Since the beginning of summer, I have finally started to see results after months of being at a plateau. Although I have not noticed drastic changes in my body, I’ve dropped 15 pounds on the scale and am starting to see more muscle definition in my upper body, thighs and stomach.
If you are anything like I was and struggling to see results or kick your booty to the next level, keep reading to see some of my tips for losing weight and progressing towards your goals.
Slow & Steady
My biggest tip for anyone trying to lose weight is to make your caloric deficit something you can maintain long term. Dropping your intake drastically may work for a week or two, but you will crack, binge eat and ruin any and all progress you’ve made. Not to mention once you hit your goals, it will be almost impossible to keep the weight off.
For context, it has taken me about 4-5 months to lose 15 pounds. This has been a long process but I found the approach I described easiest for me. I eat a little bit more every day than I would if I was working to see quicker results, but this method helps me stay on track.
Stay Consistent
This was the biggest struggle for me and what prevented me from seeing results. I would do really well for a week or two and then start spiraling out of control. This is why I have a lower caloric deficit — I feel it’s easier to stay on track.
Once you start seeing results, it will keep you motivated because you want to keep seeing the scale drop or more defined muscles. No matter what your goals are, know it’s not going to happen overnight. Stay consistent and you will see changes in your body.
Track Everything
Everything you are putting into your mouth needs to be accounted for.
Start by ordering a food scale and downloading MyFitnessPal. Now, weigh everything you eat and track in the app accordingly. The nice thing about MFP is that you can see your macros and your calorie intake to help you visualize what you need more of as the day goes on.
I recommend calculating your macros (with IIFYM) to learn how many calories you should be consuming and your breakdown of protein, carbs and fats. This calculator takes into account your activity level so you will not increase your intake on days you workout. You can eat less on days you are not active, but it’s not necessary. Even on rest days, your body is recovering from weightlifting and any strain you’ve put on your body the day(s) before.
This isn’t 100% accurate, but it will give you a great starting point.
I eat about 1,500 calories a day, with the goal of 122g of protein, less than 200g of carbs and less than 50g of fats. I personally focus on hitting my protein goal first and fill in the remaining calories with carbs and fats.
I basically eat small meals and snacks all day long, rather than 3 big meals. Do what works best for you!
I like to plan my meals the night before while I’m laying in bed or log it the day of during my commute. Once I log my main meals, I can see what snacks I need throughout the day to fill in the gaps.
Weigh Yourself Every Day
Stepping on the scale every morning is the only way I keep myself accountable. Knowing that your weight will fluctuate day to day depending on a variety of factors, knowing your average weight each week will help you see your overall progress trends.
The only times I don’t weigh myself daily is when I’m PMSing and after a day I know I overate. During both of these times, your body holds on to water weight and the scale will reflect that. Not every woman has the same fluctuations during PMS and your period, but I know my body reacts this way. I avoid weighing myself around these times because I don’t want to kill my positivity about losing weight. I give myself a few days and more often than not, my weight is back to where it should be.
Say No To Office Treats
My office, like many others, always has treats and lunches floating around, usually unhealthy ones. I choose to indulge when I really want/need it, not just because it’s there. Don’t feel obligated to get the lunch because it’s free. If you eliminate these unnecessary sweets and carby lunches from your diet, that alone could kick-start your weight loss. But know it’s OK to say yes every once in a while. It’s all about balance!
Avoid Buying Unhealthy Foods
My approach to grocery shopping is to only buy foods that keeps me on track. I avoid buying unhealthy, unnutritious snacks and buy the healthier options. My go-to snacks are rice cakes, popcorn kernels (which I throw in my air popper), and frozen fruit. If you don’t buy it, you won’t have it in the house and you won’t eat it!
Embrace Balance
3,500 calories equal one pound of fat. So even if you overate at dinner or you go on a PMS binge rampage, it’s unlikely (almost impossible) you will gain even a pound of fat. After these occurrences, your body holds onto water and, ultimately, increases your number on the scale. Don’t beat yourself up about it!
My biggest tip here is to find healthy treats you can make at home to eat when you are feeling a craving (recipes coming to the blog soon)! I love making no bake cookies, protein balls or frozen greek yogurt “fudge.” They’re almost as good as the real thing. If you haven’t already, try some of the protein ice cream options when you have a sweet tooth (my favorite is oatmeal cookie Halo Top).