Losing weight takes a lot of time, effort, and commitment -- which seems ridiculous considering how easy it was to gain those pounds in the first place!
Many women start with the initial dietary changes or cutting back on the calories that they eat. Then they pick up their exercise routine or start being more active until finally they blame their thyroid when nothing works (or works as quickly as they would like).
Patience is a virtue when it comes to weight loss and as many are aware, it becomes a lot more difficult with age. Here are five tricks to help break the weight loss rut and see results.
1) If you’re always doing what you’ve always done then you’ll always get what you always got. In other words, time to change it up. The body get stuck in a rut and used to repetition.
You need to vary what you eat, how you eat and you need some variety in your exercise. By the fourth day of the same diet and the same exercise your body is yawning with boredom just like your metabolism.
Walking for 30 minutes four times a week is clearly not whittling away the waistline so maybe it is time to try classes, mix in DVDs, or start high-intensity interval training or working out six days a week.
2) Check in with what is really happening with your body versus your goals. For example, the scale may not be moving as quickly as you would like but are you down a pant size? Clearly something is changing.
Do you look in the mirror and feel you need to drop another 5-10 pounds or do you just needto get more toned up because you feel flabby or soft? Losing 10 pounds will not give you firm, tight, sculpted muscles. Only body resistance moves and weight training will do that.
3) Are you drinking enough water? Water is critically important for hydration and flushing out toxins. At the end of the day the average human should consume eight cups of water per day (more if you drink caffeine and/or work out).
4) Are you getting enough sleep? The brain and body needs about seven hours of good, uninterrupted sleep every night for weight loss and healing. If you are routinely under seven hours per night then you are in sleep deprivation which can put undue stress on the body and add weight around the middle.
5) Are you really looking at your diet? While there are several great apps you can buy to track what you eat and your calories, it can be tedious for some. Just write down what you eat, and at what time, for a week or two. You'll get an idea of when you are reaching for food, what are you reaching for, how often do you snack, and how many carbs and sugar are you consuming.
Then start reading labels on everything you put in your mouth to be more aware and mindful. Remember that most all foods are either good for you or they are bad for you -- there is no gray area. Which ones are you going to choose?
Try these tips to get even more of a jump start to your weight loss plans and continue to maintain a healthy eating lifestyle. If you are still struggling, talk with your health care provider about other options and testing.
Sources:
Xiao, Q., Arem, H., Moore, S., Hollenbeck, A., Matthews, C. A Large Prospective Investigation of Sleep Duration, Weight Change, and Obesity in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study Cohort. Web. 9 March, 2014. Retrieved from
http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/178/11/1600
Whitehurst, M. High-Intensity Interval Training. Web. 9 March, 2014. Retrieved from
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/769333
Reviewed March 12, 2014
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith