Sustainable weight loss includes choosing a diet that suits your needs along with behavioural changes. Changing habits is long and complex, but it is entirely possible. It will teach you a lot about your strengths and abilities that will eventually lead you to better health and lifelong weight management success.

The first step is to set realistic goals and to believe in yourself that you can do it.

Try these practical tips and tricks to help you meet your goals:

  • Choose small steps that will move you forward to achieve the goal. Reward yourself when you meet the small goal you set for yourself.
  • Use the Dario App to monitor your behaviors such as: exercise, calorie intake, fruit and vegetable consumption, daily food, drinking water, weight etc. It will help motivate and bring you closer to your desired direction. It will also help you to recognize the environmental cues that encourage unplanned eating.

Change your approach to food and eat:

  • Plan your meals in advance, do not snack while cooking meals. Choose healthy items and reduce snacks between.
  • Allow yourself one planned treat a day.
  • Always have a big glass or bottle of water to drink throughout the day.
  • Limit alcoholic beverages.
  • Avoid high-calorie add-ons such as dressings on your salad or cream with your coffee.
  • Eat slow and enjoy the taste – it will help you feel satisfied.
  • Eat only while sitting down without the distraction of a TV, telephone, or computer.
  • Keep tempting foods out of the house.
  • Use smaller plates so that moderate portions do not appear too small.
  • Replace snacking with another activity that you don’t associate with food.
  • Avoid taste tests in the store.
  • Shop from a list and avoid buying anything that is not on your list and do not shop when hungry or tired.
  • Read food labels.
  • When you eat outdoors try to fill up on low calorie foods and eat smaller portions of high calorie foods.

The bottom line:

These tips and more are the beginning of instilling new healthy habits. Try to start with what is best for you, and most importantly adopt a healthy and positive attitude. It means focusing on a healthy eating style rather than a diet. This will lead you to long-term and permanent health behaviors.

In addition, don’t forget the importance of exercise. You can add exercise gradually, at a pace and in a style that suits you.

https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/ behavior-modification-ideas-for-weight-management

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