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How To Get Back On Track With Weight Loss in 2021

Get Back On Track With Weight Loss

Are you struggling to stay on track with your weight loss goals? You’re not alone. Right now, weight loss seems more difficult than ever.

COVID-19 put a lock on your gym, your fridge is now always just a few feet away, and to make it even worse you indulged and overate your way through 2020…

I get it. I think EVERYONE gets it. But this doesn’t have to mean the end of your weight loss journey.

Below, I’ll show you how to get back on track with weight loss; despite everything that’s going on at the moment.

What Will I Learn?

What might seem like a lost battle, actually doesn’t have to be that hard.

You CAN curb the cravings and stay on track with weight loss at home. And these 15 tips will help you do it.

Why You Overeat (And Why Now More Than Ever)

Whether it’s indulging on sweet treats during a holiday, or spooning a tub of Ben & Jerry’s whilst flicking through Netflix. It’s normal to overeat sometimes.

In fact, there are loads of different reasons why you might feel the occasional urge to overeat. You might do it because:

  • You’re stressed
  • You’re sad
  • You didn’t plan your meals properly
  • You’re just feeling bored

Do these reasons feel familiar? In fact, do these reasons feel even more familiar right now?

With coronavirus keeping the world in its grip, there’s a good chance you’re feeling extra stressed and sad, or you might just feel bored from being at home so much.

What do you do when you’re bored? That’s right, you snack. In fact, a recent IPSOS study in China found that 50% of consumers said they bought more snacks during the epidemic than before.

And not to mention your meal plan going in the bin, because supermarkets are out of stock on half the ingredients you need for those super healthy meals you had planned…

Add the recent holidays into that mix – gorging on chocolate, lamb and ham – and you have a serious overeating spree on your hands.

Goodbye weight loss journey… right…?

Control your cravings

STOP! You can control your cravings. You don’t have to give up. You can continue to lose weight. And I’ll show you how.

Just follow the tips below on how to get back on track with weight loss. They’ll help you stay on track. Even at home, even during the lockdown. Are you ready?

15 Tips to Get Back On Track With Weight Loss

Before I tell you about those 15 tips on how to get back on track with weight loss I just want to say one more thing.

It’s OK to overeat sometimes, especially during these difficult times. You shouldn’t beat yourself up over it and if you happen to gain some weight during the lockdown, so what?!

As such, this article is not me telling you you’re doing something wrong. It’s just me trying to help you curb the cravings a bit as you try to stay on track with weight loss, DESPITE everything that’s going on right now.

So please stop feeling guilty about overeating every now and then, it’s normal and understandable. But that’s not to say you can’t try to limit it a bit here and there, right?

These 15 tips show you how to get back on track with weight loss, without forcing you to follow some super strict diet.

Yes, they explain how to cut back on the snacks, the sweets, and the fats, but they also help you make some useful lifestyle changes to support your general health and wellbeing.

After all, remember that eating less is just part of your weight loss journey…

1 – Don’t Give Up

First things first. Don’t give up on your weight loss journey just because you overate.

As I said, it’s normal to overeat every now and then. But don’t let it get you down, and don’t throw the towel in just yet.

You can get back on track again, whether it’s after one day of overindulging or even after an entire month of self-isolated stress eating.

It’s never too late to get back on track with your weight loss.

2 – Don’t Stop Eating

Don’t Stop Eating

Second, whatever you do, and however you might adapt your nutrition (more on that below), it’s important to stress that you should never deprive your body of the food it needs.

I understand that after overeating and overindulging your first response is to drastically cut back your food intake. You want to balance it out and make up for all the excesses of the last weeks, but it doesn’t work like that.

In fact, studies (like this one) have shown that being too restrictive in your food intake often results in binge eating and overeating afterwards.

On top of that, other studies have shown that a restrictive diet is harmful to both your physical AND mental health as well.

In the long run, a restrictive diet will most likely backfire, so whatever you do, don’t stop eating!

3 – Exercise, Also at Home

I know the gyms are closed and you have to be mindful of social distancing, but this is not an excuse to stop exercising.

Honestly, regular exercise is one of the key tips I can give you if you’re looking for ways on how to get back on track with weight loss.

In fact, during the current situation exercising might just be more important than ever.

That’s because the daily physical activity doesn’t just help you lose weight and look good. Studies have shown it also improves your mood and reduces stress, which is extremely important right now!
On top of that, it’s a great way to keep yourself busy, prevent boredom (more on that under tip 9), and distract you from your cravings.

Not sure how to exercise without the gym?

Exercise at Home

Why not go for long walks in nature (respecting social distance and only one time per day as per government regulations), pick up jogging, or – if you have a bike – go cycling.

Inside the house, you can try to create your own workout routine that doesn’t require equipment, or you can check out home workouts on YouTube.

Oh, and do you happen to have a garden?

