The Real Secret to Losing Weight and Keeping It Off

Wouldn't you love to never have this viewpoint ever again?

I’m very happy to have Tony Schober of Coach Calorie as the writer of today’s guest post. Enjoy!

Who reading this post has tried to lose weight? At some point in your life, you’ve probably attempted to lose a few pounds. Just about everyone has seen their weight creep to a point where they felt uncomfortable. What did you do? If you’re like most people, you set a goal to lose weight. Why not try something a little different next time?

Focus on Being Healthy and the Weight Loss Will Follow

Too many times we set short term goals like “lose five pounds.” What happens once you’ve lost that weight? Do you really want to spend your life watching your weight fluctuate up and down? Instead, why not set the goal to be healthy? If you focus on being healthy, the weight loss will follow.

The best part about trying to be healthy is that it’s a lifestyle change and not a short term diet, which means the weight comes off and stays off. By combining proper nutrition with challenging exercise, like the best exercise to lose weight, you give yourself long-term, sustainable fat loss results.

Healthy Eating Tips

• Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. This is where the healthy food is. 90% of what’s in the aisles works against your goal to be healthy.

• Try eating fat-burning foods. These foods foster a favorable metabolic environment for losing fat stores. They aren’t spicy foods or any other gimmicky, one-off products; these are lifestyle foods you can eat for the long term that will help you lose weight and keep it off. What are these foods? Here’s my list of the five best fat-burning foods.

• Eat low glycemic foods. The glycemic index measures the effects that carbohydrates have on blood sugar levels. The lower a particular food’s glycemic index (GI), the less insulin your body has to release to shuttle those carbohydrates through your bloodstream. Since insulin is a storage hormone, we can’t lose fat in the presence of high insulin levels. Eating low glycemic foods keeps insulin levels low, which in turn enables us to release fatty acids.

• Eat nutrient-dense, calorie-sparse foods. These foods are usually packed with fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients. They fill you up and make you feel full, yet they have very few calories. If you’re eating fresh produce, you’re on the right track.

• Don’t waste your calories on liquids. Drink water instead and save your calories for nutrient-dense foods. Many times we confuse thirst for hunger. Try having a glass of water when you’re feeling hungry. You might realize that a lack of hydration was the real problem.

• Plan and cook your meals in advance. Too many times we end up reaching for convenience foods because we either don’t want to cook or we don’t know what to eat. Eating healthy is much easier when all you have to do is reheat and eat.

There you have it, the real secret to weight loss. It’s not a fancy diet or a $100 fitness program that you need to buy right this moment if you want to lose weight. The real secret to losing weight and keeping it off is changing your lifestyle. After all, it was your lifestyle that got you to where you are in the first place, and it’s a new lifestyle that will change your body and health for the better going forward.

Tony Schober

Tony Schober is the founder and editor of Coach Calorie. Stop by his blog to read more interesting articles that will help you reach your fitness goals.