8 Foolproof Ways To Lose Weight & Stay Healthy

In my last blog I shared 7 Tricks To Jump-Start Your Weight Loss but let’s face it, to actually reach our goals takes a bit more planning and detail than simply drinking more water and eating more greens.

To support you further in living with vibrant health and happiness, below are eight MORE tips that can really have an impact on weight loss and keep you feeling like a rock star:

1. Cleanse.

The absolute best way to kickstart any weight loss, and to reach your health goals, is to start with a deep, full body cleanse. Choose a cleanse that isn’t about starvation, but is about resetting the system and getting on track with your nutrition. The fact is, most of our systems are overrun with toxins, chemicals, and other slow poisons from our food, the environment, and our lifestyles.

This is what keeps us holding onto unnecessary added weight, lacking energy, feeling depressed and unable to sleep. A deep, thorough cleanse will not only help whittle and energize your body, it will boost your spirits and put you in a positive state of mind to see your desires become a reality. It will also provide you with a lot of important insight about yourself and your life that could ultimately catapult you forward and help you achieve your goals.

2. Take your measurements.

The only way to track progress is to be able to measure results, and this requires knowing our starting point. So many people miss this important step because they aren't happy with how they look or feel in the beginning. This is a huge mistake. Write down your goals, and then take photos and measurements.

Not only will this help improve your results by tracking and monitoring results, it will also let you know how well your plan is working and if it should be modified along the way.

3. Identify your excuses.

It's really important to know your weak points and to be conscious of what has derailed your efforts in the past. There’s nothing wrong with embracing these aspects of yourself. Actually, it's smart to do so because then you can set yourself up for success and map out a way to avoid falling off the wagon.

For example, if you are a person who succeeds most when you have a deadline or are being held accountable, then get a personal trainer or a nutritionist to keep you on track. If you don’t enjoy exercise and need the support of others to keep yourself working out, join a morning bootcamp, or find a gym that has a variety of group fitness classes. I find for most people, financially investing in weight loss goals increases their commitment to themselves.

4. Plan your strategy.

For any goal in life, success requires proper planning. The more detailed, the better, and weight loss is not exception as it requires adjusting a number of facets in your life – nutrition, exercise, sleep, hydration and more. It's important to have your plan laid out before you so you don’t fall into the regular routine and then become frustrated. For example, instead of saying, “I'm going to start exercising,” you must say, “I am going to yoga Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 6pm, and I'll walk for 45-minutes weekday mornings at 6:30am.”

Do this for nutrition, sleep and food shopping as well. Know where you can get access to the food you need, or plan out your meals so you stay on track. Work within the constructs of your lifestyle and be realistic.

5. Commit.

Goals and desires are merely ideas until there's action taken towards achieving them. Once you know your goal and map out your strategy, commit to an actual start date. This is critical so that you start doing instead of thinking. At some point, you have to pull the trigger and stop talking about it. Achievement requires commitment, and that happens when excuses stop getting in the way and results get created.

6. Make it social.

One of the greatest setbacks to my clients in reaching their weight loss and health goals is social engagements that revolve around alcohol and unhealthy foods. Try to bring health into your social activities by making exercise dates with friends, going for a hike or a run, or meeting for a yoga class.

Instead of meeting for happy hour, plan a RawLuck (like a potluck) at your place and have everyone bring a dish that's all raw. Let fun and creativity seep into your health and wellness goals, and make it a lifestyle!

7. Stay off of the scale.

The worst thing you can do is to compulsively weight yourself. This will only result in massive frustration because everyone wants to see instant results. The scale is not always the correct monitor of progress that is being made. (Think: added muscle, despite less fat could mean slight temporary weight gain.) Instead, check in daily with how you're feeling physically and emotionally in other ways.

Do you have more energy? Do you feel happier and more positive? Has your quality of life improved? Do you feel better in your clothes? These are the important things to focus on!

8. Set goals, but avoid strict timelines.

Don't fix your goals to a rigid timeline, as it will only lead to frustration. The physical world never works as fast as we desire, so let go of the reigns, stick to your plan, and know that you are creating results. Focus on how you are feeling, and believe you are doing good things. If after a few months you aren’t seeing any results, then it's time to reassess, but give it a good shot by staying focused and committed. You will be glad you did!

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com

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