Then gardening can be a great activity to get some movement (without leaving your home), get some sunshine and fresh air, and make those changes in the garden you always wanted (but never had the time for)!

4 – Plan Your Meals

This is always a good idea, not just if you want to lose weight.
Especially if you’ve just fallen off the bandwagon, and you wonder how to get back on track with weight loss, making a meal plan is a great place to start.

I like to start meal planning on Friday by checking what’s left in the fridge and what needs using up. I make a plan for the week ahead specifying what I’ll have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Doing this will help in multiple ways:

You have a clear overview of what you’ll eat that week, which means you can balance out calories and specific nutrients better throughout the week.

You won’t be tempted to just stick a freezer pizza in the oven on a Wednesday just because “you don’t know what to cook”. You have a schedule now, you always know what to cook.

You save money and waste less by only buying what you need. You won’t have to go to the supermarket more than once per week, which also means you won’t be tempted to buy more snacks.

You’re not tempted to eat two portions in one go; you need to save the leftovers for another day in the week. Your meal plan says so.

Bonus benefit: shopping only ones per week means you’re limiting your visits to the supermarket, in line with current lockdown guidelines.

Stay home, stay safe, meal plan!

5 – Control Your Portions

Portion control is really important, and as I mentioned, creating a meal plan can already help you achieve this. But there’s more you can do.

Another added tip here is to not eat food straight from the container. If you do so it’s difficult to keep an eye on how much food you’re actually eating. This is not just me telling you this; this is actually researched in studies like this one!

Instead, check the container for the suggested serving size and give yourself just that. For example, instead of eating out of a bag of crisps, give yourself a serving in a bowl instead.

You’ll quickly notice you’ve stopped overeating as much as you used to, and it helps you achieve the next tip more easily…

6 – Don’t Get Distracted

It may sound silly at first, but distraction is a major cause of overeating.

Take this study. Researchers reviewed 24 different studies and they found that people ate more calories during their meal if they were distracted while eating. Even more striking is that it resulted in people eating more food throughout the rest of the day as well.

It makes sense if you think about it. You sit on the sofa watching the season finale of your favorite TV show. There’s a bowl of crisps in front of you on the table. What do you do?

You absentmindedly start nibbling away, and before you know it, you’ve finished the entire bowl on your own…

Distraction can be a big cause of overeating, so you want to stay on track with your weight loss goals it’s best to keep a close eye on all the food you eat.

7 – Suppress Your Appetite

If you struggle to stick to your portions and just eat the suggested serving sizes you can help your body control the urges with an appetite suppressant like Zotrim.

This clinically proven, 100% natural product effectively suppresses your appetite to make you feel full and satisfied more quickly. As a result, you’ll feel fewer cravings and you’ll simply eat less food.

8 – Find Strength in Self-Reflection

It’s incredibly important to know and understand yourself and your weight loss journey.

What worked well in the past, will probably work again in the future.

What triggered you to overeat in the past, will probably trigger you again in the future.

Instead of beating yourself up over getting off track with your weight loss why not learn from your experience?

Write down what went well and what didn’t and let it help you improve your weight loss journey.

Did going to the gym with your best friend really help to motivate you, but has lockdown put it to a halt? Do you struggle without your buddy?

Then why not “meet up” for a workout via YouTube? Just stick it on on the telly and facetime your friend on your phone in the meantime. It’s just like being back at the gym!

Is that G&T straight after work on Friday the direct trigger for that Friday-night binge on greasy snack food?

Then maybe hold off on the G&T till you’ve had some more healthy food to eat. Or accept that it’s a trigger for snacking and just make yourself some tasty healthy snacks.

Don’t know any healthy snacks? No worries, I’ll get to that further on below…

9 – Prevent Boredom

But first, boredom. I hinted at this one earlier on, and I think it’s an especially important tip if you’re stuck at home all day.
I don’t know about you, but I just need to have SOMETHING to do at all times and, unfortunately, that something is mostly snacking…
But that’s not the only reason why boredom is bad for you.

If you don’t have anything to do your mood can quickly go from bad to worse. In fact, many people actually feel MORE stressed if they don’t have anything to do.
It makes you feel on edge and out of sorts.
This can negatively affect both your physical AND your mental state as you start to feel sad and lethargic, unwilling to do anything anymore. It’s a vicious cycle…

Instead, try to keep yourself busy as much as possible and fight that boredom. Why not start a new hobby, or continue one that you started years ago but didn’t have the time for back then.
Follow an online course, start painting, or begin an online blog (like I’m doing!). Or how about doing stuff in and around the house, like redesigning the bedroom or tidying up your garden?

The possibilities are endless. Not only will it give you a sense of purpose and achievement, but it will also distract you from your food cravings and it will help you get back on track with weight loss!

