Julian Hayes II is a fitness and lifestyle coach and writer based in Nashville. He believes anyone can achieve the body they’ve always wanted while still living a fun and adventurous life. Learn more at 206fitness.com.
“Fat loss is impossible for me.”
“My body has a hard time losing weight.”
These are just two examples of things that people say each day when they talk about losing fat.
Plenty of people wake up each morning determined to start losing weight, but only a small percentage actually reach their goals. People struggle with losing weight, not from lack of effort, but from lack of a solid foundation and key habits.
Most people understand that in order to lose fat they have to burn more calories than they consume. In other words, you need to create a caloric deficit.
Other well-known health factoids include: drinking eight glasses of water a day, eating less processed food and exercising on a consistent basis.
While the above examples are vastly important, they are pretty much common knowledge. What separates those who succeed from those who ultimately fail and give up are key foundational habits that are built from day one.
Let’s discuss five habits that guarantee fat loss:
1. Set S.M.A.R.T. goals: Starting a program without a plan is setting yourself up for failure and decreases the chances for you to reach your goals. Plan your goals using the S.M.A.R.T. technique.
S — Specific:Instead of wanting to lose weight, you should be more specific with a definite number, such as, “I want to lose 20 pounds.”
M — Measurable: Use examples such as “I want to lose 20 pounds by aiming for one pound lost per week.” Take measurements around the waist and other key areas to stay on track.
A — Attainable: Wanting to lose 20 pounds in three weeks isn’t realistic. With a goal like that, you’re already setting yourself up for failure from the very beginning. Use small, attainable goals and build confidence from these small goals. Then set higher goals later on as you progress.
R — Realistic: “The next three months I’m going to lose 20 pounds by working out five days a week and eliminating all sweets.” While losing this amount is realistic, it’s unrealistic to make such drastic changes in our daily behaviors. It’s next to impossible to completely change all your daily habits instantly. Therefore, for guaranteed success, focus on committing to a realistic number of days and slowly eliminating the sweets.
T — Time: Deadlines are awesome because they ensure that we finish what we started and create a sense of urgency.
2. Use a food journal: Food journals keep you on track and heading in the right direction. They allow you to keep a record of what you’re putting in your body.
Most people think they are eating a certain amount of food each day. If you ask people how many times they eat during a day, they’ll most likely say three times a day. However, people always forget to include snacks that quietly, and quickly, increase daily food intake.
Having a food journal will allow you to manage your food intake and adjust as needed.
3. Learn to enjoy food and develop a positive relationship with it: There’s no need to have food become bland and boring because you’re trying to lose weight. Bland and dry chicken breast with a side of steamed broccoli isn’t necessary to lose fat.
It’s important to find a sustainable way of eating that coincides with your fat-loss goals. Sure, you might be able to handle some restrictive diet that has all these rules, but it’s only going to make you miserable over time and more likely to quit.
Learn to incorporate some of your favorite foods into your fat-loss plan for long-term success.
4. Remember to get plenty of rest: Sleep is a forgotten aspect when it comes to discussing fat loss. Not getting enough sleep has negative effects on your metabolism, which leads to affecting various hormones such as insulin and cortisol, therefore slowing fat loss.
Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep a night.
5. Have a positive state of mind: Having a positive outlook on your fitness goals goes a long way compared to someone who is pessimistic. People who remain optimistic are more likely to reach their goals compared to someone negative who would be more inclined to give up when there is a minor bump in the road.
“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.”
— Wayne W. Dyer