44 Scientifically proven weight loss tips which really work
Most days, it seems like the media can’t make their mind up about the best way to lose weight. One day they’re telling you to eat low carb, the next to eat more carbs. Some days they’re telling you to fast, the next to not skip your breakfast. Little wonder then that it’s so hard to know what to really believe.
The fact is, many of the stories published by the media are based on pseudoscience rather than real studies. We decided to cut through the myths and reveal the only 44 weight loss tips you’ll ever need to know for the journey ahead – and ours are based purely on cited scientific studies, so you can see for yourself the truth behind the claims below.
Content:
There are 3 main areas you should concentrate on when it comes to weight loss tips:
Click on the area which you struggle with most, or to learn the full facts, read through the entire article. We promise it’s all interesting stuff, and well worth the read if you’re serious about losing weight for good!
Food
Food, glorious food. Sadly, there’s no getting away from it; you can’t outrun a bad diet. What that means for you is that unless you whip your daily food choices into shape, no amount of exercise will cure your weight problem completely. But don’t despair, we have plenty of tips to help make eating for weight loss a whole lot easier:
1 Stop eating processed food
A surefire way to trigger weight loss is to cut down on your intake of processed foods.
Processed foods contain more calories, fat, sugar and salt than whole foods – and they’re also highly addictive, which is a perfect recipe for weight gain. A 2015 study concluded that highly processed foods can be as addictive as drugs in some instances. In addition, a 2010 study found that the human body burns off calories from whole foods twice as efficiently than calories from processed foods.
Try to fill up on whole foods as much as possible to help you steer clear of processed foods. Single ingredient foods such as fruit and vegetables won’t cause weight gain, and can be eaten in abundance – in fact, if you stuck purely to whole foods, you’d struggle to eat enough calories to cause weight gain.
Be sure to stock up your cupboards so you have single ingredient foods to reach for when you feel an urge to snack coming on. When it comes to mealtime, try cooking and freezing your own healthy batches of ‘ready meals’ using only whole foods and spices.
2 Don’t shop when you’re hungry
Shopping when hungry should be a huge no-no.
Studies have shown that hungry shoppers tend to purchase more calories, but not more food – so make sure you fill up before hitting the store.
Write a shopping list before you leave the house (and also while you’re not hungry). This will help you to stick to the plan and only buy what you need for the meals you have planned for the week ahead.
3 Read food labels
When you have to buy processed food, try to get into the habit of reading the labels as you shop.
Most people tend to spend 10 seconds or less studying the food labels on products they buy, but it’s important you know what it is you’re eating – especially if you’re trying to up your intake of whole foods. Some foods may be fairly low in calories but offer almost no nutritional value, like potato chips. Check our other article, to learn more about reading food labels.
Make a conscious effort to read food labels, and in addition to looking at the calorie and fat content, ensure the food contains no artificial additives or preservatives wherever possible.
4 Make healthy swaps
With a little thought, you can make healthy swaps without feeling as though you’re missing out.
A 2-week experiment in which 20 US volunteers swapped their diet with 20 volunteers living in rural Africa showed a dramatic decrease in the bowel health of those swapping to a junk food diet. In the African participants, the swaps caused significant negative changes to the cells lining the gut as well as the bacteria that live in the bowel.
In the meantime, the bowel health of the American participants improved significantly. This is important due to the fact that a good balance of gut bacteria can help with weight loss due to its influence on glucose and fat metabolism.
Try to find healthy low-fat alternatives to all junk food you buy. Everything from buying reduced-fat salad dressing to buying tuna in brine instead of oil can contribute towards this. It’s not about buying less – it’s about buying better.
5 Seriously increase your fruit and veg intake
Increasing your intake of fresh and frozen vegetables will cause weight loss.
A 2007 study concluded that increasing your fruit and vegetable intake significantly contributes towards weight reduction and reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Filling your plate with fruit and vegetables will help you feel full without consuming an astronomical number of calories. And if you feel hungry later, there’s no harm in eating more!
Take a look at the Choose My Plate website created by the government to help you to learn more about the importance of increasing your vegetable intake in order to promote weight loss.
6 Grow your own herbs
Growing your own herbs is great motivation to get experimental in the kitchen and make even the healthiest of meals super-tasty.
You don’t have to commit to a full-blown garden; if you’re new to gardening, try growing a few staple herbs in pots on your windowsill. A sprig of fresh basil or mint is a great way to spice up your salads, plus some herbs and spices have been scientifically proven to promote weight loss.
Your local store probably sells grow-your-own style herb pots to get you started.
7 Drink more water
Water isn’t only great for your complexion, it can speed up your weight loss too.
Drinking lots of cold water triggers water-induced thermogenesis, which means that your body expends energy heating the cool water you drink. Drinking 2 liters of iced water per day will increase your metabolism to a point whereby it burns an extra 95 calories per day. It may not sound like much, but over the course of a week, that’s almost 700 calories!
It’s important that the water is icy cold for this effect to happen, so run the tap and plonk some ice cubes in your glass!
Read more about the importance of water in your diet here >>
8 Keep a food journal
To really be aware of the food you’re eating, it’s important to be able to hold yourself accountable.
It’s easy to snack mindlessly without considering your calorie intake, and keeping track means you can look back at what you’ve eaten over the course of the week which has led you to arrive at the point you have by the end.
Tracking regardless of your adherence to the plan also helps change your relationship with food, forcing you to consider whether you really want to eat that chocolate bar or not. A study conducted in 2008 showed that those who kept a food diary doubled their weight loss.
Treat yourself to a handy notebook to carry around in your bag, and log everything you eat – good and bad.
9 Plan ahead
Planning your meals is one of the most effective ways to ensure you stick to the plan.
Studies show that people who plan and prepare their meals in advance are much less likely to be overweight, especially when they pre-prepare whole food meals and freeze them in bulk.
Don’t let hunger catch you out. Have a ‘food prep’ day each week and stock up on all the meals and snacks you’ll need, including working lunches. Then create a meal plan – and stick to it!
10 Slow down when eating
Eating more slowly helps your brain to register that you’ve actually eaten, and results in you eating less food overall.
Studies have shown that eating more slowly increases fullness and stops hunger returning for longer afterwards. When you’re short of time, it’s far too easy to wolf down your food.
Eating too quickly doesn’t allow your body to respond; slow down and give your body a chance to tell you when you’re full. This will prevent you from eating to excess by giving your body the opportunity to say, “Hold up, I don’t need more food.”
Practice putting your fork down and savouring each mouthful of food before beginning the next.
11 Eat breakfast
Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day, especially when you’re trying to lose weight.
One study showed that those who skipped breakfast were more likely to eat fast food throughout the rest of the day, leading to an overall weight gain. This is likely caused by extreme hunger leading to binge eating of high-fat food around lunchtime.
Try investing some time into having a high-protein breakfast to help control your appetite and prevent overeating later in the day.
12 Skipping meals won’t help
Skipping meals has been proven to promote the growth of dangerous belly fat, and increase the risk of insulin resistance.
In a study conducted on mice, those who were allowed to eat as much as they wanted to for 4 hours per day, and not allowed to eat for the remaining 20 hours developed binge eating habits. Worryingly, their cells also stopped responding to insulin – which is indicative of the mice being in a state of prediabetes.
Eating small portions on a regular basis helps to increase your metabolism and prevent insulin resistance, so keep healthy snacks such as vegetable sticks to hand throughout the day.
13 Don’t cut your calorie intake too low
Cutting your daily calorie intake too low will lead to your weight loss slowing down, or stopping.
Cutting out too many calories will trigger your body’s starvation response, which puts your body into ‘emergency fat storage’ mode. When your body believes it’s starving, your metabolism drops and you also begin to lose muscle mass, which further reduces the number of resting calories that your body burns.
Women should stick to a minimum of 1500 calories per day, and men 2000 calories per day for effective weight loss.
14 Eat more soup
Eating soup is a surprisingly filling way to boost your weight loss.
Studies have shown that eating soup is not only a great way of adding a huge amount of nutrients into your diet, but it also leads to feelings of fullness which last for many hours beyond that of eating solid food. This happens due to the fact that soup coats the entire stomach in food, and takes longer to process as it remains there for many hours.
As part of your meal prepping session, be sure to cook up a large batch of wholesome homemade veggie soup, which can be frozen into easy to use portions.
15 Plan ahead when eating out
Eating out with friends can quickly undo all of your hard work in less than an hour, but there are ways to combat the issue.
Research the menu before you go, and pick your meal while you’re not hungry. Choosing beforehand mindfully will mean you’re likely to consume a much healthier meal than you would if you’re put on the spot and distracted by friends.
Even if the meals on the menu aren’t particularly healthy, there are always healthy changes you can make to them – replace your fries with a salad, ask for salad dressings on the side, and get a doggie bag if it helps you to avoid overeating all in one sitting.
16 Fill up on water before meals
It stands to reason that filling your stomach up with something calorie-free before eating will lead to you eating less food overall.
Studies have shown that regularly drinking 500ml of water before each meal will lead to more weight loss after 12 weeks. Not only can water be used as an artificial ‘gastric balloon’, it’s also helpful to know whether you’re actually hungry, or just thirsty.
Drink 500ml of water before each meal, and if you realise you’re full, don’t be afraid to leave some food on your plate!
17 Change your lifestyle rather than going on a diet
Dieting is a short-term fix for a life-long problem. In fact, those of us who diet on a regular basis are more likely to have problems with future weight gain. Losing weight is just one aspect of becoming healthier – maintaining that weight loss is the tricky part. Only 20% of people are successful in maintaining their weight loss.
Don’t make huge sacrifices when starting a diet; try making some small healthy changes that you’re willing to stick to for life, such as healthy food swaps and bulking out your meals with more veggies.
Another one of the most important things to do is to increase your exercise over the long term. A more active lifestyle makes it easier to maintain your weight, and continuous self-monitoring can help to catch slip-ups.
18 Up the coffee & green tea, cut the sugar
What you drink during the daytime may have more of an impact on your weight loss than you realise.
Coffee contains caffeine, which helps your weight loss by increasing the number of calories that your body burns. But remember to keep track of what goes into your coffee! Use sweeteners instead of sugar, and ditch the syrups and cream. The more milk and sugar you add to your drinks, the more calories you’re sneaking into your diet.
When it comes to tea, green tea is your weight loss friend. A study using green tea extract showed that consuming green tea improves the body’s ability to break down fat. Plus, you won’t need milk or sugar in this kind of tea.
Lastly, we all know that soda is bad; one study showed that children who had one soda a day were 60% more likely to be obese. It’s hard to cut soda from your diet completely, but there are plenty of sugar-free alternatives.
Liquid calories are sneaky, so don’t let them catch you out. Be mindful of your daytime drink choices. A glass of water is never a bad idea at any time of the day!
19 Swap to coconut oil for cooking
Swapping your usual cooking oil for coconut oil could help you to lose weight faster.
Some fats are healthier than others. For example, some studies have claimed that the body finds it easier to convert the medium-chain triglycerides in coconut oil into energy than it does the longer-chain fats found in vegetable oils. This, in theory, means that replacing vegetable oils with coconut oil means that less fat will be stored in your body after eating that meal.
What it doesn’t mean, however, is that you should go introducing coconut oil into your diet in addition to the current fat you consume and expect weight loss!
20 Consider alternatives to frying
While we’re on the subject of oil, consider whether that meal you’re cooking really needs to be fried.
Vegetable oil can contain up to 120 calories per tablespoon, which can really boost the calories in your meal very quickly. Baking, grilling, braising, stewing, grilling, steaming, boiling and sauteeing are all good, healthy alternatives which may be worth considering depending on what it is you’re cooking.
Wherever possible, look to healthier alternatives than frying your food. Not only will this help to keep the calories down, it’ll also add a unique, smoky flavor.
21 Up your (plant-based) protein
Plant-based proteins are lower in fat and calories than their meat-based counterparts, plus they fill you up.
Try swapping meat for plant-based options. Swapping to a vegetarian diet has been proven to be healthier and reduce the risk of diabetes in the long term. Vegetarians have reported losing up to 30 pounds within the first 6 months of making the change, simply by replacing the meat products they once ate with plant-based proteins.
Good plant-based protein options include tofu, soya, eggs, grains, legumes, and nuts. Even if you don’t fully make the switch to vegetarian living, you’ll still benefit from upping your plant-based protein intake.
22 Increase your fiber intake
Fiber is really important to your body, and a diet filled with processed foods is unlikely to contain enough of it.
Fiber keeps your gut healthy, bulks out your meals and helps decrease the risk of cancer. It’s vital in the regulation of appetite. Eating more fiber will help your body realize when it’s full, preventing you from overeating.
Pack plenty of beans and high-fiber cereals into your diet – aim to eat between 25 – 30 grams of fiber per day to keep your intake up to the government’s recommended standard.
23 Eat more spicy food
Increasing your intake of spicy food can actually speed up your metabolism and encourage weight loss.
Chilli peppers contain capsaicinoids, which are naturally occurring chemicals that help improve weight management. Studies show that introducing capsaicinoids to your meals actually makes fatty food less appealing to you, leading to on average 74 kcal less being consumed per sitting.
