10 Lifestyle Changes for Permanent Weight Loss

10 Lifestyle Changes for Permanent Weight Loss

Updated Feb 9, 2022

Trying to lose weight can be frustrating!

It’s especially frustrating when you work hard, feel like you’re suffering and sacrificing everything you love, you lose some weight, feel super happy about all that, but then plateau, start to gain it back, and all your happiness is sucked right out of ya and you feel like a failure.

Depression kicks in and binge eating begins!

This is what I call an “emotional roller-coaster ride.” Who the hell wants to go on a ride like that? Yuck!

Studies claim that 80 – 97% of dieters actually regain all their weight back, plus some, within two to three years (read more here).

Taking a bat and smashing the guts out of your scale could make you feel better, for the time being, but I have a better suggestion on how to go about all this.

Instead of going on a “diet”,  put emphasis on making healthy lifestyle changes, one step at a time.

Forming healthy habits will not only help you lose weight but keep it off, forever.

Diets suck! Lifestyle changes give lifetime results! 

But before you begin making healthy lifestyle changes to lose weight, there are two big things you should know.

HAVE PATIENCE. BE REALISTIC.

First, have lots of patience and do lots of practice!

Pick ONE thing to work on and practice that for as long as it takes you to get it right.

For example, do you eat chocolate bars as snacks? Try replacing that with your favourite fruit or a handful of homemade Ferrero Roche balls instead.

Second, get it out of your head that you want to lose a large amount of weight in a short period of time. It’s unrealistic!

Don’t be fooled by weight-loss scams.

Losing weight super fast doesn’t mean you’re losing all fat. Most likely a good chunk of it is lean mass, which includes muscle, bone, and water.

A healthy lifestyle change to lose weight will help you decrease body fat while preserving precious muscle.

This is not only more effective for permanent weight loss but helps to keep your immune system healthy too.

The Best Exercise for Weight Loss

So, let’s get on with it!  

Here are 10 lifestyle changes your can practice for permanent weight loss.

1. TAKE CONTROL!

If you eat too much, doesn’t matter how healthy it is, you won’t lose weight.

Learn what a proper portion size is so you can control how much you eat.

Don’t be scared to leave food on your plate either. I know some people struggle with this, especially knowing there are people starving in this world, but eating everything on your plate does absolutely nothing to help feed others.

2. EAT LIKE A FARMER!

When I say “eat like a farmer” I mean like back in the day, before all the commercialized fast-food that is available now, and when the majority of the farms raised their animals and grew their gardens in responsible ways.

Go for whole foods, locally grown or raised, in the season when they are fresh.

In other words, “eat whole, live, and local.”

Let’s get back to nature, make your meals at home, and stop ordering take-out or eating pre-made meals.

This is a lifestyle! Feeding yourself and your family is an important skill set.

3. SKIP A MEAL!

Our bodies are very complex and every single day requires a unique amount of energy based on numerous factors.

Some days you don’t need a lot of food. Other days you need more.

Learning how to read your body based on energy requirements from daily living is a definite asset to weight loss and keeping it off.

If you have a day where you don’t feel like eating three meals, then don’t.

First, reflect on what’s ahead because if you have a big run or ride planned for the next day, you might want to consider fueling up for that the day before.

However, skipping a meal from time to time will not damage you, and in fact, it can help keep your calorie cup from overflowing at the end of a week.

4. MOVE EVERY DAY!

Move your butt every day, even if it’s only 5 minutes of stretching. If you think five minutes of walking or stretching won’t make a difference, think again. It all adds up!

In fact, the whole day matters. Get the updated 24-Hour Movement Guidelines and see for yourself.

Avoid sitting for long periods whenever possible. Moving is a key factor in your overall health and weight loss.  Every time you move you are burning calories. A calorie deficit is required for weight loss.

Combining regular and consistent movement along with portion control are two of the simplest changes you can make that will give you a big bang for your effort.

How to Be Consistent in Fitness

5. SLEEP!

Sleep helps you to reset, rebuild, and restore.

It’s also anti-ageing and helps to balance hormones.

In general, about 7 – 8 hours is recommended.

To prepare for bed, get in your jammies and shut down all devices such as the TV, computer, phone, etc. about 30 minutes before bed.  

Read a book, take a bath, or meditate.

A healthy bedtime regime and getting your sleep are important to weight loss and keeping it off.

6. SET GOALS!

Always have a goal on the go. It will help to keep you motivated.

Be sure to consider everything that’s on your plate and know what’s involved in achieving the goal.

Some people set goals that are “dreamy” and don’t realize what’s involved to achieve them. Then when they go to do the work, they fail as they didn’t foresee all that they would actually have to do.

Goals don’t have to be big. All goals count, big or small, and they are all equally important because they help change you in positive ways.

Whatever you decide to do, track it so you can see progress.  

A very efficient and less time-consuming way to track your progress is to buy a fitness monitor. These gadgets are becoming very popular, mostly because they are easy to use and give instant feedback.

Humans love easy and instant.

5 Things to Consider for Fitness Trackers

7. EXERCISE ON EMPTY!

You don’t need to stock up on a bunch of calories before you do a workout unless you plan to do a 100 km bike ride. Even then you do not need to overload on calories as you can eat while you ride.

To digest food, you need increased blood flow to the digestive system. To work out, you need increased blood flow to the working muscles.

As you can see, eating a meal and then working out can create cramps and make you feel sluggish. In worst cases, you may even puke.

Give yourself at least one to two hours of digestion time before your workout, and even longer if you consumed a bigger or heavier meal.

Your workout will be more pleasurable, you’ll have better energy, and that will help you to burn more calories.

8. GO FOR LIFE!

To lose weight and keep it off permanently requires you to also make permanent changes, so your head has to be in it, for life.

Some people give up too easily, mostly because they are simply taking the wrong path. There is no need to rush the change.

You want to avoid feeling stressed and overwhelmed when making changes.

Slow down and give yourself time. Find a way to make the journey meaningful to you.

The more enjoyable the experience, the more likely you are to stick with it.

Know that it is a lifetime learning process. Look at it as a healthy adventure to building a healtheir you.

9. MIX IT UP!

To lose weight and change your body composition means you have to be willing to mix things up.

A walk at 60% heart rate for 30-60 minutes a day is a fantastic way to start. However, over time your body will get used to this and then you will plateau.  So when you go walking, throw in a few hills, and maybe charge them with more oomph.

On the other hand, you don’t have to go hard for every single workout, and you shouldn’t.

There is a lot of emphasis being placed on HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) training, promoting it as the best way to lose weight.

While it’s a fantastic, short, and efficient way to work out for weight loss, doing it all the time can lead to over-training, burnout, and increased rates of injury, especially if you are a beginner.

Therefore, I suggest you mix up your intensities but start your journey with all low intensity. After 4 – 6 weeks, start incorporating a bit of high intensity.

For example, you could do two days of walking on flat terrain and one day of walking hills. Then back to two more days of walking flats and add another day of walking hills.

It doesn’t have to be complicated or painful but if you always do the same thing, you will get the same results.

10. MAKE IT YOURS!

Do fun things and eat yummy food. This will be unique to you.

I can’t stress enough how crucial this is because you MUST love how you are moving and what you are eating if you want to do it for the rest of your life. Right?

Just because people are running marathons doesn’t mean you have to do it to be fit.

Just because chia seeds are being marketed as a power food doesn’t mean you have to eat it to be healthy.  

There are a gazillion different ways to become fit and healthy. Experiment!

Find what you love – Do it! Eat it! Make it yours!

This will be the ultimate key to your success in losing weight and keeping it off, for life!

So there ya go! That’s 10 lifestyle changes for permanent weight loss.

It is NOT about suffering through some brutal fitness class and starving yourself in an effort to try and lose 10 pounds in two weeks.

It IS about making meaningful connections to your goals, to your health, and to your life.

Reflect on the changes you are making, recognize your accomplishments, and be mindful about your choices.

Develop YOUR unique healthy lifestyle. Have patience and practice, every day.

If you stay consistent, your change will happen, you will lose the weight, and you WILL keep it off.

Let me know if this helps by commenting below.

👉 Did you make a sustainable lifestyle change that you would like to share? I’d love to hear about it.


Click here to download a printable PDF of the infographic below. Print it and put it somewhere visible to remind you of lifestyle habits that you can be taking the time to develop.

Remember, the joy is in the journey. 😊

10 Lifestyle Changes for Permanent Weight Loss Infographic


 

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