Losing weight takes time, patience, and planning. Summer is approaching faster than we know it, and any of you who have already done a little shopping know that summer clothes are already replacing long sleeves and sweaters. Shorts, tank tops, swimsuits - This can all be pretty intimidating to anyone who isn’t loving their shape. Rather than fretting over the season of exposed skin, take summer into your own hands and start working on your health now. It may be hard to find the motivation to start losing weight for summer when there’s still snow on the ground, but starting right now will help you reach your goals. Start picturing the kind of clothes you want to wear, maybe try on a few swimsuits, so you can start to formulate your goals.
Setting a goal is important. If you want some more advice on how to set an achievable goal, check out the post we wrote on it in January. Once your goal is set, start meal planning. Creating a meal plan for your weekdays can really help you stick to your diet when work and life gets busy and you feel like you don’t have time. Creating a calendar with meals and going grocery shopping once a week for the fresh ingredients you’ll need will give you a leg up on your weight loss goals.
Once you’ve created your meal plan, make sure you’re journaling all the food you eat and how you feel. It’s important to take note of not just how you’re feeling physically, but your mood as well. The food we eat affects our mood and creates a positive cycle of emotion. The better you eat, the better you feel, which will motivate you to stay on the right path.
Of course, sometimes all the planning in the world doesn’t help us stick to our healthier lifestyles. We’ve all been there. You can plan your week and buy all the right food, and still find yourself grabbing that pint of ice cream for dinner instead. It happens, especially this time of year when the weather is so temperamental. The best way to fight this is get yourself a support system. Whether that’s a weight loss coach like myself, a friend who can take the journey with you, or both, having someone to help you talk through the slip ups is so important.
So, if you remember your goals, stick to your plan, keep your journal updated, and find a supports system, you’ll be on the right path to having the body that feels good in those swimsuits this summer. Just remember, the longer you wait to make the change, the harder it will be.
