If you’ve been trying to lose weight for a while, you know how hard it can be. Lucky for you, with the power of habit you can spend less time struggling and more time getting better results. Here are 99 positive habits to help you lose weight.
- Listen to uplifting podcasts
- Plan your meals
- Drink more water
- Eat more veggies
- Avoid added sugar
- Keep a journal
- Try nutrition science/research as a hobby
- Cook more
- Carry healthy snacks with you
- Take the stairs
- Avoid fast food
- Monitor your mindset
- Carry a water bottle with you
- Check menus in advance when dining out
- Read books about health
RELATED: 9 Bad Morning Habits That’ll Destroy Your Weight Loss Progress
- Find an active sport/hobby
- Walk in place
- Try new recipes
- Bring lighter food to parties and gatherings
- Reward yourself (but not with food)
- Celebrate your success
- Measure your body
- Don’t obsess over the scale
- Find a support system
- Believe in yourself
- Try positive affirmations
- Use slip-ups as lessons
- Dress nicely – now
- Practice mindful eating
RELATED: 9 Morning Habits To Support Your Weight Loss Goals
- Get enough sleep
- Take breaks from sitting
- Add strength training
- Find a workout buddy
- Listen to upbeat music while exercising
- Don’t restrict yourself too much
- Set achievable goals
- Keep track of your progress
- Find healthy food swaps
- Stay hydrated during workouts
- Treat yourself occasionally
- Incorporate exercise into daily activities (ex: walking instead of driving)
- Don’t compare yourself to others
- Surround yourself with positive influences
- Focus on how you feel, not just how you look
- Have a fitness goal, not just a weight loss goal
- Don’t let a bad day become a bad week
- Seek professional help if needed
- Practice self-care
- Believe in progress, not perfection
- Don’t starve yourself for quick results
- Focus on making lifestyle changes, not just temporary ones
- Stay consistent
- Pair fun activities with workouts (podcasts on the treadmill)
- Try a new fitness class (Groupon)
- Try smaller portions
- Eat more slowly
- Take rest days
- Make compromises in difficult situations
- Love your body at every stage
- Remember your why
- Get your family or roomies involved
- Trust the process
- Celebrate non-scale victories
- Keep a positive attitude even during setbacks
- Set new challenges for yourself
- Get creative with meal planning
- Try new healthy restaurants
- Set a healthy morning routine
- Brain dump your thoughts regularly
- Monitor your social media
- Drink less alcohol
- Drink more smoothies
- Simplify your meals
- Stretch
- Take progress photos
- Focus on nourishing your body, not just restricting calories
- Eat more slowly
- Savor your food
- Learn real hunger cues
- Listen to your body’s signals
- Don’t be afraid of healthy carbs
- Incorporate small changes into your daily routine for long-term success
- Practice self-love
- Honor your journey
- Don’t crash diet
- Avoid the center aisles of the store
- Be patient with yourself
- Aim for health, not just weight loss
- Try intermittent fasting
- Document your journey online
- Share what you know with others
- Keep learning and evolving
- Focus on the journey, not just the destination
- Eat greens every day
- Record a video of where you are today – review it a year from now
- Remember that every body is unique
- Find healthy ways to cope with stress instead of emotional eating
- Practice gratitude daily
- Believe in yourself and your ability to reach your goals
The bottom line
The bottom line is that you CAN lose weight and keep it off – even if you’ve tried and failed before.
The trick is to create an intentional life with positive habits that propel you to success without too much hard work and effort on your part.
Once you make a few changes that you can stick with, it starts to feel easier and more attainable. And then you’re also enjoying your life, which means you can stick with these changes long enough to see a difference!
I know we all want to take a magic pill and lose weight overnight, but sadly it doesn’t work that way.
But I promise if you put one foot in front of the other, believe in yourself, and stay consistent – there’s nothing you can’t do.
