Health and Safety
Weight loss: Six strategies for success
By the Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Long-term weight loss takes time and effort. So be sure that you're ready to eat healthy foods and become more active.
Ask yourself: Do I have a strong desire to change habits to help me lose weight? Am I too distracted by other pressures? Do I use food to cope with stress? Am I willing to change my eating habits? Am I willing to change my physical activity and exercise habits?
Find your inner drive. What will give you the burning desire to stick to your weight-loss plan? Make a list of reasons why weight loss is important to you. The list can help you stay inspired and focused. It also helps to have support from others. Pick people who will inspire you. They should never shame you or get in the way of your progress.
Set goals you can reach. Aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kilogram) a week over the long term. To do that, you'll need to burn about 500 to 750 calories more than you take in each day.
Enjoy healthy foods. To lose weight, you need to lower the total calories you take in from food and drinks. One way that you can take in fewer calories is to eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These are known as plant-based foods. They're low in calories and high in fiber. Fiber helps you feel full. You can eat many kinds of plant-based foods to help you reach your goals. It's a good idea to be mindful while you eat. Focus on each bite of food. This helps you enjoy the taste. It also makes you more aware of when you feel full.
Get active, stay active. Regular physical activity helps burn off extra calories. Exercise has many other benefits. It can lift your mood, lower blood pressure and help you sleep better. Exercise helps you keep off the weight that you lose too. Studies show that people who maintain their weight loss over the long term get regular physical activity. Also aim to do strength training exercises at least twice a week. Any extra movement helps you burn calories.
Change your mindset. To keep off extra weight, you should make these healthy changes a way of life. Lifestyle changes start with taking an honest look at your eating patterns and daily routine. Think about negative habits or other challenges that have kept you from losing weight in the past. Then plan for how you'll deal with them going forward. Stick to your healthy lifestyle. The results will be well worth it.