4 Hacks to lose weight and keep it off for good
We all know losing weight is difficult, and what’s the most challenging is actually sticking to a sustainable plan. Trust me, I’ve been there.
My first year going into high school as a freshman, I remember all I wanted was to lose weight and fit in with the other kids in school. I never thought it was possible for me to feel good in my skin and feel confident in school. Until I finally found the secret to successful AND sustainable weight loss, which is what I will be sharing with you here.
In this blog post I will be sharing with you the 5 hacks that helped me lose weight and actually keep it off for good. I will be covering:
How I lose 20 lbs and kept it off effortlessly
How to meal plan for the week ahead to set you up for success
The psychology behind weight loss and success
Healthy snack ideas to keep you on track with your goals
How to enjoy eating out while keeping up with your goals
So, if you’re tired of constantly falling off the wagon, feeling hungry and restricted all the time, never reaching your weight loss goal, and feeling unmotivated, you are in the right place. All of that is going to change for good!
How I lose 20lbs and kept it off effortlessly
Growing up, I was always at a healthy weight as a child. I played sports my whole life and I had a fast metabolism so I never worried too much about what I was eating. That was until I hit puberty for the first time. All of a sudden, I was gaining a ton of weight, I was lacking energy, and I was developing a ton of acne. I began to hate the way I looked.
I was so desperate to lose weight and to feel good in my skin again. I tried to cut things out of my diet, to exercise more, and to even restrict myself from eating during certain times of the day. Restricting myself so heavily just led to binge eating and gaining even more weight. This was all leading me to become even more unhappy, irritable, and honestly, just miserable.
When I joined high school, I finally decided I needed to stick to a plan, research nutrition and learn what MY body needs to be at a healthy weight. I followed a plan, continued researching diets and meal ideas and finally learned the secrets to losing weight and sticking to it for good.
From there, I had finally developed a meal and exercise plan that fit MY needs and felt full, satisfied, and genuinely happy with myself for the first time in a very long time. After sticking to the plan and “trusting the process”, after a few months I finally felt and saw the changes in my body and my mind. I ended up losing 20 LBS and was able to actually keep it off this time!
So here’s exactly what I learned and what I did to lose 20lbs and keep it off. This is how to actually stick to a weight loss plan, how to lose the weight, and how to keep it off (for real this time!).
Hack #1 Meal Plan to Set Your Week up for Success!
A big reason why I was never able to lose the weight and stick to plan in the beginning of my weight loss journey was because I was not planning my meals ahead of time. This led me to constantly snacking throughout the day, grabbing fast food on the go when I didn’t have time to cook, and late-night snacking because I wasn’t fueling myself enough during the day.
Here is what I changed that made me 10x more successful losing weight:
Prepped all my meals for the school week on Sundays so all my meals are ready to go!
Made a grocery list before going to the store that included every ingredient I needed for my healthy meals.
Prioritized protein, fruits, and vegetables in my meals to give me energy and keep me full during the day.
Made my meals at home using my own ingredients instead of eating out during the week or stopping for fast food on my way home.
Hack #2 Learning the Psychology Behind Weight Loss and Success
Another reason I was not successful with my weight loss in the beginning of my journey was because I was lacking my “why”. Why am I starting this journey? Why do I want to commit to this goal? What is driving me towards success?
Once I figured out what was motivating me to work towards my goal, I kept coming back to my “why” when I started to lack motivation which helped me push through those bouts of feeling unmotivated. My “why” also pushed me to research why I was doing what I was doing instead of moving through my journey without intention.
Goal setting is also a huge motivator in losing weight. Once you have your eye on the prize, you are less likely to let the little things in life get in the way like work, scheduling and excess stress.
Another huge influence in losing weight and being successful at it is social support. Having a community or small social circle that you can lean back on during challenges is key in reaching success. It is much easier to go through life with a support system rather than making huge behavior changes alone. You are more likely to give up on your goals if you are the only one who knows about them.
So, if you are ready to start your weight loss journey and actually be successful sticking with it, join me in this journey to freedom and feeling good in your skin!
Hack #3 Keep Healthy Snacks on Hand!
A huge contributor to my 20lb weight loss was always having healthy snacks in my house and in my purse ready to go! Having healthy snacks readily made and easy to reach for is key to losing weight and keeping it off. It is easy to fall off track when you are starving and have nothing to eat other than junk, trust me.
Some of my favorite healthy snacks I keep on hand are:
Mixed nuts. Nuts are an ideal nutritious snack, providing the perfect balance of healthy fats, protein, and fiber. They’re linked to numerous health benefits and are very filling. But, eat nuts in moderation as they can be high in calories.
Greek yogurt and mixed berries. Greek yogurt is high in protein, and berries are one of the best sources of antioxidants around while also being low in calories and sugar. I like to add a little honey or maple syrup to my greek yogurt for extra sweetness.
Apple slices with peanut butter. Apples are high in fiber and nutrients. Peanuts provide healthy fats, plant-based protein, and fiber. I also like to use PB2 Powdered Peanut butter as an alternative to peanut butter because it is lower in fat and calories, and in complete honesty, I actually like the flavor better!
Hard Boiled Eggs. Eggs are a great source of protein and a low-calorie snack you can have any time. I like to season mine with salt, pepper, everything bagel seasoning, and if im feeling spicy, I add a little hot sauce on top.
Popcorn. Popcorn is a perfect whole grain snack and contains more fiber than many other popular snacking foods. It is high in volume, so it takes up a lot of space in your stomach while being low in calories (minus all the butter and salt we love to add).
These are just a few of my all-time favorite healthy snacks I keep on hand in my house and on the go. Keeping your pantry filled with healthy options is key to losing weight and keeping it off for good!
Hack #4 Being Mindful when Eating out
When going out to eat with friends or treating yourself to a nice dinner, it is important to stay on track with your eating habits to reach your goals. It is totally possible to enjoy yourself at a restaurant or at an event with friends and still reach your goals. I have got a couple hacks for being mindful when eating out or ordering at a restaurant:
When ordering at a restaurant when out to eat with a loved one or friends, try splitting an entree instead or taking half of it to go. Restuarant portion sizes tend to be double or triple the size of a regular portion, so being mindful of portion sizes is key when ordering out.
Order a side of vegetables or a salad instead of french fries or mashed potatoes. Incorporating more vegetables into your meals is a great way to bring more volume into your meal without the added calories, fat, sugar and salt. I love adding vegetables to my meals to keep me fuller longer and to get all my nutrients in for the day!
When eating out, try not to fill up on alcohol and sugary drinks. Try to opt for a glass of white or red wine with your meal. I try to make sure I have a full meal when I indulge in a couple alcohol beverages that why I am not filling up on alcohol and empty calories.
DON”T SKIP MEALS! I’ll say it again, don’t skimp out on meals throughout the day before going out. You may think you’re saving calories by not eating beforehand, but it actually makes you fill up on bread, appetizers, entrees, and drinks because you are SO hungry arriving to the restaurant or event. Try opting for a healthy snack an hour or two before you leave and always make sure you are starting the day with a full, healthy breakfast!
Implementing these hacks into your routine are key to helping you lose weight and keeping it off. Once I learned these weight loss hacks and implemented them into my daily life, I finally lost the 20 pounds that I had been struggling with for years, and have kept it off ever since. I finally stopped binge eating, stopped feeling hungry all the time, stopped constantly craving unhealthy foods, and never once felt restricted or deprived of food. I’ve even been able to enjoy the foods I’ve always loved without feeling the need to obsessively count calories. With these easy weight loss hacks, losing weight was actually easy. I feel better than ever and you can too!
