Consistency Matters - Drop Those Pounds for Good!
By: Bridget Henderson, Registered Dietitian (to be)
With all the nutrition and health tips on the web these days, it’s hard not to get sucked in. Everyday it seems there’s a new food fad or fad diet being talked about. But dieter beware-those lose weight quick schemes are not what they appear.
Studies show that being consistent is the best way to lose those pounds and keep them off. When eating habits fluctuate, your weight does too. Lots of times, when people are on restrictive diets we see them have a cheat meal that turns into a complete relapse into their old lifestyle. Not only do the undesired habits make their way back, but the weight does too. Restrictive diets make it hard to be consistent. When you are told that you aren’t allowed to have something, it can make you crave that item more. Cravings increase the possibility of you getting off of your plan and losing all of the progress you’ve worked so hard to achieve.
Studies show that people who keep to their weight loss routine are more likely to shed the pounds for good. By keeping their eating habits and exercise frequency the same from day to day, they had greater success. When losing weight, it’s more about making the necessary lifestyle changes than quick fixes. Here’s some ways to keep things consistent while working toward your goals:
Planning makes Perfect
You read that right. While practice might make perfect, so does planning. When trying to be consistent with your weight loss things like preparing meals or purchasing meals from programs like Roundabout Meal Prep ahead of time might be beneficial. If you are prepped for the week, you’d be less likely to stray from your nutrition.
Schedule your Workouts
I’ve got a 5 o’clock scheduled on Tuesdays and Thursdays and a 9 o’clock scheduled on a Saturday. No this isn’t a doctor’s appointment or my next trip to the dentist…it’s my work out! Scheduling workouts as such makes them more official and more of a commitment. Write down your workouts on your phone or calendar so you’ll be less likely to skip. Being consistent with exercise also helps you to be more successful with your weight loss attempts. After all, you wouldn’t continuously skip out on your doctor’s/dentist appointments!
Avoid Eating Out
There are healthy choices when eating out but there are also a lot of temptations present. Things like the food items on the menu or the meals people around you are eating can all trigger you to go backwards and stray away from your plans. The best solution? Just don’t go. Staying away from eating out (until your new habits have become routine) is the best thing you can do. What’s easier-staying home or resisting that basket with freshly baked bread?
Consistency will get you to your goals and keep you there. Short term it may seem like a lot of work, but think of the rewards long term.
Sources: