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The beginning of January is typically "New Year's resolution [3]" time, but before you set a huge weight-loss goal, certified Level 3 trainer Siobhan (Shiv) Wilson [4] shared this advice on her Instagram page. She wants you to be successful, and from her experience with clients, she said the biggest reason people can't stay consistent with their weight loss is because "you're chasing the result." Her advice: "chase the habit, not the result."
Healthy Habits For Weight Loss
Weight loss doesn't happen overnight, so if you don't see results right away, you can become impatient, lose motivation, and then give up. This is why Wilson said not to put all your focus on the end goal, but rather to work on creating sustainable habits.
Wilson said in the caption that you need to implement changes in your routine that you can actually stick to — be realistic with the habits you decide to start. If you're not a morning person [5], don't set a goal to work out at 6 a.m. three times a week. Set yourself up for success by working with your personality, your schedule, and your goals. "When you have a structure in place that's actually manageable, you're much more likely to stick to it," Wilson said.
Here are some healthy habits you can implement to help you lose weight:
- Drink a big glass of water when you wake up.
- Get outside for 10 minutes.
- Eat veggies at every meal, even breakfast [6].
- Eat protein and fibre every time you eat for satiety.
- Do something every day that makes you laugh or reduces stress, like journaling, reading, dancing in your living room, or doing some art.
- Learn one new healthy recipe each week.
- Do relaxing yoga before bed [7].
Once you learn to love habits like walking after dinner and meal prepping beans from scratch, these new habits will become second nature; things you do naturally. Remember that losing weight isn't about doing one big magical thing — it's about implementing a bunch of small, healthy habits. And all those choices add up to big results, but patience and consistency are key.
She added that you also need to put in the effort, even on days when you don't see any changes. This can be really challenging, so have strategies in place to use during those moments when you feel like giving up. Call a friend to vent to, write in your journal, try a new workout video [8], play your favourite get-you-moving anthem, or acknowledge non-scale victories, like having more energy or sleeping better. The most important thing is to enjoy the process.