15 Tips To Help You Achieve Your Weight Loss Goals

Whether you are just starting out on your weight loss journey or are struggling along the way, it's always good to look for new strategies to help you achieve your goals.   Here are 15 helpful tips to help you achieve your weight loss goals.

1. Make sure you have goals, and a plan to achieve them.  If you just say "I want to lose weight," that is nice, but it isn't specific enough and you'll soon give up. Use the SMART goal principles, where your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.  See my blog entry about planning and setting food goals.  
2. Take it in gradual steps. You don’t have to overhaul your diet overnight. I highly recommend changing your diet in small steps — just drink water instead of soda, for example, or eat fruit instead of candy or chips. Once you adjust to this small change, make another a week or two later, and so on until you’re eating much healthier a few months later. This small and gradual process makes it much easier to stick with a healthy diet.  (source:  zenhabits.net)
3. Make it a routine.  I've said it many times, but you HAVE to put some planning into exercise and eating so that it doesn't have to become an every day question - "what should I eat?" and "when should I work out?".  The more that these become just daily habits, the easier it will be to achieve your goals.  
4. Let others know that you're committed to living healthier.  Whether they are also committed doesn't matter, but if others around you are aware, you do feel awkward eating unhealthy food. They might also ask you what you're doing and you can become an inspiration to them.
5. Track your progress.  I'm not talking about just the scale. Take measurements, notice how your clothes are fitting, measure your body fat, take pictures - anything to show signs of progress.  I did all of those things every couple of weeks.  While it was hard to notice any change in the pictures over a couple of weeks, I could go back to my original pictures and see definite change.  That was motivating to me.  
6. Change up your exercise routine.  If you do the same exercise routine every week, you can get bored.  Change them up every month, try new things.  Challenge yourself without overdoing it.  Go outside, go swimming with the kids, plan fun and active activities.  Try a group fitness class, try a YouTube fitness video.
7. Reward yourself.  Each time you reach a small milestone, reward yourself.  Hopefully not with junk food!  Perhaps some new workout clothes or music for your playlist.
8. Get excited about health.  Read books and blogs, listen to podcasts, gather and digest information about good nutrition and fitness.  I listen to podcasts every morning on my way to work. While I don't always agree with what they say, it's interesting to learn more and think about what my help with my journey.
9. Keep Unhealthy Foods out of the House.  It’s really tough to eat healthy if you’re always surrounded by junk foods.  If other family members want to keep these foods around, at least keep them hidden, rather than on counter tops. The saying “out of sight, out of mind” definitely applies here.  (source:  authoritynutrition.com)
10. Donate your old clothes.  This was big for me.  After I had lost around 30 pounds and my clothes were too baggy, I donated them to a local thrift shop. When they are gone, you have nothing to wear if you gain weight.  You don't want to purchase new, bigger clothes. It adds incentive to maintain your weight loss along the way.  And you're doing something good for others by donating your old clothes.
11. Get new clothes.  Now that you've donated your old clothes, you'll need to buy new ones!  If you still have a lot to lose, you might want to shop at the thrift store, or combine that with a few new clothes so you don't break your budget.  New, slimmer clothes that show off your new, slimmer body will get comments from others and make you feel good about your progress.
12. Workout with family or friends.  If you exercise with others, it's more difficult to back out.  Plus you can help motivate each other.
13. Try new recipes.  Search for delicious but healthy recipes and try them.  We've tried quite a few and many have been keepers.  It makes eating healthy more fun and exciting, since eating the same thing day-in and day-out can get boring quickly.
14. Enjoy your food.  Eat everything sitting down, slowly, and enjoy every bite–whether or not you feel like it. It’s much more difficult to allow yourself to eat off plan, eat mindlessly, or binge if you are doing this.  (source:  psychologytoday.com​)
15. Be patient and hang in there.  You've probably had periods of time where nothing seems to be happening.  You're eating well and exercising, but the weight isn't coming off.  Remember that much of the joy is in the journey, and as long as your goals are sound and you're being diligent, you will achieve them. The weight didn't come on overnight, and however long it takes to come off, it is worth it.  There will be good days, there will be not-so-good days.  That's life. Appreciate the good days and tolerate the bad days.  Don't let the bad days become stumbling blocks towards your goals.  

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