11 Healthy Weight Loss Habits to Start Your Weight Loss Journey

Every successful weight loss journey starts with creating sustainable weight loss habits. But with the overwhelming amount of information available, it’s hard to know where to begin. Here are twelve healthy weight loss habits you can establish and some insights on how combining exercise, nutrition, lifestyle modifications, and mindset shifts can drive sustainable, healthy weight loss habits.

Set Realistic and Measurable Goals

It is important to set realistic and measurable goals from day one. Utilize the SMART goal framework: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Firstly, let’s talk about specificity. When setting goals, vague ambitions like “lose weight” or “be more active” are not specific enough to inspire change. For example, instead of merely wanting to “lose weight,” aim for something more specific, such as “lose 10 lbs.”

Next, your goals should be measurable. To track progress, your goals need quantifiable indicators. If the goal is to lose 10 lbs, consider regular weigh-ins or body measurements. Keeping a journal to document these can give you a clear picture of your progress.

The achievable aspect of SMART goals means your objectives should be realistic. Setting goals that are too lofty or challenging may lead to disappointment and hinder your motivation. Make sure the goals you set align with your current abilities and lifestyle.

Relevance in goal setting requires your goals to be meaningful and important to you. Each person has unique motivations, values, and priorities. The more meaningful your goal is, the more likely you are to stay committed.

Finally, setting a timeline is essential. Open-ended goals can lead to procrastination or a lack of urgency. By setting a deadline or a time frame, you introduce accountability into your journey, which can be a powerful motivator.

Using the SMART goals framework, an example of a well-defined goal might be, “I want to lose 10 lbs in two months by consuming a balanced diet and incorporating five days of exercise into my week.”

Prioritize Protein

In the realm of nutrition, protein plays a definitive role, especially when weight loss is the target. A nutrient that’s essential for building muscle mass, protein is beneficial in weight management for a host of reasons.

Protein intake can boost your metabolism while simultaneously reducing your appetite. The thermic effect of food (TEF) is the energy expenditure of metabolizing food. Protein has a higher TEF compared to fats and carbohydrates; thus, eating more protein can increase the number of calories you burn throughout the day.

Consider incorporating various protein-rich foods into your meals such as the following options: 

• Lean meats such as chicken breast or turkey, and fish like salmon or tuna 
• Egg
• Legumes like lentils, chickpeas, black beans
• Quinoa
• Tofu
• Tempeh
• Green peas pack
• Nuts and seeds, such as almonds, chia seeds, and hemp seeds

Stay Hydrated

Proper hydration is critical to one’s overall health and wellness, and it is perhaps the most important weight loss habit to adopt from the very beginning. It serves a multitude of functions, from aiding digestion to helping maintain energy levels and even managing appetite.

Water plays a crucial role in digestive processes. It helps dissolve the nutrients from food, making them more accessible to your body. Additionally, it softens stool, preventing constipation and promoting regular bowel movements, key aspects of a well-functioning digestive system.

But how much water should you drink? While the common advice might be “eight cups a day,” it’s crucial to note each individual’s water needs differ. Factors like age, sex, weight, activity level, and overall health can impact your hydration needs. As a general rule, drink when you’re thirsty, and enough to quench your thirst. Remember that other types of beverages like tea or water-rich foods can contribute to your hydration needs.

Get Active, Stay Active

Incorporating physical activity into your lifestyle is crucial for sustainable weight loss. It plays an influential role in caloric expenditure, body composition, and overall health.

Exercise contributes significantly to creating a calorie deficit — a state where you expend more calories than you consume. It’s a fundamental principle behind weight loss. While dietary changes typically account for a more significant proportion of weight loss, the addition of physical activity further aids this process and can contribute to more sustainable results.

But all physical activity doesn’t need to take the form of structured, high-intensity workouts. Start with manageable, consistent activities. For beginners or those with a sedentary lifestyle, easy steps such as taking a walk around the block, using a standing desk, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator can make a notable difference.

As you progress, start incorporating regular workouts into your routine. Mix different types of exercise to reap diverse benefits and cater to your liking. For example, strength training aids in building muscle mass. Having more muscle can increase your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), meaning your body burns more calories at rest.

Mindful Eating

Mindful eating is a transformative approach that encourages an increased awareness of physical and emotional sensations associated with eating. It’s about being present and attentive during each eating experience, which can lead to reduced calorie intake, increased satisfaction, and a healthier relationship with food.

