You might have read or heard that the best way to lose weight is to exercise regularly and eat a healthy, balanced diet. And that is true. But the way you approach your whole weight loss journey and the strategies you use to keep going play a significant role in how fast you shed your unwanted pounds. Here are powerful things that you can do to stay on track and get faster results:
1. Get a personal trainer.
Did you know that partnering with a personal trainer increases the success rate of your fitness goals by at least 30 percent? That’s according to a study published in the Journal of Sports Science & Medicine. This fantastic effect is because you’ll have someone to show you the ropes and who’ll hold you accountable for showing up.
When looking for a personal trainer, find someone who matches your interest. Why do you want to lose weight? Is it to look and feel better? Or is it because you want to pursue a specific sport, like dancing?
You also want to interview at least three trainers and get a feel of their personality and ask about their training method and philosophy. You should choose someone you’re comfortable with and with the technique and philosophy that you agree with.
2. Find an accountability partner.
Speaking of holding you accountable, getting an accountability partner or a “diet buddy” will do wonders for you. An accountability partner will be the extra push that you need to show up at the gym or eat the right kinds of foods.
It can be a friend or a family friend. You want someone who you will listen to, will stay committed to the goal, and who will not be afraid to be upfront with you.
3. Set smaller goals.
This is where most people fail. The bigger the goal is in your mind, the more difficult it seems. It’s like your subconscious is already sending a signal that it’s impossible, making it harder for you to start and continue.
Say you want to lose a total of 50 pounds in six months. It’s steep, but you can break it down into smaller goals so you can better make sense of how you can achieve it. To lose 50 pounds in six months, you’ll need to lose around two pounds per week. Go to your trainer and ask how best you can do this, and you’ll be on your way. (See how amazing a personal trainer can be? You won’t have to plow through tons of blog posts with conflicting ideas anymore!)
4. Don’t starve yourself!
Last but not least is never to starve yourself. You might think that it’s the fastest way to lose weight, but it’s also unsustainable and will only gain you more and faster once you start eating again. Starving yourself will slow down your metabolism, making it even harder to shed weight. Instead, eat regular healthy meals, even up to five small meals a day.
How successful you are in losing weight in a healthy way depends on your approach and strategies. Enlisting the help of others and using healthy diet strategies will go a long way.