Try introducing chillies and spices to your meals, or if you can’t stand the heat, give capsaicinoid-containing supplements a go instead.
24 Cut down on carbs
While carbs aren’t inherently bad for you, excessive amounts will cause weight gain.
A common dieting method is to limit the number of carbohydrates you eat. A study conducted whereby participants stuck to either low fat or low carb diets for 2 years showed that after that period of time, weight loss and maintenance were better for the low-carb group when compared to the low-fat group.
Cut your carbs down a little by increasing your veg and protein intake in their place, and when you do eat carbs, choose the whole grain varieties. Another easy way to achieve this is to use a spiralizer to turn your veggies into vegetable spaghetti and use it in place of the real deal.
25 Eat probiotics
Many of us consume probiotics to help top up the good bacteria in our digestive system, but did you know that this also helps with weight loss?
A probiotic can help to prevent both obesity and diabetes with its beneficial metabolic effects. During a 2013 study, scientists concluded that the administration of probiotics represents a viable treatment option for obesity and diabetes.
Probiotics can be found in fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, tempeh, pickles and kombucha to name a few. Top up your probiotic levels to get your gut functioning to your advantage this week!
26 Use minty tastes to mask hunger
Freshening your mouth with a minty taste is a great way to suppress your appetite for a while.
Brushing your teeth straight after your evening meal has been proven to reduce the risk of snacking during the night. If you do snack after brushing your teeth, the overwhelming taste of mint makes the food feel less rewarding, helping to prevent future snacking.
Another good way to curb the temptation to snack is to have some gum handy. Similarly to when brushing your teeth, the taste of mint will put you off those afternoon treats. If you snack out of habit, this will also help to trick your body into thinking that you’re eating. Just be sure to choose a sugar-free gum!
27 Keep healthy snacks nearby
Snacking isn’t always a bad thing, so long as the snacks you eat are healthy.
Studies have shown that if you cut out snacking completely, you’re more likely to binge out of hunger or habit. Stocking up on healthy snacks is a great way to aid your weight loss – just be sure to count the calories and ensure you stay within your daily limits.
Make yourself some snacks in advance as part of your meal prep: They can be as simple as carrot sticks and hummus, or you could look at making your own cold-pressed fruit bars. Anything you can grab and take with you is great.
28 Don’t ban certain food!
Completely banning your favorite foods from your diet is a surefire way to ensure failure.
Although studies have shown that food cravings play a huge part in weight gain, you shouldn’t ban your favorite types of food altogether. This will only make you want them more, and make you more likely to fall off the diet wagon.
For sustainable weight loss, allow for a certain amount of ‘unhealthy food’ within your plan, and reserve it for when the moment’s right for you. Whether that’ an upcoming night out, your birthday, a wedding or something else. Don’t deny yourself of what you’ve always loved indefinitely, just learn to fit it into your diet in a controlled manner.
29 Sit down and enjoy your food
If you’re eating on the go, you could be causing yourself a lot of unnecessary weight gain.
Portion control is important for weight loss, and studies have proven that this is much harder to achieve if you eat straight from the fridge, or munch away while you’re watching TV.
Try to get into the habit of eating everything at the table. This might seem like a lot of effort, but that’s the point; if you’re not prepared to take the time to sit down and enjoy that meal or snack, you shouldn’t be eating it.
Carefully portion out what it is you’re about to eat. Bag of chips? Grab a plate and dish out the number you should be eating. Try tying up the bag with a hair tie to stop you going back for more. The sheer inconvenience of doing this may be enough in itself to discourage you from excessive unhealthy snacking.
30 Take control of portion sizes
It may be easy to overlook, but oversized portions are a huge contributing factor towards the obesity epidemic.
Studies have shown that excessive amounts of high-calorie foods are to blame for many people’s weight problems. The modern way of life often dictates that we eat away from home more than ever, and this further contributes towards the problem.
It can be extremely difficult to find genuinely healthy meals out of normal portion size – in fact, most people have become so accustomed to overeating, if presented with a ‘normal’ sized meal, they would probably complain about poor value for money.
Consistently eating larger than necessary portion sizes will cause weight gain. If you go a little overboard during lunchtime, try to balance this out with a smaller evening meal – and vice versa. Try to adjust to a smaller plate size, and at work, try to prepare your own, normal-sized meals to take with you. Lastly, learn that it’s ok to leave leftovers – yes, really!
