ByShiftSetGoApril 18, 2022
Weight loss often gets a bad rap as being too difficult. If you’re someone who has tried and failed, it’s important to remember that just because you struggled in the past to lose weight doesn’t mean it isn’t possible.
The right weight loss tools can make the difference between success or failure. Tapping into the power of proven tools and techniques is a surefire way to make your goals a reality. The problem is, there exists an overwhelming amount of hype and fad diets, so-called miracle foods, and pseudo-experts. Sorting the good from the bad is a daunting task. So, how do you know which weight loss tools are right for you?
The truth is that the most effective weight loss tools are often the most simple and least flashy. Working with a weight loss coach who can guide you through an individualized program is hands down the best place to start. Our members find the most success when they keep in close contact with their coach and utilize all the tools at their disposal.
These are some of our favorite weight loss tools we’ve found to give our members the best chance of success.
Get On The Scale This one might not top your personal list of motivational tools when you’re trying to lose weight, but the data doesn’t lie. People who weigh themselves regularly lose more weight and do a better job of sticking with healthy habits. One study followed a group of overweight individuals working to lose weight. The participants were instructed to weigh themselves daily and were provided education on lifestyle changes to promote weight loss. The results were pretty impressive. All the participants lost weight; however, the participants who weighed themselves every day lost significantly more weight than those who only weighed themselves a few days a week. Daily weighers lost an average of 10% of their body weight over 6 months. In comparison, participants who weighed themselves less only lost 3%. While the number on the scale should never be a source of guilt or shame, it can be one of your most valuable weight loss tools to keep you on track with your weight loss goals. Our coaches encourage this simple daily weight loss tool and follow up with all our members to keep them motivated by the number on the scale.
Track Your Food A good weight loss program teaches you to track what you eat. Food journaling is an incredibly simple weight loss tool, but it produces phenomenal results. Study after study confirms the benefit of food journaling. And the more often you track your food intake, the better your results will be. One study followed participants working to lose weight as part of a diabetes prevention effort. Participants were instructed to keep a food log every day. Those who were most consistent with tracking their food lost by far the most weight. The inconsistent trackers had inconsistent weight loss—no surprise there. Another study followed over 2000 people working to lose weight over a 6-month period. Those who kept a food journal lost significantly more weight than those who did not. And, just like the previous study, the more often someone tracked their food, the more weight they lost.
We’ve found consistency with food journaling to be an important key to weight loss success for our own members. Not only does tracking your food raise awareness of what you’re eating, but it is also a tool your coach can utilize to help you troubleshoot when you hit a plateau.
Measure and Weigh Your Food Portion sizes can play tricks on the eyes. Most people have become so used to oversized servings that they no longer have a sense of what a reasonable amount of food looks like. The link between large portion sizes and overeating is well-established.
Anyone trying to lose weight can benefit from a weight-loss tool that retrains their perception of healthy portions. Measuring and weighing your food essentially teaches your eyes and brain to recognize when a serving is reasonable or when it’s way too much.
Food scales, measuring utensils, and properly proportioned plates and bowls aid in controlling servings when you eat. A good weight loss coach is your best guide to learning how to measure and weigh food correctly. Plus, these portion control tools make food journaling easier and more accurate.
Relearning what a healthy portion looks like protects you from overeating, and is an essential skill for long-term weight loss and maintenance.
Challenge Sabotaging Thoughts We are often our own worst enemies when trying to make a change. Losing weight requires a long-term commitment. Even when you’re tired or stressed, you have to be firm in sticking with healthy habits.
But, you have potentially decades of ingrained habits and preferences you may have to break. It’s human nature to be drawn towards the path of least resistance, so when you begin to make healthy changes, it’s common for sabotaging thoughts to creep in and attempt to derail your efforts.
Preparing yourself to meet sabotaging thoughts is a critical weight loss tool. It’s not enough to try to ignore them or push them away. Sabotaging thoughts will come, and you need to be ready with a response.
How you respond depends on the specific thoughts and triggers you face. In our program, our coaches help each member arm themselves to respond to sabotaging thoughts when they arise. Some of our most successful strategies include:
Writing response cards for common sabotaging thoughts.
Planning alternate activities when unhelpful thoughts creep in.
Learning to pause and inquire deeper into what you’re experiencing.
Setting yourself up for success with good sleep, hydration, and exercise.
Managing stress.
Invest In The Best Tools Improving your health is the most important thing you can do for yourself and your loved ones. It’s worth every penny to invest in the best tools available to make weight loss and healthy living a success.
We’ve found these simple tools to be the most effective at promoting healthy, sustainable weight loss for our members. Though it’s not always easy to stick with healthy habits, our coaches are committed to helping our members get the most out of these powerful tools. And the results speak for themselves.
Weight loss doesn’t have to be a lonely, frustrating journey. With the help of a community of people and the aid of effective weight loss tools, your goal for a healthy life is within reach.