10 – Create Your Routine

A lot of these tips on how to get back on track with weight loss are about building a routine. It helps you to stay focused, get stuff done, and maintain a sense of balance in life.
There are lots of things you can build into your routine, and it’s really up to you how far you want to take it.
Here are a few suggestions:
Wake up at the same time every day, including the weekend (more on sleep below)
Eat breakfast every day
Take your lunch break at the same time every day, even when you’re working from home
Try to eat dinner around the same time every evening
Exercise regularly and plan this ahead of time. I actually write down my workouts in my meal plan.
Wind down every evening with an enjoyable activity, such as watching TV or reading a book
Still plan and do your chores, from doing laundry to cleaning the house once a week to mowing the lawn
Humans are creatures of habit, and these habits can help us stay sane.

11 – Get Enough Sleep

Weight loss and sleep deprivation are closely linked.
In fact, tons of studies out there (like this one and this one) have repeatedly proven that a lack of sleep increases the risk of obesity and overweight.
So if you are looking for ways on how to get back on track with weight loss then you should definitely check your sleep pattern.
The standard recommended amount of sleep is eight hours per night. Some people need less sleep than that, but it’s a good rule of thumb to aim for.

12 – Drink Enough Water

Let’s get a bit more food-specific now. In the next tips, I’ll focus a bit more on WHAT to eat and drink.
First of all, have you ever stopped to think about how much water you drink per day?
Not only is water simply essential to stay alive, it’s actually healthy for lots of specific reasons, including weight loss.
In this study, for example, researchers found that drinking 17 ounces (500ml) of water can give your body a metabolism boost of 24-30%.
Aside from that, drinking enough water can help you feel full, which means you’ll feel fewer cravings for more food.
As a general rule, experts advise that you drink about eight glasses of water per day, 8-ounces per glass. This means about 2 liters of water per day. This rule is called the 8×8 rule.
Oh, and while on the subject of liquids: ditch those sugary sodas and enjoy calorie-free drinks instead! Weight gain isn’t just in food but in drinks as well.

13 – Try Volumetrics

Have you ever heard about volumetrics? If not, you’ve been missing out…
Similar to drinking water to keep you full, the idea of volumetrics is that you first fill up on low-calorie foods that are high in fiber.
As you eat your way through these kinds of foods you’ll start to feel full, before barely touching a calorie.
You can still eat something less healthy after, but because you’re already full you won’t feel the urge to overeat as much.
Having a salad or soup before your meal is a great solution. Some examples of volumetrics foods are salad greens, tomatoes, broccoli, beans, low-sodium broth or grapefruit.

14 – Master the Art of Healthy Snacking

If you can’t fight it, embrace it. Honestly, sometimes I just get restless and fidgety, and I need to snack on something.
I used to try and fight the urge no matter what. This often led to stress and tension building up. This would build up till the point I couldn’t take it anymore, which 9 out of 10 times resulted in a massive snack feast.
You see, by trying to resist the urge I ended up having a bigger binge than if I would’ve just had a little snack in the first place…
That’s why nowadays when I feel that tension building I will just give in to my cravings, but with healthy snacks instead.
Think sliced apple with peanut butter for dipping, or carrot and cucumber sticks with your favorite hummus varieties (which you can easily make yourself at home)!
Oh, and just making sure you don’t have many unhealthy snacks (like crisps or cookies) in the house will help a lot as well of course. So will storing them away in the cupboard instead of leaving them out on display.
In fact, there’s actually been research about this which shows that visual exposure to foods high in calories stimulates the part of your brain that controls cravings and overeating.

15 – Try to Reduce Stress

Last but certainly not least in my list of tips on how to get back on track with weight loss: try to reduce your stress levels.
I know this is a difficult one right now, but it is important for both your mental AND physical health to try and decrease stress as much as possible.
Numerous studies have shown how stress leads to overeating and binge eating. This is mainly due to stress increasing your cortisol levels. This hormone, in turn, increases your appetite.
I understand a lot of things going on right now are out of your control and they can make you feel stressed. Nevertheless, it’s still important to try and reduce stress wherever you can.
The tips I gave under the exercise section will help you with your stress management. Other ideas are listening to music, practice meditation, or get a yoga mat and follow an online session every now and then.

Get Back On Track With Weight Loss Today

It can be difficult to stay on track with your weight loss goals with everything that’s going on with COVID-19, especially combined with the added temptation to snack more.

However, it shouldn’t be the end of your weight loss journey. Above I tried to give you as many tips on how to get back on track with weight loss as possible. Hopefully, these tips help renew your motivation!

And remember, if you need some extra help to control your cravings and suppress your appetite, you can trust on Zotrim.

Ready to start losing weight?

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Jane

Jane

Jane is our resident health, diet and wellness expert. She loves putting together articles packed full of the latest facts, science and advice from reputable sources within the health and wellness industry. If you have any questions please get in touch via our contact page.

Want to lose weight? Check out Zotrim

Why Zotrim?

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