31 Cut down on sugar
Cutting down on sugar may help you to lose weight.
By now, we’re all becoming quite aware that eating excessive amounts of refined sugar causes weight gain. Not only this, it also increases your risk of type 2 diabetes. A diet containing less sugar can only be good for your health, but cutting down is easier said than done, with some studies claiming the white stuff is more addictive than cocaine.
If you’re trying to lose weight, it’s important to cut down the amount of refined sugar in your diet. However, that doesn’t mean cutting out all sugars. Try to use natural alternatives to sweeten your drinks or baked goods. Dates, raw honey, and banana puree are all great options – get experimenting and see what works for you.
Exercise
It’s not always easy to fit exercise into your day, but it’s essential that you do. It’s not just great for boosting your metabolism, it’s also essential for maintaining a healthy body. Everything from your heart and lungs to a solid bone structure relies on an active fitness regime for proper function.
A healthy diet should always take precedence when working towards weight loss goals, but there are also a few things you can do differently with regards to exercise for weight loss:
32 Exercise in the morning
Working out first thing in the morning can be the best way to make sure you fit exercise into your day.
Putting off exercise until later in the day often means we don’t get around to doing it at all. Try to squeeze a workout in before breakfast, and be ahead of your game for the rest of the day. Not only does exercising on an empty stomach aid weight loss, if you eat a high-fat diet, a morning workout helps your body to release endorphins, leaving you ready to smash the day.
Set your alarm early, lay your kit at the end of your bed and leave your running shoes by the front door. You’ll have your work out behind you before your brain even notices!
33 Exercise outdoors in cold weather
A simple way to boost the fat burning effect of your exercise is to do it in the cold.
Your body is designed to regulate its own temperature, but modern day living means we often control our temperature artificially through the use of warm buildings and clothing. Studies have shown that the body actually increases its metabolic rate and burns more calories when exposed to cold conditions. You can use this to your advantage when working out.
It may be less comfortable, but opting for a short sleeved t-shirt and shorts when taking that cold morning run will really ramp up your calorie burn as your body fights to keep itself at the correct temperature. Just be sensible with this – there’s no need to leave the gloves at home, and it can be a good idea to take a space blanket with you, just in case you begin to struggle.
34 Work out at home
Working out at home can be a great way to avoid motivation slumps or difficulties with practicalities such as childcare issues hindering your weight loss efforts.
Not only is working out at home convenient, many people find it more fun, and as a result, they find it easier to stick to the plan. With access to your own music which you can control, a consistent workout environment and only your bodyweight needed, there really is no excuse for not fitting in a minimum of 30 minutes exercise per day when you workout at home.
You don’t need any specialist equipment to get started. A quick internet search will reveal hundreds of bodyweight workouts, yoga routines and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) plans for you to try at home. Be sure to make it fun with the addition of music or your favorite TV show!
Mindset
Mindset may be the final category here, but it’s certainly not a category to be skipped. This is the area of weight loss which far too many people neglect to deal with – and it could be the sole reason you’ve not reached a weight you’re happy with to date. Read on and take heed!
35 Weigh yourself every day
Weighing yourself every day is a great way to get your brain into fat-burning-mode!
Some would say that weighing yourself on a daily basis is a bit excessive, but a study has actually found that in doing so, participants saw significant weight loss compared to those who didn’t. Weighing yourself on a daily basis means you begin to hold yourself accountable for your actions mentally. This means you’ll be much more conscious of how the food you eat on a daily basis affects your weight, for better or worse. As a result, you may find yourself making healthier choices without even realising it.
If you’re planning to weigh yourself every day, do remember that your weight is likely to fluctuate depending on the time. Slight fluctuations can be caused by fluid intake, hormonal changes, and water retention, so try to weigh yourself at the same time every day to get an accurate result. First thing in the morning before eating or drinking is usually best.
36 Set your targets high
Sometimes, it’s good to challenge yourself a little.
A study from 2005 showed that women who set big weight loss goals had lost more weight after 24 months than those who set lesser targets, even if they didn’t reach the end goal (which was sometimes unrealistic).
When it comes to weight loss, pushing yourself as hard as possible can be a very effective way to give yourself the motivation to work hard enough to see real results coming your way. But don’t make it all about goals. Be sure to celebrate your successes too, no matter how small!
37 Eat from a smaller plate
Sometimes, it’s the simplest changes which can make the biggest difference to your diet.
