Even the longest journeys must begin with a single step, and this is particularly true when it comes to weight loss. You are not just starting out on a long journey towards better health, but also on one that could literally involve a lot of walking!
How to lose weight
Your first step towards weight loss should be to think about why you have been putting on weight. Although being overweight comes from a mismatch between what you eat and what you do, the reasons for this imbalance can vary.
Look at your lifestyle and consider whether your weight gain has been due to eating too much, exercising too little, or a combination of the two. It can help to think about when you first started to gain weight.
Perhaps it began when you started having to cook for yourself, when you changed jobs, or retired and found yourself in a less active situation. Or perhaps your weight gain followed an illness or injury, which made it more difficult for you to exercise.
The reason for your weight gain could be obvious when you look back, but it can also be difficult to spot, particularly if you have been gaining weight slowly. It doesn’t take much to start putting on a little weight, but even the smallest mismatch between your diet and activity levels could add up to a lot of excess weight over time.
Find the Right Balance
Working out why you have been putting on weight can help you to identify the changes you need to make to improve your lifestyle and to avoid falling into the same trap in the future. Your ultimate goal will be to create a balance between the food you take in and the effort you expend on exercise, but to begin with, you will need to tip the balance in the opposite direction.
If you are going to convince your body to start using up its stores of excess fat, you need to make it use up more energy than what you are fuelling it with from food. You can do this by cutting back on how much you eat, getting more active, or both.
Aim for Gradual Weight Loss
Identify any problem areas in your diet, such as high fat or sugary foods that you can eliminate or swap for healthier alternatives, and look for ways to be more active. You don’t have to be sporty to start losing weight through exercise. Even taking a gentle walk can start you on our way.
Just keep focused on gradual weight loss and a good lifestyle, rather than risking your health by starving yourself, or jumping into an exhausting exercise regime. Remember that just as extra weight can sneak up on you gradually, so can weight loss. You are aiming for long-term success, not a quick fix.
Eating well and exercising can both become enjoyable habits, so you may find yourself craving nutritious meals rather than junk food, or feeling eager to walk a little further or faster.
The first step towards a healthier lifestyle is often the most difficult, but once you get started, losing your excess weight will become easier with every step you take.
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We have a wealth of articles to inspire your steps towards a healthier weight so why not follow these links for simple, yet effective ideas to help you lose weight:
6 Common Sense Weight Loss Diet Tips
Six Top Foods to Combat Obesity
If you are considering weight loss injections to help improve your overall health, you may like to read our new article:
Cost of Weight Loss Injections in the UK in 2024
Finally the NHS in the UK have devised a free 12 week diet and exercise programme which you can access by clicking on the link below:
