Nothing screams fresh start like September. The weather changes, the kids are back at school, and the carefree (read that structure-free) days of summer are over. Fall, for many, is the ideal time to recommit to healthy eating and exercise. Here, some tips:
- Keep a food diary. Your Medi-Weightloss® Weight Management Journal is a powerful tool in your weight loss journey. According to one study, overweight and obese subjects who kept a food diary six days a week lost about twice as much weight as those who kept one for only one day a week. The researchers theorize that writing your food choices down holds you accountable for what you do and do not eat.
- Enlist support. Just about everything is better with a buddy, including weight loss. Experts note that many people become diet dropouts around weeks four-six. To stay motivated and encouraged (especially as the holiday season hits), enlist the help of a friend to cheer you on when the going gets tough. Your Medi-Weightloss counselors are another source of expertise and inspiration.
- Be positive. Yes, weight loss isn’t easy. But any task becomes harder when you approach it with dread and disdain. Instead, focus on all the good ways your life will change with weight loss. Maybe you can get off some medication, move with more ease, or rock some new skinny jeans!
- Set a goal, and then break it into doable chunks. Don’t just tell yourself you want to lose weight. Devise a detailed plan and then carry it out. For instance, you might tell yourself you want to lose 10 pounds by Halloween, and you’ll accomplish it by sticking to your meal plan, walking 20 minutes a day, etc.
- Recognize that you will have to make changes. Have a standing Friday night date with your girlfriends and pizza? You might have to sit a few out until you get into the hang of eating healthy and feel you can resist temptation. Or better yet, invite the ladies over for a “walk and talk” and then cook them a great dinner – our MediLiving Best of Recipes V33 has tons of delicious recipes.