Are you having trouble losing weight? If you are then you’re not alone. Millions of dieters are struggling to lose those pounds just the same as you are. Whether you are on a specific weight loss program like Weight Watchers or Nutrisystem or you’re following your own personalized weight loss plan, losing weight can be a huge struggle that can feel like an uphill battle. Here are some tips that can help you no matter what type of program you are on or what your weight loss goals are.
1. Fill up your plate with bulky foods
One of the big struggles that I usually have on a diet is that I feel like I’m not able to eat enough food. I looked down at my plate and it seems like there’s barely anything on it. There’s a way to get around that though, you can fill up your plate with bulkier foods. Things like vegetables, beans, and brown rice can add more volume to your plate without packing on the calories. In addition, these types of foods have a low glycemic index and plenty of fiber that will help you feel fuller longer.
2. Add in some muscle-building exercise
Aerobic exercise can help you burn calories, but lifting weights will help build your muscle which will help increase your metabolism which, in turn, will help you burn more calories even while you are at rest. So, instead of having to fit in a 45-minute aerobics class, you can bring some weights to work and set aside 5 minutes here and there to get a little bit of light weight lifting in. Muscle-building exercises are actually easy to do anywhere and perfect for sitting in front of the TV as well as those short breaks from work. You don’t have to do a whole 30-minute routine at once so every time you have a spare 5 minutes just go through one set of exercises – you’ll barely work up a sweat which is why it’s great for doing at work.
3. Eat dark chocolate
If you’re anything like me, you probably crave sweets and that might be a big reason why you are having trouble losing weight. It’s hard not to give in to those cravings but, of course, we all know that desserts are loaded in sugar, fat, and calories. There’s one food though that can help add to your health and take away cravings at the same time and that food is dark chocolate. I’m talking about the really dark chocolate that’s at least 70% cocoa. Breaking off a little piece of one of these bars can be very satisfying and you won’t get the high fat and sugars that you do in a regular candy bar plus dark chocolate is loaded with nutrients and antioxidants. Just be careful not to eat too much of it – a little tiny section is all you need.
4. Don’t make yourself feel deprived
A huge part of your weight loss efforts has to do with your mindset. If you go around feeling deprived that you can’t have your favorite foods or can’t load up your plate then you’re just setting yourself up for failure. You need to change the way you think about food and picture it as feeding your body instead of something that you get as a reward for making it through the day. If you tend to eat emotionally either if you are happy or sad or bored then you need to find something else to do when you are feeling that way instead of binging.
5. Use food substitutions
Every dieter has their favorite comfort foods that they miss but you don’t have to go without if you know how to substitute properly. For example, if you love mashed potatoes then make mashed cauliflower instead. If you love pizza, make your own pizza using whole wheat crust and low-fat ingredients – load it up on veggies and go light on the cheese you be able to eat that pizza and still stay within your diet guidelines. Finding substitutes for your favorite foods is a good way for you to be able to still be able to eat the things you enjoy and keep losing weight at the same time.
6. Drink flavored waters
Are there times when you crave something but you can’t quite figure out what it is? If you aren’t actually hungry when you get these cravings, it could just be that your body needs water. For those times you might want to have some zero-calorie flavored waters on hand. These can really help satisfy those cravings that you get when you’re not really hungry and will help hydrate your body. An additional benefit is that making sure your body has enough water will also help increase weight loss.
Losing weight is not easy, but if you have some strategies to help you get through the hard times, then it doesn’t have to be an insurmountable effort. If you are having trouble losing weight, then try to figure out why you are having so much trouble and adopt a strategy that will help you address that problem and move on with your weight loss goals.