People Are Sharing What Made Weight Loss Finally Work For Them, And It's Super Interesting
If you've ever struggled to get into a fitness routine, you're not alone in that journey. Of course, all body sizes and shapes are beautiful and worth our love. But sometimes, we want to try and knock off a few pounds, and there's nothing wrong with that either! Reddit user paigesnowwret asked, "What was that one thing that made weight loss finally work for you?" Here are some simple changes people added to their lifestyle:
1."You have to acknowledge and sit with the feelings. Whether it's fear of movement, using food to medicate shame, addiction to sugar, etc. You can workout and diet in endless cycles, but you can't make a sustainable life change without addressing the triggers."
2."Using an app to track everything I ate. I realized 'healthy' things I was eating, in the quantities I was eating them, were a lot more calories than I thought. Just cutting down on certain foods did the trick."
3."Finding a hobby. I was eating because I was bored. Coming home from work to sit on the couch would make it easier to eat like s--t. Now, I go do something I like so I won't find distraction in eating."
4."A coach. Someone holding me accountable. Me spending money and making sure it's not wasted."
5."Realizing that it's OK to feel hungry. Fasting helped with that."
6."Cutting out sugary drinks."
7."Moving out of my parents and not having money. It still took a lot of discipline, but when you can't afford a quarter pounder every day with a large bag of Doritos, it helps."
8."Portion control is probably the biggest thing for most people wanting to lose weight. It's the first thing I worked on. Down 75 pounds."
9."Quit drinking throughout the week. Limit sweets and desserts. Save it all for special occasions."
10."I park my stationary bike in front of the TV, pick up a controller, and play one of the multitude of attention-consuming games I have. Next thing you know, the session has flown by."
11."Realizing it's a lifestyle change NOT a diet."
12."I started taking my bike instead of the bus. That wasn't what made me lose weight though. I was arriving at work sweating as if it was raining outside. That motivated me to work on my cardio and I started losing weight."
13."Pouring snacks into little ramekins to eat them. Suddenly, I ate a normal amount of snacks, not an insane amount."
14."I found a salad I like. It sounds dumb, but I never craved a salad before. Having one I liked meant I had a solid few weeks of eating a lot of lettuce. It snowballed from there because I actually felt good and then started craving feeling good."
15."Using a side plate as a dinner plate worked well for me. Portion control on a plate the size of your abdomen doesn't work."
16."Walking. I lost 45 pounds in seven months by walking every night around my neighborhood. It was free and low impact. I walked rain or shine, even through snow storms. Now I have a treadmill and walk indoors, but the feeling is still as great as it was in the beginning."
17."Your brain registers the weight of the food when telling you that you're full. So, a heavy stoneware bowl of chips will satiate you faster than a thin plastic bowl (if you're holding them), as will a heavy fork or spoon compared to a lighter one."
18."Buying the right groceries. I incorporate some form of protein and veggies into at least one meal a day, cutting down on the daily rice/main carbs to twice a week. Making sure I have enough lazy but healthy food for days I don't feel like cooking."
19."For me this worked wonders: cut bread from your daily diet, along with any food that is too easy to make."
20."Embrace the suffering. Expect that you'll be breathing hard and uncomfortable when you're doing cardio. Expect that you'll be sore after you lift. And expect that you'll be hungry when you're restricting your intake. Once you stop focusing on not wanting to be uncomfortable, you open yourself up to all the positive feelings associated with fitness that lead to adherence and ultimately real and lasting results."
"I've been going for three months and I want to quit most days. But the pain is there to remind me, I'm working hard."
What weight loss tip worked for you? Tell us in the comments!
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
