Health & Fitness Blog




Weight Loss and Benefits of Being a Healthy Weight

Weight Loss Tips

To help you along your weightless journey, take a look at our top tips:

1. Set Realistic Goals

Firstly, make sure you’re setting yourself realistic targets. This will give you a goal to work towards. However, by setting your sights too ambitiously, this can leave you feeling overwhelmed, unmotivated and cause you to fall off track. For example, telling yourself you must ‘go to the gym 7 times this week!’, is unrealistic for most of us with busy schedules. So, setting smaller, realistic goals, (and rewarding yourself for reaching them), can motivate you to keep pushing towards your bigger, final goal. To help you with realistic goal setting, create a plan on how to achieve it and dedicate time to your goals. You could track your progress by taking photos, using scales to track your bodyweight, joining a weight loss support group, or keeping a journal of your mood, exercise and eating each day. There is plenty of support available which can help guide your fitness journey and encourage you to stay on track! If you’re not sure where to start, speak to our LivingWell team, who will be happy to help.

2. A Balanced Diet

Our next tip is make sure your diet is balanced. If you suddenly eliminate all your favourite sweet treats, they will be all you can think about! So, make sure you still allow yourself treats, just smaller amounts, and in moderation. An easy way to plan your diet is to base your meals around a lean protein source, such as chicken and plenty of vegetables. This will help you feel fuller for longer and ensure you are getting the necessary vitamins and minerals your body needs to feel at its best. An easy way to track your eating habits is by using free-to- download apps on your smart phone.

3. Make Easy Switches

Our next top tip is to make easy changes. For example, when you’re doing your food shop, choose low fat yoghurt and diet drinks instead of buying the full fat option. This simple swap will mean you can keep having your favourite foods, for fewer calories, which will help to keep your weight loss journey on track, without the feeling of sacrificing your favourite foods!

4. Do exercise you enjoy!

Another weight loss tip is to do exercise you enjoy, it will be hard to stick to the journey if you are forcing yourself to do exercise you hate! Plus it is important to remember that it might be different for everyone. Your favourite type of exercise might be a walk in the park or a gym session, but for others it might be a swim! If you are not confident on where to start, why not try a group class at LivingWell? The supportive trainers will coach you through the session and with such a wide range available each week, you’re bound to find something you love!

5. Progress takes time!

Our final tip is to be patient – losing weight is not going to be an overnight quick fix, but it will be worth it! So be patient and work hard…consistency is key!

 

Benefits of Being a Healthy Weight

Being a healthy weight can have a huge positive impact on both our physical and mental health!

The physical benefits of being a healthy weight include having less joint pain, improved mobility, and a reduced risk of health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. Plus as we begin to get fitter, exercise and even daily life – feels easier!

Mentally, being a healthy weight can have a positive impact too. It can cause us to feel more self-confident, more focussed, and more sociable!