Mindful eating is about listening to your body’s internal cues for hunger and fullness. Instead of adhering to external dietary rules, you respond naturally to your body’s signals. Hunger is your body’s natural way signal telling you it needs energy. Learning to identify true physiological hunger from emotional hunger, boredom, or food cravings can help you eat just the amount of food your body needs.

Quality Sleep

Adequate, quality sleep often gets overlooked when discussing weight loss strategies, but research consistently highlights its importance. Striving for 7-9 hours of sleep per night can significantly support your weight loss efforts and overall health.

Poor sleep can disrupt your body’s regulation of hormones that influence hunger and appetite – leptin and ghrelin. Leptin is often called the “satiety hormone” as it helps signal your brain that you’re full, while ghrelin, known as the “hunger hormone,” signals it’s time to eat. 

Additionally, insufficient sleep can affect your mood and energy levels, which, in turn, can impact your motivation to maintain an active lifestyle and make healthy food choices.

Reduce Stress

Stress management is a fundamental component of a successful weight loss strategy. Chronic stress can directly and indirectly influence your weight, often leading to unhealthy eating habits and lifestyle choices. Implementing stress-reduction techniques such as meditation, yoga, and deep-breathing exercises can be beneficial in promoting overall well-being and supporting weight loss efforts.

When under stress, your body produces a hormone called cortisol. Known as the “stress hormone,” cortisol acts to prepare your body for a “fight or flight” response. The problem arises when stress is constant. Elevated levels of cortisol can lead to a series of physiological responses, one of them being an increase in appetite and a preference for “comfort foods”—typically high in sugar and fat. 

Identifying stressors, implementing stress-reducing practices, and seeking professional help when necessary can mitigate negative impacts and bolster your overall health and weight loss journey.

Eat Plenty of Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber, a type of carbohydrate that is not completely broken down by your body. The presence of fiber in your diet can help control your appetite by inducing a feeling of fullness. Fiber-rich foods require more chewing, slowing down your eating and allowing your body time to register the food that’s been eaten. Also, fiber absorbs water and expands in your stomach, further contributing to a sense of fullness while aiding in digestion.

Apart from keeping you satiated, fruits and vegetables are typically low in calories and high in volume, which means they can take up space on your plate and in your stomach without adding many calories to your meal.

Limit Sugar and Processed Foods

A critical strategy in your weight loss journey involves opting for whole foods and limiting sugar and processed foods in your diet. Making this switch can lead to significant weight loss over time, as well as enhance overall health.

Processed foods are any foods that have been altered in some way during their preparation. They are typically high in sugars, unhealthy fats, and sodium, but low in fiber and nutrients. Regular consumption of these foods can lead to excessive calorie intake, potential weight gain, and various health problems such as heart disease and diabetes.

Limiting sugar, especially added sugars, is also crucial. While our bodies need sugar in its natural form for energy, it becomes problematic when we consume it in excess, particularly in the form of added sugars. These are the sugars that manufacturers add to foods and drinks to sweeten them or extend their shelf life. Regular high consumption of added sugars can result in excess calories, weight gain, and health problems like poor nutrition, dental cavities, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Keep a Food Journal

Keeping a food journal, or food diary, can be a highly effective strategy in your weight loss journey. With a food journal, you record what you eat and drink and, ideally, your feelings or activities at the time. This type of self-monitoring can help identify triggers for overeating, reveal any unhealthy patterns, and show your progress over time.

When you have to record everything you eat and drink, you become more aware of what — and possibly why — you are eating. This process helps identify unhealthy foods, large portions, or specific patterns, like overeating during stress or snacking late at night. By recognizing these patterns, you become more equipped to make healthier choices.

For successful food journaling, here are a few tips to bear in mind:

• Be honest and accurate
• Note the details
• Review your journal
• Be consistent
• Use a method that suits you

Seek Professional Guidance

Partnering with a professional can give you the tools and support to set and achieve your weight loss goals. The Chicago Weight Loss and Wellness Clinic can be your reliable partner in this journey.

At the Chicago Weight Loss and Wellness Clinic, the focus is on providing personalized, comprehensive weight loss and wellness services. Our programs are designed to help individuals achieve their weight loss goals, improve their overall health, and enhance their quality of life. With nutritional counseling, dieting resources, and a variety of medical weight loss solutions, you can start building a healthier lifestyle today.

Successful weight loss begins with establishing healthy habits and staying consistent. Focus on making incremental changes and remember, it’s about progress, not perfection. Even minor changes can make a considerable difference over time. So why wait? Start your healthy weight loss journey today!