More Weightloss Tips

Since writing a post a few weeks ago with some do’s and don’ts of weightloss, I’ve remembered more! So here are additional things that helped me lose weight in 2006/2007. If you missed the first set of tips, you can read them here.

DO

• Try out different types of exercise until you find one(s) you really enjoy. Don’t give up just because you dislike certain exercise routines and/or equipment. I love the elliptical and detest the treadmill. I love aerobics and I hate pilates. You never know until you try!
• Use different motivators. Some people find that using visual aides helps them “see” the pounds they have lost and still need to lose. Other people offer themselves a reward for losing a certain amount (a new book, a pair of shoes, etc). I never did this but MANY people do and find it very helpful.
• Allow yourself to eat out once a week and look forward to it! If you consider that you have 3 meals a day/7 days a week, that’s 21 meals. So, just ONE meal would be 1/21, or 0.0476 of your week (less than 5%). That’s not going to hurt your weightloss efforts. I did this all through my weightloss journey and was still very successful (maybe because I knew I always had that to look forward to!).
• Workout in either morning, afternoon, or evening. They all have their benefits, so do what works with your life and what feels the best to you. Starting out, I did my exercising in the morning, to “get it out of the way”, but over time I began enjoying it more and more (because I was getting in better shape) and started doing some aerobics in the evening! So, whatever works.
• Expect gradual changes. The weight will come off if you are physically active and stay within a healthy range with calories, but that doesn’t mean it will come off quickly. Some weeks you will have more loss than others. Expect that, and don’t get discouraged on slow weeks. Even on The Biggest Loser they have those weeks!

DON’T

• Take in less than 1200 calories per day. Your body needs at least 1200 calories to function (without additional exercise). When you add in fitness you have to add calories, otherwise your body begins to burn necessary calories and will actually go into “starvation mode” and you will not lose weight in a healthy way, if at all. When I started, Sparkpeople recommended that I consume between 1550-1800 calories a day.
• Excuse bad eating. There will always be celebrations in life; if you use them as excuses to overeat, that way of eating will become your norm, and that is unhealthy. 
• Go out and spend a bunch of money on new clothes when you’ve lost a bit of weight. Try to hold out until you’re at your goal weight before buying new clothes because otherwise two things could happen: 1) You will feel less motivated to continue with your weightloss, or 2) You will keep losing and then those clothes will be of no use to you. If you must buy new clothes, shop second-hand and save some $$.
• Forget what your reasons are for wanting to lose the weight and get healthy. Write your goals and reasons somewhere you can re-read them on a regular basis.

And please, be positive!