ABCs of a Successful Weight Loss Journey
A- Accountability
Be Accountable & be in control of your weight loss journey. It may include keeping and updating a weight loss journal or having an accountability partner who is interested in the same progress as you.
B- Believe in yourself
Tell yourself that you are capable of losing weight like others. The fact that you can’t lose weight is all in the mind, so change your mindset.
C- Consistency
For sustainable results, you need to be regular in daily affairs, workout and watch your diet regularly.
D- Determination
Be deliberate & dedicated to your weight loss aspiration as if it is a paid job.
E- Eat right
Your diet is the most important aspect of your journey. You need to decide to eat healthy because you are what you eat.
F- Forget your past
This is a new beginning, stop looking at how your unhealthy life has been in the past and kick-start a healthy lifestyle.
G- Goal setting
Set realistic targets, it may be 2,3 or 5 lbs per month, be very clear about what you want and go for it. Monitor your progress through measurements and weighing at regular intervals to know how close or far you are to your target.
H- Hydration
Drink at least 8 to 12 glass cups of water per day. It helps to build your metabolism, detoxify your system, improve your skin health, always keeps you full to discourage binge eating and promote weight loss.
I- Inspiration
Get Inspired by reading weight loss success stories and inspire others too with your transformation. It helps to sustain your motivation levels.
J- Join challenges
Your preferred workout program should incorporate challenges among members, it creates a healthy competition focused at achieving your body goals. It is also a fun way to lose weight without realizing it.
K- Keep a weight loss journal
You cannot improve what you don’t measure. Write down your goals, starting dates & measurements and take photos too. It will help you stay focused in working towards your body and fitness goals
L- Love yourself
If you often say this to yourself, “I hate the way I look”, “my belly fat is horrendous”, “I can never have a bikini body”, STOP! just stop being too hard on yourself. When you look in the mirror, tell yourself you are the most amazing person in the world. Change your negative mindset and watch your success, trust me!
M- Meditation
Find time to relax & de-stress. It could be one out of seven days in a week. Your body needs it for muscle repair and rejuvenation. Skipping stretching and relaxation can lead to burn out and eventually discourage you from continuing your journey.
N- Non-Scale Victories
Celebrate some weight loss gains you may not see on your weighing scale such as fitting into a smaller top, better blood pressure numbers, being able to run of the stairs without being breathless, being taken off medications etc. Celebrate every success you achieve along the way.
O- Optimism
Be positive! You may have tried several things to lose weight which did not work. It doesn’t mean you can never lose weight. Try to stay positive always as this mindset is necessary for your success.
P- Push Your body to change that body
Look, there is no short cut to losing weight, short cuts have proven not to be sustainable. If it takes you to push your body and get out of your comfort zone to kick fat in the butt. Then do it because you will reap the benefits and you will have energy to be useful to your loved ones.
Q- Quit unhealthy habits
This is a ‘MUST’ for you because unhealthy habits will keep jeopardizing your weight loss progress such as smoking, alcohol intake, high sugar intake, poor sleep, sedentary lifestyle, eating unhealthy foods with high calorie content etc.
R- Reward yourself for your progress
There are several ways to do this, it could involve buying yourself a smaller sized outfit you now fit into due to losing weight or getting a professional massage from all that muscle exhaustion from workouts. You are all you’ve got, be kind to yourself.
S- Sleep well
Contrary to some opinions, do you know that you can aid your weight loss by sleeping at least 7 – 8hrs in a day? Lack of quality sleep releases stress hormone that signals your body to conserve energy to fuel your waking hours which implies that you will hang on to fat.
T- Tenacity
Never Give Up! You need this attitude to keep going because there are times when the scale will not smile at you or you encounter a plateau on your journey. It happens to everyone, just don’t quit. Keep going and your body will reward you in due course.
U- Understand your body and listen to it
Every day will not always be the same, there will be days then you won’t feel like working out. Don’t be too hard on yourself, listen to your body, relax, take days off but don’t give in to unhealthy cravings.
V- Value positive relationships
Be careful about the people you mingle with. Fuel positive relationships that are interested in your weight loss success and stay away from people seeking your downfall and hoping you will give up.
W- Workout regularly
This is another pillar to weight loss and fitness goals. You need to exercise, get those endorphins in, feel good, feel fit and your heart will thank you. Excuses don’t burn calories and following diet alone can make you lazy and unfit. Stay active and keep moving.
X- XOXO
You will need lots of this in a supportive group. I can’t overemphasize this; you need to interact with people of like minds who are interested in your progress and willing to help you throughout your journey. You get to see where others are struggling, and you can all overcome your challenges together.
Y- YOU can do it!
Yes! Yes!! Yes!!! You totally can do it, you’ve got this. Now go kick that fat in the butt and embrace your healthy lifestyle. No one will do it for you.
Z- Zeal
Be devoted and passionate about your journey and you will soon be an inspiration to many others.