“The Ultimate Long Term Weight Loss Do’s And Don’ts” – Monica May

I bet you come across all kinds of “few days” diets and super fast weight loss products daily.

“Do this to lose 10 pounds a week” or “Drink this every morning and lose weight fast”…

And surprisingly, some of them work (most of them don’t) but one is for sure – we don’t necessarily want only to lose weight fast, but to do it on the long run.

Meaning: Yes I want to lose weight as fast as possible, but I don’t want to gain it all back in just a few days.

Sadly, all of these fast solutions have a boomerang effect which makes them ineffective and bad.

That’s why, I packed for you the ultimate long term weight loss do’s and don’ts so that you can lose weight fast without gaining it all back on every setback.

Let’s get started right now!

 

Long Term Weight Loss – DON’TS

  • Starving or eating as little as possible

There’re so many ways to lose weight and starving is not one of them.

You’re not alone, I’ve been there too. I was so confused about how to change my eating habits.

I went down the wrong path of eating as little as possible, with portions smaller than my 2 year old niece’s.

And what did I achieve? Thinking about nothing but food, all day long.

We shouldn’t starve to lose weight because fueling the body is important to physical health and mental well being.

When we’re hungry, our body craves nutrients and we should satisfy it with foods packed with nutrients essential for living.

So, as long as you make smart food choices you have nothing to worry about.

In my nutrition guide, The Hungry Fit Girl,  I talk all about this “common sense” rule – eat less to lose weight.

No! Eat right to lose weight.

You shouldn’t blame weight gain on your big appetite, it has nothing to do with it.

If you’re not sure how to eat right, head on to my meal plan Burn Baby Burn

  • Skipping meals

The perception that losing weight is about starving, leads to one more long term weight loss “don’t” – skipping meals.

I was a kind of girl that never eats breakfast.

And you know what skipping meals led me to? Messed up digestive system and slow metabolism.

It also led to binge eating in the late hours and eating all kinds of processed foods bad for the health.

I feel and look so much better now, when I fuel my body evenly through out the day with big portions and nutrient rich foods.

  • Using “Fat Burning” Supplements

Starting from fit teas, to fake fat burners and all kinds of candy appetite suppressants.

They don’t work.

People think that drinking certain tea or taking a supplement will burn the fat and will get them to the goals faster.

Sadly, things don’t go that way. There’s not a magic wand that will get you to your dream body.

There’s no shortcut to weight loss. There are winning strategies (we’ll talk about them in a while) but they don’t include fat burners or appetite killers for sure.

Source: @meowmeix

  • Sticking on monotonous diet

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that these diets won’t work.

I’m just saying that these types of diets don’t work for long term weight loss. And I’m not thinking you’ll get bored (because you will eventually) but I think of more important things.

One of those is the fact that there’s not a single food (or type of food) that is the ultimate food.

Every food has a different nutrient profile and our bodies need a variety of all of those things.

  • Eating foods you don’t like

Why eat foods you don’t like?

Yes, kale is healthier than lettuce. But if you hate kale, you’re not going to eat it.

That’s why you should rather eat a lettuce salad that you’ll enjoy and keep eating, rather than forcing yourself to eat kale once in a while and hating it.

You have to enjoy the foods you eat, because that’s the only way you’ll truly fall in love with healthy food.

Otherwise you’ll end up cheating on your diet and getting back to your old habits in no time.

  • Eating healthy foods isn’t enough

If your diet is poor overall, throwing in some kale or an avocado once in a while won’t make up for it.

No matter how impressive a food’s nutritional profile is, it won’t make much difference to your health if you are eating a bunch of unhealthy foods along the way.

If you want to make a long term change and lose weight for good, focus on avoiding foods that are bad for you.

Eating healthy food isn’t enough, you have to quit the junks.

  • Eating junks and “burning” them at the gym

Yeah, the math goes that way but your body is much more than a simple math.

You can’t expect to eat junks and then go to the gym and work them out of your body.

And you can’t use workout as a punishment for your bad food choices.

Healthy foods are essential when you exercise and if you’re not providing your body with the right nutrients you’ll just run in circles.

Unfortunately, we cannot out-train a bad diet and eating healthy food is the only way to succeed.

Long Term Weight Loss – DO’s

As I said, there’s no shortcut to weight loss, but there’re some winning strategies for sure.

Here’s what does work!

  • Eat real nutritious foods

Eating raw, real foods, that have lots of nutrients are the best thing you can do for your body.

I got so many questions about what’s the best diet for long term weight loss?

The best diet is healthy food. No restrictions, no magic solutions, no monotonous diets, no processed foods.

Only real foods will take you to your dream body and health on the long run.

PS: If you’re not sure what foods are good for you, head on to my nutrition guide to find out every single detail!

  • Avoid processed foods

As I mentioned before, eating healthy is important, but what’s even more important is staying away from bad foods.

Processed foods that are far away from healthy and are poor in nutrients are just bad for you and you have to avoid them. And that’s permanently.

Junk food, fast food, fried foods, candy, sweets, white breads and goods, and all kinds of guilty pleasures.

It’s hard quitting it, especially in the beginning, but it’s the only way to long term weight loss.

And switching over to nutrient-dense and less-processed foods has its perks too. My favorite part is actually eating a lot.

Eating loads of veggies, fruit, protein, carbs and healthy fats will load your plate with volume and will keep you full longer.

And on top of that you’ll feel amazing, balanced and light.

Plus, you definitely won’t feel guilty about having the occasional treat because a little treat will not ruin your progress.

  • Be patient

Hitting any goal in life takes 3 things – hard work, consistency & patience.

This doesn’t mean you have to be perfect, by any means. This means that even if you mess up sometimes, you gotta keep going.

And please, please, PLEASE, never lose your hope.

Motivation is what gets us going, but believing we can really do it is what keeps us on track.

So, be patient because weight loss takes time – months, sometimes even years.

Don’t worry about the time it takes – the time will pass anyway and eventually you’ll get there.

  • Make it a lifestyle

There’s not a diet that will make you healthy forever. Once you get back to your old habits – you gain back the weight.

And yes, getting healthy is hard. Whether you’re trying to change your habits or battle the way society surrounds us with poor food choices.

It isn’t easy at all. But it is definitely worth it.

And making healthy food your lifestyle is SO worth the time and dedication.

Feeling your best is worth the extra effort, so do your best and make healthy food a part of who you are.

Let it be your signature, strength and that one thing that makes you who you really are.

There’s no better way to love and respect yourself more than living healthy.

So ladies, love yourself enough to live a healthy life.
xo,
Monica