Ladies, we get it, a weight loss journey is such an emotional rollercoaster and at times can be very difficult. You may also find that you’re doing every single thing right and that weight just isn’t coming off. Due to this, you’re now finding it hard to stay motivated and on track with your goals.
Firstly, we absolutely hear you. Secondly, it’s going to be fine, we can help. As most of us already know, the key to losing weight is regular exercise and eating a healthy, well-balanced diet. We must remember though, that there are plenty of factors that can affect weight loss, such as:
- Gender
- Starting weight
- Age
- Health conditions
Starting your journey with a realistic goal in place is really important, as this is what keeps you engaged and motivated. As we can lose 10% of our body weight by changing our diet and exercising, this is a great goal to start with. So, if you weigh 160 pounds, you’d aim to lose 16 pounds.
Once you’ve hit that 10% goal, your body will try and resist further weight loss and work to maintain fat stores. Don’t panic, you’ll still be able to lose weight, it may just be a little harder and slower. It’s likely that younger women may be able to lose up to 20% of their body weight and those that are post-menopausal can expect a loss of about 5-7%. If you feel that you have a lot of weight to shift, you may be sitting there thinking that 10% doesn’t sound like much, but it sure is something to be proud of.
Right then, ladies, let’s take a look at what changes you can make to shift that unwanted weight.
1. Watch where your calories are coming from
This is an incredibly common mistake when it comes to dieting. You’re eating well-balanced, healthy meals, but you’re not considering the fact that you’re consuming an extra 200 calories a day in what you drink. For instance, if you’re feeling hungry and you eat a 150-calorie cookie, you’ll then feel less hungry and perhaps have a smaller lunch. However, if you drink a soda that is 150 calories, this will have absolutely no impact on your hunger whatsoever.
Sodas and fruit juices contain added sugars and therefore more calories. The same applies if you like hot beverages with sugar, as there are roughly 15 calories per teaspoon of sugar. So if you’re a coffee lover, be mindful as those calories can soon start to rack up.
If you find that you’re craving something sweet to drink, perhaps add a small amount of fruit juice to water or even chopped fresh fruit to water or plain seltzer.
2. Stay hydrated
Not only is water calorie-free, but it can also help burn more calories and may even help to suppress your appetite. If you also replaced all the sugary drinks you have with water, you could greatly reduce your daily calorie and sugar intake. So, yes, drinking water is a great idea.
3. Lay off the alcohol
We’re really sorry to spoil your fun, but if you aren’t hitting your weight loss goals, then that happy hour can’t be that happy, can it? Alcohol is associated with weight gain for many reasons; one being that it’s just empty calories. There is absolutely no nutritional value to them and you will still need to eat your meals, therefore greatly adding to your daily calorie intake. In addition, alcohol also changes your relationship with food, meaning you’re less likely to pay attention to what you eat and will likely overeat.
Also Read: Here are 15 ways to cut calories
If you’re heading out for something special and you want to celebrate, avoid beverages like beer, wine and cocktails as these are packed with calories. Instead, opt for clear spirits with diet mixers.
4. Get plenty of ZZZ’s
Sleep is important for restoring our energy levels, so when you’re getting enough sleep, you’re more likely to get up in the morning feeling motivated to eat well and work out.
Getting good quality sleep is important for many reasons and weight loss is one of them. A 2019 study of nearly 2000 people showed that those with a more structured sleeping pattern had more success with their weight loss goals.
Like anything, life gets in the way sometimes and this isn’t possible for everyone. For example, you may work in shift patterns or have different family and work commitments. However, if you can create a pattern that works for you, that means you get enough good-quality sleep, then you’ll reap the benefits of it.
5. Work on relieving stress
We get that this isn’t easy and that major life changes can often be a trigger for weight gain. When you’re feeling depressed or stressed out, you’re not focused on your health goals. This means your exercise routine and healthy diet are pushed to one side and forgotten about.
Also Read: How to curb your sugar cravings
Some days can be really difficult, but even if you don’t feel like it, really push yourself to get out in the fresh air as light exercise can help relieve some stress and symptoms of depression. There are also many other things you can do to help manage these feelings such as:
- Going for a long walk
- Call a loved one for a chat
- Doing breathing exercises to bring down your heart rate
- Consuming less alcohol and caffeine
- Find a hobby that relaxes you such as gardening or painting
6. Do away with distractions
We all have such busy lives, meaning we often just grab lunch and sit at our desks or eat dinner in front of the TV. Whilst it’s okay to do this once in a while, it’s not an ideal lifestyle, as being distracted like this means you’re more likely to overeat. The communication between your mind and body becomes muddled and it’s not as easy to tell when you should you’re full.