Even the savviest dieters forget that weight loss isn’t just about what you eat, it’s about how you eat. It’s been proven that changing your dinner plate from a standard 12-inch plate to a smaller 10-inch one can actually help you to eat less.
It appears that by using a smaller plate, most people still perceive the meal they are given as a full meal and are just as satisfied as they are when eating from a full sized plate.
At your next meal, try swapping your dinner plate for something a little smaller, and try this theory out for yourself.
38 Consider counselling
Food addiction is real, and it can have a deep-rooted cause.
It’s very easy to start blaming yourself for weight gain, but the truth is that food addiction affects as many as one in five of us. You’re the only person who can regain control, but just like any other form of addiction, doing it alone may be near-impossible.
Most people never recognise the fact that they are addicted to food, or work out the reasons why. Search for a counsellor in your area who specifically deals with food addiction, and make an appointment to get to the route of the cause once and for all.
39 Practise mindfulness
Mindfulness can be a helpful way of dealing with many addictions, food included.
Mindfulness is especially helpful if you struggle with binge eating or other similar disorders. 86% of reviewed studies showed that mindfulness helped improve eating disorders.
Emotional eating can be worsened by stress, but mindfulness counteracts this, allowing a person to block out the ‘noise’ and become more focused on the present moment. This naturally allows you to become more positive about healthy eating, your body image and your health in general.
Take the time to find support available to you. You’ll be amazed at the changes you can make in such a short time simply by becoming more mindful.
40 Lose weight with friends
Time and again, it’s been proven that finding a weight loss partner can dramatically improve your chances of success.
Again, this comes down to the ‘accountability’ factor. Weighing in with a friend can really give you the encouragement – and competition – you need to really make a go of things.
One study found that friends working together with the same weight loss goal lost on average 6lb more over a 10 month period than those who dieted alone. In addition to this, having a partner to work out with can increase your enjoyment of exercise, plus help you to motivate each other to get out there and get exercising.
Ask around in your friendship circle whether anyone is interested in becoming your ‘accountability partner’ – you may just find several willing participants – the more the merrier!
41 Cut out the stress
Stress can have a dramatic impact on your weight and overall wellness.
Weight loss is something that is both physical and psychological. Stress can negatively impact cortisol production, food cravings, and how your body processes insulin. If stress is something you suffer from, seek help and proactively look for ways to reduce and manage the stress in your life.
Whether it’s your job, your relationship, your work-life balance, or something else – work out what you can do to change the situation which is making you tear your hair out ASAP. Your waistline will thank you for it!
42 Get 6 – 8 hours sleep
There’s such a thing as too much, or too little sleep when it comes to weight loss.
How much you sleep can make a big difference to your weight. The Goldilocks “just right” amount of sleep is between 6 and 8 hours. Anything less and even your body’s fat cells get tired, reducing their ability to respond to insulin by 30%, which can result in weight gain. You’ll also feel less motivated to do those daily squats!
Work out what time you need to rise in the morning, work backwards from that, and set your bedtime to allow enough time for a full night’s sleep every evening. If you find you can’t nod off, try reading a relaxing book.
43 Reward yourself with things, not food
If you’re going to change your relationship with food, it’s really important that you stop seeing food as a reward.
Your brain has long been conditioned to see food as the only thing which can make you feel good, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Start treating yourself to ‘things’ instead of food.
This can be anything from a manicure to a new, slimline dress. It doesn’t even have to cost money – a long soak in the bath with your favorite book can feel very indulgent. No matter how you do it, it’s important to reward yourself for all the hard work you’re putting in – and the results you’re seeing.
44 Be kind to yourself
Too many people with weight issues spend a lot of time berating themselves every time they slip up – but it’s not helpful.
So, you ate a pack of cookies? You’re only human; cookies are bound to happen. Give yourself a break, accept it happened, and move on. Research suggests that self-compassion can help improve your relationship with food, helping to reduce your risk of developing or maintaining an eating disorder.
Cut yourself a bit of slack, and accept that nobody’s perfect. Know that you are trying your best, and you will reach your goal weight in your own way, however windy the path you travel may be.
Let our weight loss tips drive your weight loss journey
Losing weight can be tricky, but implementing these scientifically proven weight loss tips into your daily life should allow you to see huge changes in a relatively short space of time. Have patience, and bear in mind that this is going to take some time – but it’s time well spent.
Remember, eating healthily should be a lifestyle change, not just a diet. And it can be a lot of fun! Embrace it and enjoy your new healthier lifestyle, plus the positive changes it will bring!
Good luck!
