The theory behind weight loss and weight management is relatively simple: eat less, move more, and eventually, you’ll achieve and maintain the shape you want. Unfortunately, millions of people have found this to be much more difficult than it first appears.
Why are losing weight and maintaining fitness so challenging? And is there anything you can do to make them easier?
The Biggest Challenges
First, it’s a good idea to take a step back and analyze your biggest challenges. Many people struggle with the following:
ยท Ignorance. Which foods are good and which foods are bad? How much should you be eating and when should you be eating it? Unless you’re a certified dietitian, you probably have at least a few questions. If you don’t know exactly what you’re doing, it’s easy to be confused.
ยท Ambiguity. Not every decision in weight loss or weight management is black and white. Is it okay to skip a workout if you work out a bit longer tomorrow? Do potatoes count as a vegetable, even though they’re extremely starchy? There aren’t always clear answers.
ยท Motivation. Even more commonly, people struggle with motivation. Choosing broccoli over ice cream is never easy, and if you don’t have something pushing you to make the harder decision, you’ll resort to your old habits.
ยท Consistency. Most people can diet and exercise for a couple of days, or even a couple of weeks. But sustaining this level of consistency over years or decades is much harder.
How to Make Weight Management Easier
So what steps can you take to make weight management easier?
ยท Invest in weight loss products. Weight loss products are designed to facilitate weight loss and weight management. Not every advertised weight loss product works the same way, and some of them don’t work at all. However, there are weight loss products that can help you accelerate your metabolism, stifle your appetite, or spur other changes in your mind and body that complement your nutritional and lifestyle changes. Combined with diet and exercise, many of these products can accelerate your weight loss โ or if youโve already hit your goal weight, keep that weight off.
ยท Learn everything you can about nutrition. Commit to learning everything you can about nutrition. You probably already know some basics, like the fact that vegetables are good for you and foods extremely high in sugar generally aren’t. But the more you learn about the mechanics of nutrition in your body and the dietary habits that shape your form, the easier it will be to delineate ambiguities and make better lifestyle decisions.
ยท Make exercise a consistent daily habit. For many people, exercise is a form of torture โ and finding the motivation to go to the gym is practically impossible. This becomes much easier once you make exercise a consistent daily habit. If it’s part of your routine, you won’t even have to think about it.
ยท Prioritize lifestyle changes over diets and sprints. Weight loss shouldn’t be a few weeks of supernatural discipline; if you take a โsprintโ approach or follow a strict diet, you’ll probably regain whatever weight you lost once you return to your old lifestyle. Instead, it’s better to choose sustainable lifestyle changes, which can help you keep the weight off indefinitely.
ยท Get everyone in the house on board. Most of us deal with junk food cravings, at least occasionally. If you have lots of junk food conveniently accessible, you’ll likely be unable to resist that temptation. But if there’s no junk food in the house at all, you’ll be able to get through your craving without issue. Because of this, you should try to get everyone in your house on board with positive lifestyle changes. If you’re all committed to eating better, it will be easier for all of you.
ยท Make friends and lean on them for support. Tell your close friends about your goals and be open when describing your struggles. They’ll likely lend you their full support and a sympathetic ear when you need it most. You can also make some new friends who are interested in weight loss or weight management, so you can support each other in this cooperative journey.
ยท Utilize simple substitutions. If you find it hard to completely overhaul your lifestyle, start with some simple substitutions. Drinking water instead of soda or having a side of vegetables instead of fries can make a bigger impact than you think.
ยท ย ย ย Reduce stress in other areas of your life. Stress is a detrimental factor in your pursuit of weight management. It can make it harder to lose weight and easier to gain weight. Accordingly, you should do what you can to reduce stress in other areas of your life, such as cutting your hours or taking some responsibilities off your plate.
ยท Prepare your snacks and meals in advance. Many people resort to eating problematic foods out of convenience. However, this becomes a non-issue if you prepare all your snacks and meals in advance. Focus on convenience, portability, and satiation for best results.
Weight loss and weight management are never going to be easy. But with these strategies, you should at least be able to confront some of your biggest challenges and make weight management more accessible โ and even a small improvement in this area has the potential to change your life for the better.
