meal prep containers.
5) Food accountablily- food diaries, containers check offs, calorie counting, taking picture of my meal- find what works for you.
6) Progress photos and body measurements
7) Know your why
8)Just start. Every step and every choice gets you closer and healthier. If you wait for the motivation, the right time, until you know everything about weight loss- you will never start. It is easier to start small than making 180 degree changes in your life. Build the habits so they can be sustainable because you learned them and worked through the mental aspect.
'Diets' can be polar opposites to each other. But these tips tend to be standard rules through them all.
Ok I literally made this blog to ONLY add to this post (this is me) My phone is not playing nice with the app right now.
Weight loss tips and reflections from me to me- 2 years in the future.
Water is still a struggle for me, so I am going to write WHY water is important for future me to remember.
A. It helps move the fiber along. Fiber without water = constipation
B. Supports your organs. We are mostly water! It helps our Kidneys filer waste, supports our joints, helps our cells get nutrients, gives us clear skin!
C. Helps are brain work better! Dehydration can impact concentration, memory, mood, energy, mental fatigue. I am a college student and a future teacher- I need that brain working so future me really start drinking that water.
D. It reduces water retention! Your cells hold onto water because it doesn't know when it will get hydrated again. This reduces bloating!
E. Water won't make you magically burn fat- BUT it does help your body with the process of burning it!
F. Sometimes our body ques are saying it is thirsty when it is actually hungry so water controls hunger and it also keeps you full (stomach full of water).
There can be conflicting information about water such as- drink cold water, Chinese medicine- don't drink cold water, Drink water before you eat/dont. Drink water with meals/dont.
I suggest don't complicate it and just focus on getting water in (especially for someone who struggles to get it in anyways)
BUT ALSO REMEMBER THAT THE WATER FROM THE FOOD YOU EAT COUNTS! Broths, fruits, vegetables have WATER. More reasons to eat less bland beige food.
2. Reflection on #5- Weigh yourself every day. This is only possible with a healthy mindset. A mindset that knows that the body naturally fluctuates 2 to 5 lbs during the day. Knows that there are many factors in the scale going up such as hormones, water retention, heavier carbs the day before, undigested food, muscles. If someone isn't in this heathy mindset, I do not recommend this (continue with what I said 2 years ago on #5). This is because the up and down can be defeating for some people. Where I am now is I am not crushed by the number at all. It is data. Sometimes that data I use to adjust something or learn something about my body. Sometimes it is just there. Look at trends in weight loss/gain not the day to day. But I know when I weigh in every single morning, I am more mindful. I know what is going on. I don't 'punish' myself for a gain with less food/more exercise. I don't give up. But I don't wake up from months of not weighing and find myself 20lbs heavier.
3. Portion control is really only for high calorie foods... I don't need to limit vegetables. In fact, I can eat high volumes of vegetables (without oil on them) and fruit and STILL lose weight. Be careful though because if you 'fall off the wagon', your brain and body might be used to the higher volume intake and eat foods that are high calories the same way. This is technically only my tip and not considered 'correct' with every diet.
4. Get active reflection- WALKING IS KING! The old school advice of parking farther away, taking the stairs, pacing while on the phone, and getting steps in wherever you can is actually great advice. Walking is better than running (especially at a high weight because running can be stressful on the joints, burn out easier, so forth). But if you are able bodied, walking is one of the best things you can do. RANDOMLY MOVE YOUR BODY! It doesn't need to be an 'official' workout. Even fidgeting adds to your NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis- calories burned from daily movement).
5. Another me tip- not universal diet tip- Don't be afraid of convenience food! When my kitchen was 'closed', I proved that I can be in a calorie deficit and still lose weight. Sometimes this is a life saver for me- someone who has ADHD, Depression, being in college, stress, no time, don't feel like cooking or going to the grocery store... This is where PORTION CONTROL and tracking ARE important. The calories can add up quickly, but it is still manageable to stay with in calorie range.
Also, Zero calorie/sugar sodas can be a life saver- the amount Aspartame in them is so small that it would take 12 a day to have a negative impact on you. When you are low on calories and want something sweet, a Coke Zero can be your best friend (Defiantly not an every diet advice- but a ME advice.)
Remember this about myself- I like novity, but long-term novity doesn't love me back. I can complete a 'challenge' or a 'diet' but as soon as that is over, I can go back to eating like crap. I am not saying never go on one. I love whole30 and right now feel like I could go on it at least once a year. But whole30 isn't sustainable. What is sustainable for me it to eat that piece of cake not to deprive myself. But it does show you a lot about yourself so there is positives and negatives.