Instead of doing this, actually take your lunch break and get away from work. Then, when you’re at home for dinner, sit at the table and turn off all devices to avoid further distractions.
7. Get yourself organized
It’s important to most of us that we have some sort of consistency in our lives. Now, we’re not saying that you need to be super regimented and eat your meals at the same time every day. However, when you eat at more regular times, you’re then less likely to be caught out, end up hungry and then make bad food choices.
8. Eat less, move more
By this, we mean you’ll want to be in a calorie deficit. This is when you’re burning more than you’re eating. You’ll need to calculate your daily calorie intake and then keep track of what you’re eating all day. You’ll then likely notice that you’re consuming more calories than you thought.
On the other hand, not eating enough is also not something you’ll want to be doing, as it can leave you hungry and therefore, more likely to overeat. In most cases, you won’t want to be cutting any more than 500 calories out of your eating plan.
9. Change up what you’re eating
If you’re in a calorie deficit you’ll achieve that 10% loss in no time. However, if you’re wanting to lose more, you can’t just cut even more calories. Next, you’ll need to look at the foods you’re eating.
You’re going to want to focus more on the quality of the calories rather than the quantity. This is because different foods are digested differently in our bodies. For example, sugary, processed foods will digest quicker, meaning you’ll soon be hungry again. However, foods that are rich in fiber are better as they keep you feeling full for longer. Fiber-rich foods are foods such as:
- Whole grains
- Fruit
- Legumes
- Vegetables
10. Track the food you eat
We easily dismiss our bad decisions and put more emphasis on the good ones, of course we do, we’re only human. For instance, we’re more like to pat ourselves on the back after eating a salad, but ignore the fact we ate a huge slice of cake afterward. So, by tracking everything you eat, you’re more conscious of your decision-making. You can eliminate any bias with yourself and hold yourself accountable if you’re entering all your meals into an app such as My Fitness Pal or keeping a food diary.
11. Beware of healthy alternatives
It is a great idea to make swaps for better alternatives when you’re wanting to lose weight. But, just because you’ve now swapped your nightly kitchen cookie raid for a bowl of fruit and yogurt, that doesn’t mean you can have a double portion. The only exception here relates is veggies; you can eat as many vegetables as you like and still lose weight.
12. Eat plenty of protein
Building healthy bones and muscles and helping you feel full for longer are just some of the many benefits of protein. Although, because of the higher fat content, try not to eat too much animal-based protein and opt for some plant-based ones instead. Eating too much animal-based protein can encourage further weight gain and increase the risk of other health concerns such as diabetes.
Plant-based proteins are great as you can eat much more of these without concerning yourself with the effect on your health. The proteins you can add to your diet may consist of:
- Whole grains
- Legumes
- Nuts
- Seeds
13. Get moving
It may seem like it wouldn’t make much of a difference, but you shouldn’t underestimate how much your body can benefit from regularly moving during your day. If you work a desk job and then come home to chill on the couch and watch TV, that weight loss goal is never gonna happen.
Many people find that exercising in the morning before work is often best. This is because you then don’t have to worry about where the day takes you. Alternatively, it may be that a 10-minute workout before work and after work is what’s best for you, after all, something is better than nothing.
Also Read: 14 healthy food swaps for weight loss
There are also more changes you can make to get more movement into your day, such as:
- If you don’t live too far, cycle or walk to where it is you need to go
- Take regular breaks to get up and move around
- Park further away from your building
- Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
- Getting an under-desk exercise machine or a standing desk
14. Improve your cardio workouts
Remember back to what we said earlier about quality over quantity? The same is also to be said about exercise. When trying to reach your weight loss goals by adding exercise into your routine, focus more on how intense they are, rather than the duration.
If you wanted to walk as your exercise for weight loss, you’d have to walk about 10-12 miles a day to benefit from it. You’ll instead benefit from choosing activities that will get your heart rate going, such as:
- Running
- Cycling/spin class
- Swimming
- HIIT
15. Give trim with Zotrim
There you have it, ladies, you’ve got a whole bunch of great tips to help you with shifting that extra weight. But if you feel that you need a little boost to get you going on your journey, then why not try Zotrim?
Our 100% natural formula is designed to boost your metabolism, suppress your appetite and help curb those dreaded cravings.
Get yours today and be ready to smash your goals.
