Small Changes for Permanent Weight Loss

Small Changes for Permanent Weight Loss

Weight loss is a small deal. Wait, you thought I was going to say it’s a big deal, right? It is important, yes; and the size of the weight loss industry is testament to that fact. I want to show you how to lose weight by thinking small. Small, permanent lifestyle changes, that is. Big permanent changes trigger rebellion, no matter how dedicated you are. This is why people follow a diet for about one week and then stop. Weight gain is a permanent lifestyle choice. Weight loss, if it is to be successful, must also be a permanent lifestyle choice. By choosing small permanent steps, measurable success is almost certain to follow.

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"When you focus on just a couple of small changes at a time, you begin to ingrain some healthy habits that last for a lifetime, rather than trying an all-or-nothing approach that more often than not fails because it's too hard to follow," says Lesley Lutes, PhD, an assistant professor in the department of psychology at East Carolina University. (Alyssa Shaffer, Prevention Magazine)

So focus on one or two small permanent changes and practice them until they become part of your daily routine. Then, add two more. As you continue, keep track of your progress, whatever your goal might be. If your goal is to lose weight, then make sure you take a before picture and keep a journal where you at least record your weight, although keeping track of your measurements (waist, hips, chest, upper arms, thighs) is even more accurate, because weight loss will often show up as changes in body composition before the numbers on the scale begin to change.

So, if you want to lose weight, what are some of the small changes you can start making today that will lead to permanent weight loss? Here are a few:

First, get some sleep. Most people think of this last, but this should be the first thing you think about. Lack of sleep causes your body to go into insulin resistance, which results in weight gain. So, make it a point to get to bed at a reasonable hour. Are there late-night television programs you just have to watch? Record them and watch later. You can even catch the highlights on the internet in the morning.

Second, take your lunch. You get a lot more than a convenient meal when you eat out, you also get a lot of extra convenient calories. Making your own lunch can result in getting two thirds fewer calories than eating out. There are so many websites out there that can teach you quick and easy lunches to make and take, and many more lunch bag options, too. You’ll also save money. My mantra when I lived in the D.C. metro area was “Why pay twice?” I was already buying groceries, so why was I spending extra money eating out for lunch?

Third, cut back on your high calorie indulgences. Replace one, just one, high calorie food or beverage every week with something that is lower calorie. Make sure the lower calorie choice is one that you enjoy, or you won’t stick to it. It also makes sense to replace a sweet indulgence with a sweet alternative, or crunchy for crunchy. Switching out a doughnut for celery sticks might be a good idea, but you probably won’t stick to it; whereas switching a doughnut for apple slices makes more sense. Once you get accustomed to the switch, replace another and another, until you are enjoying one or two high calorie items a week. This will cut huge calories out of your diet over the course of a year.

There are lots of other things you can do, like using a pedometer, making your own coffee (or buying regular coffee over a high calorie coffee drink), drinking more water, cutting down on fruit juices that have no fiber and way too much sugar, but remember, choose only one or two and practice them until they are part of your normal routine, then choose one or two more. What small ways can you think that specifically fit your current lifestyle? Weight loss through small permanent changes is not only more successful, but you can also lose weight and keep it off.