What does weight loss mean to you?

Have you tried to lose weight but have been unsuccessful? Maybe you have tried the low-carb diet, cleansing diet, smoothie diet, or the cave man diet. It is not a bad thing to have tried several different methods to accomplish your weight loss goal. The objective to lose weight is good to strive towards, but why do you want to lose weight? What does losing weight mean to you? Are you trying to fit into that dress or your favorite pair of jeans? Are you trying to look like your skinny friend or that model you saw in a magazine? Or you may just want to lose 30, 50, or 100 pounds because someone else said you should. This is one question that many people don’t ask themselves.

Taking the time to sit down with self and really think about why you want to lose weight can help you better understand your motivation towards a successful weight loss journey. You may come up with real issues. Such as, wanting to cure a preventative disease such as type II diabetes or high blood pressure. You may want to be able to play outdoors with your children or grandchildren without running out of breath. Some of the top reasons people want to lose weight is for health, appearance, mood, and fitness.

No matter what your reason is for wanting to lose weight, the fact remains that many people are unable to accomplish their weight loss goal. This could be because most people have not accepted or acknowledged that it is all about “lifestyle changes”. Following a restricted diet and depriving you from some of your favorites foods only make your crave the foods you can’t have. Which could lead to binge eating that results in the opposite of what you are trying to accomplish, weight gain. Then you may begin to feel like a failure and give up.

Instead of making dramatic changes, make small changes in your diet. Instead of completely giving up sugar sweetened beverages, cut back on the amount you normally consume. Then each week cut back a little more.

No matter who you are or what your reason is, I am sure you are serious and determined to lose weight. It is something you think about constantly, even if you give up. You always find yourself giving it another try. I know because I’ve been there many times.

Here are few lifestyle changes that can help you lose weight. These have helped me lose my first 15 pounds.

• Your weight loss goals is a personal journey. Knowing what worked for someone else may not necessarily work for you. Try different things until you find a healthy solution that works for you.
• Water. Make water your first drink of choice and drink plenty of it.
• Eat brown. Instead of refined white foods such as potatoes and white rice. Aim to have whole-grains such as brown rice, whole grain pasta, breads, and cereals.
• Consume more fiber. Fiber helps with digestion and it makes us feel full. Which can help to avoid over eating.
• Never skip breakfast or any other meals. The trick is to boost your metabolism. Eating frequent small meals keeps your metabolism working all day. When you skip meals, it slows down your metabolism.
• Get active. Challenge yourself to 30 minute work outs at least 4 days a week. You don’t necessarily have to join a gym. You can go for a walk or clean the house. YouTube has tons of work out video for free.
• Make vegetables your main food item. 
• Eat on smaller plates. This helps control portions size.

Give some of these a try! Losing weight is not easy. However incorporating small changes in your lifestyle, over time it becomes a part of your life.