How to Make Your Weight Loss Easier

We all know that weight loss happens when we are in a calorie deficit. Well, most people struggle the most with this. Which is why so many people fail at their weight loss goals. They can somewhat manage even, enjoy the workouts but when it comes to nutrition, most people cannot figure it out. And this is no one's fault with 1000s of conflicting information out there. So here, I am going to lay out a few ways you can be more successful at eating better to lose weight! 

1. Find foods you enjoy and stick with them! Eating somewhat similar or the same things every single week is the best way to stay consistent in what you are eating and how much you are eating. Having a few staples make's mealtimes easier and less stressful.

For example: for me my breakfast is 3 different things every single day either a breakfast sandwich, a loaded omelet with lots of egg whites, or protein pancakes, eggs, and turkey sausage. The same rotation every single week, this also helps you have to track less. If you know your breakfast has 400 cal. 30g protein 40g carbs and 15g f. You don't need to track this every single day individually you will know, "okay my breakfast is this". SO MUCH EASIER! Same for other meals, a couple more of my staples are ground turkey bowls, or tacos, and teriyaki chicken. I enjoy it and it's easy to make. 

It literally won't matter what nutritious foods you put in rotation, just make it simple and tasty for you. But get over the idea that you need to think of creative fun recipes every week. 

2. Stop trying to be perfect or nothing. Just because you had some ice-cream one day does not mean that entire day is ruined. Your next meal/snack whatever should just be back on track to something nutritious. Would you throw away the entire loaf of bread if the top slice got wet. No that makes no sense, you let that piece go and move on with the rest of the loaf. Same thing one bad snack or meal IS NOT going to ruin anything. It is when you excuse yourself for days in a week that adds up. You need to have consistent days, but if a cup of ice-cream or a not-so-great meal out on Friday is going to help you stay more consistent the other 6 days go for it! 

3. You have to track everything you are eating. Do you know how frustrating it is to "think" you are eating clean but then not seeing any progress! Well, if this is happening and you are not tracking, chances are you are not eating as well as you think you are. TRACK! You will not have to track forever once you learn what foods are in what, and proper balance but in the beginning it is absolutely necessary to track everything. 

4. Find activates to do that you enjoy that do not revolve around food. If someone invites you to hang out and they want to do the typical drinks and dinner, either go and make good choices or once in a while it is okay to plan a daytime activity. Go to a new park, visit a new city, go for a walk, go get your nails done, shopping. There are so many things we can do with our loved one's that do not revolve around eating; we really need to get out of the habit that every little thing needs to be around food. And look I get it food is fun, food is life, love, celebration, sadness, joy food is social and supportive. But there has to be other ways also to show these emotions aside from food. The more movement you can get in a day the better for overall weight loss, and this does not mean planned exercise. Move MORE! 

5. Stay away from fad, extreme diets. Any diets that over restrict calories or require you to completely cut out any macro like carbs or fat stay away from them! You have to find something that is going to be sustainable for you in the long run. If you treat this like a short-term thing a goal to get to. That is all it is going to be. You need to eat a well-balanced whole foods diet, including all the major macros because this is what you can sustain and what is realistic for anyone in the long run. If you are having a hard time losing weight and being consistent what makes you think. "Oh, I know I am going to make this harder by saying no to carbs, that has to work". Like no! That is not going to work, that is only going to be harder for you and not to mention completely unnecessary for weight loss. 

6. Find a piece or two of fruit you enjoy and have it as a snack every single day. Fruit does not taste as good as cookies and ice cream at first. Since you are used to eating cookies and ice cream, but once you change that habit it will taste good. I promise, sometimes you just have to push through and do hard things. 

7. This one might just sound harsh but either do it or don't do it. If you plan to halfway, do it, expect halfway results. So, you can choose to go all in it is going to be so hard in the front end, but eventually get easier. Or you can decide to halfway do it and it will be equally as hard, if not harder because your mind will be telling you, you should be progressing because you are in a "diet mindset" but you are not actually in a caloric deficit. Make sure your commitment and work match your expectations. 

Just remember you are not trying to get to a finish line, this is a complete lifestyle. Meaning once you adopt these healthy habits you will take them with you for life. And sometimes in life you will be more dialed in then other times, but the important part is that you will have learned how to live and eat in a healthy lifestyle and those habits will stick with you, if you continue to practice them. 

If you found this helpful check out my website for online coaching! Personal Training-Weight loss and building lean muscle (presidentialfitness1.com)