During the festive season, mince pies are everywhere and the mulled wine is flowing. Everybody loves to indulge over Christmas time, and why not? This is the time of year where we get to eat endless amounts of delicious treats and then relax on the sofa with a few buttons undone without feeling guilty. Once this period is over, people tend to all have the same goal, which is to lose weight. This is not surprising. Many problems come with being overweight, to the point it can be difficult to travel to medical care. In this case, telemedicine can come to the rescue. Telemedicine, where you can access a doctor for advice online through your laptop or phone, is taking off in the U.S. Of course, prevention is better than cure, so the other option is to try to lose weight yourself first. While some are successful, others struggle to fulfil their resolution and revert to old habits. Here, we will list some useful ways to help you get on track and see your weight loss goals to the end.
Preparation is key
As the saying goes, if you fail to prepare, then prepare to fail! Stay organized and create a workout plan for yourself so you know what kind of exercises to do and when, or even better, invest in the help of a personal trainer if your wallet allows it. They can give professional advice and help you create a plan while also providing that motivation most of us need.
Diet as well as exercise is important in achieving your weight loss goals.
You are what you eat
Most of us know that nutrition goes hand-in-hand with exercising when it comes to weight loss. You could be sweating it out at the gym for hours a day, but if you’re reaching for the takeaway menu after each session, then it will most likely hinder your ability to shed weight. Moral of the story: you can’t outrun a bad diet. A good idea if you have the time is to do meal preparations. Not only will this save you time and money, it will help you stay on track with your new diet because if you know you already have food ready to eat, you’ll be less tempted to order that pizza.
Stay hydrated
Water not only keeps us alive and hydrated, it’s also great for our metabolism and can help curb cravings. You may have heard before that a lot of the time when we feel hungry, we are in actual fact just thirsty. Furthermore, if you’re working out a lot, it’s important to replenish the fluids lost. Being dehydrated can also affect your exercise performance, so it’s ideal to keep a water bottle at hand before, during, and after your workouts.
Don’t be too hard on yourself
It’s normal to relapse and go back to old ways. This is extremely common, so try not to be so hard on yourself! You may have one bad day where you’ve perhaps missed a gym session or eaten a hamburger instead of a salad. The important thing is to allow yourself a cheat meal at least once a week and have a rest day from working out. Not only will this ensure you stay on track, but having a break from exercising will allow your body and muscles to recover, therefore making your next session more effective. It’s all about balance and moderation.
Don’t beat yourself up if you have a weight loss setback – just keep going with your plan!
Spread the word
If you are living with other people, whether it be your family or friends, it could be a good idea to tell them about your goals. This way, you can gain some support and consideration when it comes to meal times and keeping snacks in the house. Who knows, you may also inspire others to join you in leading a healthier lifestyle. If you live with others who are not as health-minded, there’s always the option of using social media and joining support groups with likeminded people who are on the same path.
Drink less or no alcohol
It’s all good and plentiful during the festive period or even just on the weekends, but alcohol is actually foe, not friend, when it comes to weight loss. Alcohol slows down the fat-burning process because, once consumed, it is the first fuel to be burned, and fat has to wait and take a backseat. Not only this, alcohol contains empty calories, meaning there are not many nutritional benefits at all. All this being said, remember that everything in moderation is okay, and having that one glass of wine at the end of the week as part of a cheat meal shouldn’t send all your progress downhill. However, many diet gurus recommend refraining from alcohol altogether when it comes to losing weight, so it is perhaps best to wait until you have reached your goal.
Achieving weight loss goals is no easy task. You may hit plateaus, the struggle will be real, and it may seem like you are making no progress at all. Remember to give yourself credit and record your progress in a diary so you can see how far you’ve come. Having a positive and determined mindset, staying organized, and seeking that extra support where you can will ensure that you will finally reach your News Year’s weight loss goals.