A weight loss journey can be a difficult and frustrating process, but there are certain things that can be done to make it easier to achieve the goal of a healthy weight. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to weight loss, as each person’s need, reason and motivation is different. What is common though in all those who do achieve it, is a healthy mix of exercise, diet, patience, consistency, determination, self-control, and realistic goals.

Eat Right
Focus on nutrient-dense foods. Eating plenty of fruits, whole grains, vegetables, and lean protein can help one feel full. Avoid processed foods as these foods are often high in calories and low in nutrients, making them a poor choice for those trying to lose weight. Eat regular, nutritious meals throughout the day because skipping meals can cause one to overeat at the next meal, and it can also lead to unhealthy cravings and binges. A very important meal to not miss is breakfast. Skipping breakfast can make can more likely lead to overeating later in the day. Eating a healthy breakfast every morning can jump start the metabolism and help one make better food choices throughout the day.

Drink Right
Ditch the soda and reach for the H2O – Even so-called diet sodas have hidden calories and opting for those is still an unhealthy choice. Packaged fruit juices too could have sugar and besides, fruit juices deprive the body of the essential fibre that the fruits contain. Water is the healthiest option to hydrate and replenish oneself.

Get Active
Exercise not only helps burn calories, but it also helps to boost metabolism and build muscle mass. Aiming for at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise each day is a good practice. This could include things like walking, biking, or swimming. Regular exercise can also help reduce stress and improve overall health. To lose fat while tend to give up easily when they indulge in activities they don’t enjoy. Cardio exercises such as running or biking are good options for burning calories and shedding pounds while strength-training exercises like weightlifting preserves muscle mass. It’s important to find an activity that one enjoys and will stick with. If one hates running, forcing oneself to do it won’t help. Focus on quality over quantity. It’s better to do a shorter, more intense workout than a longer, less intense one. And finally, mixing things up will help the body adapt to the same workout if it’s done too often, so changing things up and challenging oneself will help one see results.

Get Enough Sleep
Lack of sleep can lead to increased hunger and cravings, as well as decreased energy levels which can make it harder to stick to a workout routine. Getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night is necessary.

Avoid Fads
Drastic changes in how one eats, following food fads and following food regimes that make one lose weight fast can be harmful, ineffective and can lead to unhealthy weight loss. It is also not sustainable. Instead, focus should be on making small, sustainable changes to the food regime and aiming to lose weight at a slow and steady pace by making small changes lifestyle changes and food choices that one can stick with to the long term.

Set a Realistic Goal
It is important to set a realistic goal. If one needs to lose a large amount of weight to get to a healthy weight – set a goal that can be realistically achieved. Losing a large amount of weight in a short period of time is not healthy and is not likely to be successful. Instead, focus on losing a smaller amount of weight over a longer period. This will be more likely to be successful and will be healthier. If the aim is to lose 20 pounds in one month, that’s probably not going to be possible (or healthy). A better goal would be to aim for 1-2 pounds of weight loss per week. If the goal is too lofty, one may get discouraged if results aren’t seen right away. However, if goals are realistic and attainable, it is more likely that one will stick with the plan and achieve success

Set Smaller Milestones
Making a plan gives a roadmap to follow and helps to keep one on track. Make sure the plan is realistic and achievable and include both short-term and long-term goals.

When trying to lose weight, it is important to set smaller milestones rather than one large goal. This will help to keep motivations high and on track. Try setting a goal to lose 5% of body weight. Once that goal is achieved, set a new goal to lose another 5%. Breaking goals down into smaller pieces will make them seem more attainable and will help stay on track.

It is also important to remember that weight loss is not a linear process. There may be days where one can lose a lot of weight and days where there is no weight loss at all. This is normal and should be expected. Don’t get discouraged with the few setbacks along the way. Just stay focused on the goals and keep working towards them.

Be Consistent
The most important tip for healthy weight loss is to be consistent. It is not enough to just make occasional changes to the food choices or exercise routine. One needs to be consistent in order to see results.

One way to be consistent is to have a support system in place. This could include family, friends, or even an online community. Having people to help one stay accountable will increase chances of success.

Seek Professional Help
There are a few times when one should seek professional help with their weight loss journey. If one has unsuccessfully tried to lose weight on their own, professional help can give a boost to finally see results. Seek professional help if there is an underlying health condition that is making it difficult to lose weight.

Healthy weight loss is a journey, not a destination, and focus should be on making progress each day.