Weight-loss tips that *actually* work
Hi friends, welcome back! I recently shared that I lost 20 pounds since July 2020 and received a lot of messages on how I was able to achieve and sustain those results. I put together a list of my top 10 tips and things that I did that really helped me. Please remember that everyones journey looks different and make sure to show your body some love for all that it does!! ☺️
1) Positive self-talk 🗣️
I remember looking at my body in the mirror and thinking to myself, "wow, I'm so fat, I wish all of this would just go away and I could have a flat stomach". How crazy is that? Our bodies do SO much for us, they are so strong and resilient. I knew that hating my body wouldn't get me anywhere, and it was also causing me to have a really negative image of myself. Through lots of inner work, I flipped the script. I started telling my body how strong it was, how much it had got me through, from all the travelling I did, to literally healing itself and producing regular periods.
Once I started seeing my body as an ally to my mind, rather than an enemy, it then made me want to treat it well by exercising, eating right and so much more. I put this tip first because like most things in life, so much of it starts with changing what's going on in our minds.
2) Do what you love 🍏
Life is too short to be doing things you don't enjoy. You don't like running? Then stop forcing yourself to go every morning just because you think you should be. Whether it's finding foods that you enjoy or an exercise regime that you can be consistent with, make sure you're enjoying it.
I tried getting into running so many times because I knew so many others that did and loved it, but I didn't. I much prefer to do cycling, weight training, yoga and walking, and that's okay because that's what I enjoy. I'm so much more likely to complete a workout I like, which then keeps me aligned on my goals.
Also, if you hate eating healthy foods or eating salads, then don't. Find foods that you enjoy and try to make them healthier (i.e. lentil pasta instead of regular).
3) Consistent movement 🏋🏻♀️
I used to be an all or nothing person - I would workout for weeks/months on end and then just fall off for another few weeks. This was so detrimental because it would constantly leave my body guessing, which was the opposite of the routine and consistency that I craved.
Now, I just try to do my best. If I'm not feeling a full workout in the morning, I'll go for a walk instead. If I don't want to go for a walk in the evening, I'll do a gentle yoga flow or some stretches instead. I know my body and mind benefit from daily movement, so I just try to get something in during the day, no matter how small it is.
4) Prep the night before 🌙
Continuing with the point above, regardless of what activity you're doing the next morning - prep beforehand. Even if I'm just going on a walk the next morning, my workout clothes are stacked on my desk, ready to go. It's also important to put them in a spot you'll see them as soon as you wake up to remind your brain that it's time to exercise (crucial if it hasn't become a habit yet).
Eliminating any barriers to working out is key, and it would be so easy to say, "ugh, I don't know what to wear" and flop back into your bed and skip your exercise. By prepping the night before, you have no excuses. This has kept me accountable because I know that yesterday-me already took the time to lay the clothes out to ensure current-me would be successful.
5) Don't check your phone 📱
This one might sound strange, but I find that there's a special calmness and tranquility about the morning. You've just spent 8 hours asleep, yesterday's events have been washed away from your brain and you're starting off fresh. BUT as soon as you check your phone, everything comes flooding back. The bills you have to pay, the messages you have to reply to, everyone on social media living their best lives with the most perfect body, the 51% chance of rain - it's just too much to deal with right away.
Seeing all this in the morning also makes you start comparing your life to everyone else's and it can lead you to feel bad about what you have and unmotivated to workout.
On the days that I check my phone in the morning, I can visibly notice my mind being more distracted during my workout because it already has been stimulated so much. Now, as tempting as it may seem, I know that all of those things on my phone can wait until after I've worked out.
6) Brush your teeth 👄
As soon as I'm done eating dinner, I'll go brush my teeth (aka no more food for the rest of the evening). This is to ensure no late-night snacking and to also let my body finish digesting all my food before I go to sleep, so that when I'm sleeping, I can truly rest. I usually stop eating 3 hours before my bedtime.
Brushing my teeth signals to me that no more food is to be consumed for the rest of the day and has prevented me from eating random things close to bedtime.
7) Food diary ✍🏻
Since October 2020, I've started keeping a food diary which is exactly what it sounds like. You write down everything that you eat, I just focus on the name of the dish, not every single ingredient but if it's something like nuts or fruits, I'll write down how many.
Instead of following a restrictive diet, I allow myself to eat anything with the caveat that it has to go on the list. This clause in itself has made me more mindful of what I'm eating because I know I'll have to write it down. At the end of the day, I'll simply underline the items that weren't the best choice (i.e. a piece of cake or a bubble tea), but this is just to help me keep track of my treats during the week.
8) Am I genuinely hungry? 🧠
Oftentimes, I've found myself eating because it was just the designated time (i.e. breakfast, lunch, dinner) or because I was bored and not paying attention to my body. Both these times just led me to feel sluggish because I was giving my body more food that it did not need yet and it was still in the process of digesting the previous meal.
When I was conducting my own research on this, a lot of forums were saying that when we feel hungry, we are usually craving water. I started to implement that and now because I drink so much water in a day, my cravings for all these random foods has gone down significantly.
I only eat when I'm truly hungry and I think this has made such a big difference in controlling the quantity of food that I consume.
9) Portion control + Mindful eating 🥦
That first bowl of pasta you eat is so delicious but the third, fourth and fifth? It doesn't taste as good and you might even start feeling sick. This is where the concept of portion control comes in to play. It can be so tempting to have that next slice of pizza, or cake, or whatever it may be. I've sometimes gotten sucked into this trap of having more and more, but it usually doesn't taste as good as the first bite. This is due to the law of diminishing returns where something doesn't provide the same benefit as it did at the beginning.
I've also found that when I'm eating so quickly, I'm often not appreciating the flavours and the true textures of the food. By eating so fast, we're not giving our brains time to process the volume of food which is why we might feel stuffed and about to explode.
By chewing many times and really paying attention, we can be more cognizant of the food itself and also give our brain time to process. I now realize that less is more, and if I want more food, I can take more, but it's better to start slow and then assess if I'm hungry later.
10) Walk after you eat 🚶🏻♀️
Going for a 45 minute walk about 15 minutes after my dinner has been such a great way to avoid that post-meal heaviness and slump. I've also read that walking after a meal is a great way to regulate your blood sugar which I totally support as well.
Concluding thoughts
Throughout this lifelong journey with my body, these are the pieces of advice that continue to work for me. I've realized that this is a marathon and not a sprint - there are no quick fixes but rather, it's all these small lifestyle changes that really compound to change your life.
You will have good days, weeks, months and not so good ones. There are some weeks where all I do are walks and yoga, or where I have bubble tea or some other treat a few times per week - but that's okay. Think of it as a lifelong journey and not a "I need to lose X pounds by this summer" and things will be so much better. Make sure you're kind to your body because after all, you only get one in this life.
Sending you lots of love and light,
-Reina xo