Are you struggling to lose weight after losing some in the past? Are you wondering when you will finally find a solution that works for you? Have you tried every program out there and can’t figure out what you’re doing wrong? [Spoil alert: it’s not you.] Here are five things you can do today to break through your weight-loss plateau:
Start with Quantity. While KETO, Paleo, gluten-free, low-carb, high-fat, Whole30, Vegan, and even Mediterranean diets may work for some of your friends, it’s possible they may not work for you. You could feel lethargic during the day, have less energy in your workouts, or find they are difficult to stick with in the long run. To break through your plateau, start by tuning into the QUANTITY of food you eat in a day before moving on to WHAT you eat. Notice how you feel before, during, and after meals? Are you hungry, starving and snacking on your kid’s food, stuffed, not really that hungry but eating just because? Use that as a starting place!
Get Efficient. Let me guess, you heard that a certain workout is the best for burning calories? I know when I first started in the workout world I felt overwhelmed by what I ‘should’ be doing. As busy moms and moms-to-be, it can be difficult to fit in a longer workout, so if you’re short on time and tired of stressing over the best workout, know exactly what you’re going to do before you arrive at the gym or workout space. If you spend 10-20 minutes endlessly scrolling the internet for a workout, you’ll waste precious time.
Lead a more active life. This may mean you get up and dance or run around the park with your kids, take a walking meeting or walk during lunch with a co-worker, get off the couch and out of the house, garden, hike with your family, ride bikes for fun, create a scavenger hunt for the whole family (in your yard or around town), go on a picnic and bring a frisbee or football, fly kites, or anything you can dream up!
Manage Stress. Life can be stressful – sometimes more than others. While we can’t always control what comes our way, we can control how we respond to it. When we’re chronically stressed this can actually add to weight gain (whoah, right?) Remember last week when we talked about deep breaths? Next time you feel stressed, take a moment to breathe deeply. You don’t have to be a meditation expert to reap the benefits. As a bonus, if you exercise and eat nutritious foods this can also help manage your stress.
Sleep. This isn’t the first time we’ve talked about sleep and it won’t be the last. If you have trouble winding down at night, I know how you feel. What helps me is a consistent bedtime routine. One of the easiest things to do is to dim the lights. Try it for 30 minutes before bedtime tonight and see how it impacts your evening!
Still feeling overwhelmed? Check out The Lean Mom’s program and receive a Nutrition Guide customized to YOU. Here you will discover exactly HOW much to eat WITHOUT writing down every single thing you eat (although you can if you want).
