3. Keep An Honest Record Of What You Eat
If you don’t know what you’re doing wrong or are unaware of what you’re eating, it’s hard to know if you’re sabotaging your own efforts to lose weight. The best way to find out is to keep an accurate record of what you eat. It doesn’t matter if it’s a tiny bit of something. If you put it in your mouth, write it down. Do this for at least four weeks and then find out.
- Which foods do you eat most often?
- Which foods do you eat the most of every day?
- What are your moods throughout the day?
- When do you crave unhealthy foods?
This information will help you create a food and exercise plan to help you fight or reinforce certain habits you have, as needed.
If, for example, you find that you’re not losing weight because you get a craving for sweets during the afternoons or feel depressed, maybe you could try getting a little exercise at that time instead. Then have a smoothie that will give you the sweet taste you crave.
4. Get The Right Amount Of Sleep
Everyone knows you should sleep between six and eight hours a day. However, most of us don’t actually do this in practice. Even if you have a really busy schedule or just prefer to sleep less, you should be aware that getting adequate rest is vital for weight loss.
When you don’t sleep, the appetite hormone leptin is generated. That’s why it’s common to see people who stay up late at night finding themselves eating more than necessary. From now on, take your sleep schedule seriously and respect it. If you can’t make eight hours, try to get at least six without interruption.