SUPPORT YOUR WEIGHT LOSS GOALS WITH THESE 31 HABITS

Weight loss can be hard – and confusing. There’s no shortage of information out there about how to lose weight, what to eat, how to exercise, the newest superfood and the list goes on. Should you count calories or use portion control? Should you juice or go paleo? It’s endless! We see the confusion within our health & wellness coaching clients as well as our fitness retreat guests. The good news is that weight loss really doesn’t have to be that hard. There are a ton of really simple habits that you can practice daily in order to reach your weight loss goals.

When you begin choosing which habit/s you want to practice, here are few tips to follow:

Choose one habit at a time and practice it for a week or two (yes - for that long).
Choose a habit that is actually doable for you in your life right now. That means with everything going on — kids, work, family, friends, weddings, baby showers, mowing the lawn and who knows what else — you can execute this habit on a daily, weekly basis easily.
Once you’ve mastered the habit, add another. So you’ll be layering habit on top of habit to build a lifestyle with healthy actions.

I’ve broken the habits below into three categories below: food & nutrition, exercise & movement and stress reduction. They all play a part in digestion, absorption, metabolism, hormone function and so, so, so much more. Start with a habit that speaks to you and feel like you really need to master right now.

Guest moving mindfully to help support weight loss.

WEIGHT LOSS HABITS TO PRACTICE

Food & Nutrition

No doubt, it all starts with food. What you eat is just as important as how you eat. And eating makes up about 85-90% of your weight loss success. So, don’t take what you eat lightly. It truly is important to eat correctly for your weight loss goals. These habits, while some seem extra simple, can make a huge difference in digestion, absorption and increasing your nutrition density.

Chew Your Food Completely
Eat In A Calm Environment – Try not to eat on the go or with distractions the majority of the time.
Use Portion Control – The eyeball method is great but you may like to count calories – whatever works for you.
Stay Hydrated – Urine should be light yellow to clear as an indicator of good hydration.
Eat Vegetables With Every Meal – Even breakfast. A handful of veggies with each meal can help you add nutrition, water, fiber and more to your daily food intake.
Eat The Rainbow – Incorporate all colors during the week – red, green, purple, blue, yellow, orange and white.
Avoid Boredom Eating – Boredom eating leads to overeating. Notice if and when you eat because you’re bored. Is it during the middle of the day at work or in the evening once you’ve settled down? Try occupying yourself with an activity like a game, organizing, taking a short walk or drinking water (or sparkling water) instead.
Have Protein At Most Meals – Animal or plant based.
Include Healthy Fats In All Meals – A range of animal or plant based fats is good to make sure you’re getting a full fat profile daily.
Eat Smart Carbs – Aim for whole, unprocessed carbs like brown rice, potatoes, whole wheat, rye, squash.

Exercise & Movement

Exercise and movement do more than just burn calories. What’s important is that you do what’s right for your body and your goals.

Move Every Day – This doesn’t mean super intense workouts daily – a short walk will do on certain days.
Integrate Mindful Movement – Listen to your body and do what feels good. Yes, you have to push yourself sometimes but doing what’s right for your body if you have injuries or are overtrained is important.
Lift Weights – Strength is important for posture, metabolism and how your body moves. It’s also great for bone density. Adding in strength a few times per week is a must.
Work On Balance – Everyone should work on balance for foot and ankle strength as well as refining the mind body connection. Aging is also tough on balance – add it into your routine. If you’re not sure how, set up an appointment with your local fitness practitioner to get started or join us for a fitness retreat to jumpstart your fitness.
Strengthen Your Core – The core is our center which holds everything else up. Plus, you’ll want flat abs when you reach your weight loss goals.
Utilize HIIT Workouts – Get the most “bang for your buck” with HIIT workouts. High intensity interval training is the perfect way to get in a calorie torching, challenging workout in a short amount of time.
Don’t Forget Flexibility – Feel good with full range of motion, muscles that don’t ache and joints that remain flexible. So many people are walking around with really tight muscles and they don’t even remember what it’s like to feel good.
Add Foam Rolling Into Your Life – Foam rolling is a great way to warm up before a workout as well as loosen up tight, achy muscles.

Stress Reduction

Stress causes your body to react in different ways. Stress can cause your body to produce more cortisol which leads to a bigger mid section. Over time, stress can impact your health and your immune system in a negative way. Reducing stress can have a positive impact on your mental and physical health.

Name Something Positive About You Or Your Life Daily – Daily affirmations are fantastic for any goal but they’re also great for weight loss. It’s so easy to get caught up in what’s NOT going right that we forget to focus on what really is going right. Every step in the right direction is a positive one. Don’t get caught up in your final goals. Get caught up in the journey and what truly is working.
Determine Your Stress So You Know What To Work On – To work on your stress, you’ve got to know the types you have and then you can develop a plan to get rid of those stressors. Some examples: physical, mental, emotional, electromagnetic, environmental
Keep A Journal – Journals are a great way to provide information about yourself. Track your stress and the ways you’re combating it so you can figure out what works and what doesn’t.
Deep Breathe – Deep breaths in a stressful situation are a perfect way to reduce your heart rate, reduce your blood pressure and the production of cortisol – breathe deeply for a few minutes to reap the benefits.
Get A Massage – Yes, please! Who doesn’t love the spa? Massages are great for physical relief but also involve physical touch which can help the mental and emotional state.
Laugh – Laughter is truly the best medicine. Laugh as much as possible and with the people you love!
Meditate – Whether you meditate for one minute or 60 minutes, mediation is a great way to focus on you, focus on the positive and be present with yourself. It’s also great to get your brain turned off from any other mental stresses you’re facing.
Read A Good Book – A good book or even a good movie are a great way to escape for a period of time and take a mental break.

PUTTING THE HABITS INTO ACTION

If you want to lose weight, these habits are a great place to start. Here’s a simple process to jumpstart your weight loss journey:

Set Goals: Goals should be specific, have a time frame and be trackable.
- Set A Specific Weight Loss Goal – Use short term goals and long term goals as well as timeframes.
Take Measurements And Record Them – You could choose measurements, weight, body fat % or an article of clothing to measure your progress. Use what works for you!
Choose One Habit To Start With.
- Journal Your Daily Activity (the habit you are practicing, food intake, exercise, mood) – Journaling what you ate, how you moved and even things like your energy and mood will provide important information about what’s working for your body and what isn’t. Get Our Balanced Eating Journal: HERE
Check In Every 2 Weeks: You’ll be able to see what’s working and what isn’t.
- The 2 week check in is a great time to record measurements as well as check your journal for the last 2 weeks to review what you ate, how you moved and what you think is working and what isn’t.
- You can make changes based on your findings.
- PLUS — It’s time to choose a new habit and build upon what you’ve been practicing.

Like I said above, there is so much weight loss information out there but if you just stick to some simple habits and implement them consistently, you’ll reach your goals. Choose the habits that best work for you and build from there. - Margot

Health & Wellness Coaching: If you need personal help, guidance or motivation, check out our Health & Wellness Coaching. We offer it online via Skype or FaceTime or in person at the retreat. If you looking for a total body reboot, try Vita Boot Camp, our weight loss boot camp. You’re sure to jumpstart your healthy habits and weight loss goals all while refreshing your mind.

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