Over the past year or so, I’ve become increasingly focused on my overall health, wellness, and fitness. I had reached a point where I absolutely hated my body and was consistently indulging in unhealthy, processed foods. I had no idea how to approach nutrition in a non-boring, non-salad-focused way. And I HATED going to the gym.
Rather than continuing to feel sorry for myself and keep buying larger clothes to hide my insecurities, I joined a gym and starting performing some in-depth research into exercise and nutrition.
So, what’s the best way to lose weight? Find workouts and healthy foods that you actually enjoy.
It seems so simple, but it used to sound impossible to me. I can’t believe that I actually LIKE working out now.
I used to be the girl who would do anything to get out of gym class. I distinctly remember continuously moving to the back of the line in kickball so that I wouldn’t have to kick the ball, run, and embarrass myself. I was also deeply psychologically scarred by being literally laughed at by the boys in elementary school when we would play basketball or dodgeball in gym class. Those were harrowing times. Thankfully, gym class is not a good depiction of what a healthy, active lifstyle has to look like as an adult.
Today, I’m sharing some of the first steps that I took when I just started on this journey. All of these are simple to implement in your daily life and don’t require any complicated knowledge of nutrition or exercise science.
I will not be talking about counting calories or macros, cutting out food groups, or following a regimented workout plan: in my experience, these DO NOT WORK, because they are not sustainable.
My number one tip is this: If you can’t do it forever, it won’t work. Dieting and running on the treadmill furiously every single day is not a sustainable lifestyle change that you will continue for life.
ONE // If It’s Not in the House, You Won’t Eat It
This is one of the most simple, effective, and common sense ways to stop yourself from eating junk. Don’t buy the junk.
If you don’t have chips, cookies, or whatever your particular vice may be in the house, you’re already setting yourself up for success. Even if this is the ONLY diet change that you make, it’s a great first step towards a more healthy body.
Personally, I try to eat as much whole, unprocessed food as possible and try to avoid most things that come in a package. If I do buy something packaged, I always check out the ingredients first to make sure there’s no strange chemicals or nasty preservatives hiding in there.
TWO // Replace Your Snacks
I love love love to snack throughout the day, especially because I spend my days sitting in front of a computer for hours on end. Snacking keeps my energy up and is my go-to when I’m bored.
But snacking out of boredom, and not because you’re actually hungry, is one of the most common reasons that we eat way more calories than we need in a day. I find that replacing your typical snacks with fruits and vegetables is a great way to combat this.
Even when I first started trying to eat more whole foods, I was snacking on lots of nuts, which is great, but they are high in fat and easy to overeat. I wasn’t usually eating them because I was hungry, but because they were delicious and I just wanted to snack. I worked to replace them with an apple or some berries, and it has worked really well to help reduce the urge to snack on more high-calorie options. Sometimes when I am craving a snack I will even try to curb the craving by sipping on some kombucha or decaf coffee or tea.
This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t have a filling snack if you’re hungry. A handful of nuts (I’m obsessed with roasted, unsalted cashews) or something like a Larabar is a great option if you’re actually hungry or short on energy. I usually have a snack like this after work about an hour before I go to the gym so that I have long-lasting energy from healthy fats and protein.
THREE // Don’t Go It Alone
I used to walk into the gym and have no idea what to do. I would halfheartedly run on the elliptical for 30 minutes and do some ab exercises, which was boring, not fun, and not effective. I also tried to follow at-home workouts on YouTube, but would typically give up halfway through because it was too hard or I was bored.
When I started looking for a new gym, I found one that includes classes with membership. This was the catalyst that helped me to understand that working out could actually be enjoyable and even fun. I tried every class that looked interesting, even if they sounded WAY too difficult.
I had to really push through some embarrassment and fear when I started, but that feeling actually served as a motivator – I had to force myself to do things that I would never have attempted if I wasn’t in front of an instructor and a room full of people. I couldn’t just skip the last few reps, because that would be embarrassing!
I quickly learned that I was much more capable than I thought and that I could pump out more reps and get my heart rate higher than I would ever have done on my own. It’s so difficult to force yourself to push that hard, especially if you’ve never tried to before and you don’t even know if you can! (I promise, you CAN)
I fell in love with spin classes, because they’re so fun and fast-paced, and I also tried barre, yoga, weights, and HIIT classes. This helped me to learn what I enjoy and what I don’t so that I could use that knowledge during solo workouts outside of classes. If you can afford it, a personal trainer would also be a fantastic way to learn different exercises and proper form.
FOUR // Mindset
Your mindset is the most important factor in your success when it comes to finding the best way to lose weight.
When I began this journey, I was unhappy with the way I looked and felt. I was insecure, sluggish, and working out was a chore. My focus was to lose some fat and tone up so that I would look good and fit back into some of my old clothes that didn’t fit anymore.
I didn’t enjoy my workouts and I would beat myself up because I wasn’t seeing any changes in the way my body looked. Staring at different parts of my body in the mirror and searching for problems and change was a big part of every day, and even when I was exercising regularly, I didn’t feel good about myself.
Once I discovered workouts that were enjoyable, I began to look forward to them, and I finally experienced the feeling of post-exercise endorphins. After a fun spin class, I would be tired and sweaty, but my mind was in a totally different place: I felt happy and proud of myself every time that I completed a class.
I remember a few months in to consistently doing workouts that I actually liked, I was talking to my mum on the phone. I told her, “If I just keep doing what I’m doing, I think I’ll see results without even trying.”
Then it hit me: my mindset had COMPLETELY changed. I was working out multiple times a week, eating mostly plant-based, and obsessed with wellness, and I felt like I wasn’t even trying. Those were all HUGE changes that I made to my lifestyle: that’s the definition of trying!
I was so much more focused on living a sustainable, healthy, and enjoyable life that I stopped constantly checking my body for results. Then, it got warm outside and I swapped out my winter wardrobe for summer, and my shorts from last summer are 2 sizes too big.
THAT is the best way to lose weight and actually enjoy it – focus on feeling good, finding a workout style that you find fun, and forgetting about the physical results.
Remember that these results do NOT happen overnight – and my “transformation” is not even very dramatic. Visible results take time and consistency, and you have to enjoy what you’re doing, or you will simply stop doing it and return to your old habits.
I also made a number of other changes not fully discussed here, which I can share in future posts! Please let me know if there’s anything in particular that you’d like me to address!
source: polishedandpink.com