10 Simple Tips For Achieving Your Weight Loss Goals: How to Finally Shed That Extra Baggage in The New Year

It's a New Year once again! Did you achieve all that you set out to do the previous year? We're hoping the answer to that one was yes, but one we have found that people routinely neglect is their health.

More specifically, weight loss. Are you tired of carrying around extra weight and ready to finally get your dream body? You’re not alone!

There are so many people out there in the same boat as you, hoping they can reach their fitness goals with a little guidance. If you're dedicated and determined to lose weight this year, then look no further— by popular request, consider this your fast track to getting rid of it this year.

These tips aren't rocket science; in fact, you've probably heard many of them before.

Why? Because they do work.

Many people that shrug them off never really apply them, or just don't know how.

If you feel like this is you, then maybe now is the perfect time to take a refresher, don't you think?

Let's take a look then, shall we?

Start By Setting SMART Goals

Smart goals aren't just ones that make sense- SMART is actually an acronym to help you narrow the field. They should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Ensuring that your goal meets these criteria will help keep you accountable and on track.

It can be difficult to stay motivated and on track when it comes to fitness, especially if you're just starting out. But setting SMART goals can help make the process a little easier.

Specific goals are ones that are clearly defined and have a timeline attached to them. For example, "I want to be able to run a mile in eight minutes by the end of the month" is a specific goal.

Measurable goals can (and should) be quantified, making it easy to track your progress. "I want to lose five pounds in the next two weeks" is an example of a measurable goal.

Achievable goals should be something that you believe you can actually achieve. You don't want your goals to be so lofty that they're impossible to reach. "I want to gain ten pounds of muscle in the next six months" is an example of an achievable goal, whereas doing so in a week is near impossible (and unhealthy if it is achieved).

Relevant goals are those that matter to you and align with your overall objectives. "I want to get fit so I can feel better about myself" is a relevant goal.

And of course, a goal without being time-bound should be considered more of a dream, as there is no real accountability to get there. Saying you want to lose 10 pounds, but not specifying if it is over the course of a year or a decade tends to water down the effectiveness of good goal-setting in the first place.

Reboot Your Eating Habits

When it comes to weight loss, there are a few basic things you can do to help promote healthy habits and see results. First and foremost, make sure to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables (but you might want to limit fruits depending on how much sugar you are willing to consume).

These nutrient-rich foods will help keep you full thanks to the fiber content and provide your body with most of the vitamins and minerals it needs.

To help meet your other specific micro-nutrient needs, we recommend a whole-food-based vitamin and mineral supplement such as Fortify, designed by us from the ground up to deliver all the body needs for high performance and optimal health.

Additionally, try to avoid processed foods as much as possible. These foods are often high in sugar and unhealthy fats, which can lead to weight gain and a slew of other negative health outcomes.

Fast Intermittently; It's a Great Way to Reduce Calorie Intake

Intermittent fasting is a great way to reduce calorie intake and lose weight. While it may initially feel difficult to do, it gets easier the longer you do it. All you need is a little willpower and you can start seeing results in no time.

There are several different ways to intermittent fast, but the most popular is the 16/8 method. This means that you fast for 16 hours and eat during the other 8 hours. You can choose any 8-hour block of time to eat, but most people find that having an early dinner and fasting onward throughout the night, and for a portion of the morning works great and is easiest to comply (since you're sleeping for half of that time).

I usually start my fast at 8 pm and break it at 12pm. That way I can still have dinner with my family and not feel like I'm missing out. During my fasting period, I drink plenty of water and tea, and I stay busy so I don't get bored and have my mind wander off to food.

Commit To More Sleep This Year

Sleep is important for overall health and well-being, including weight loss. When you’re well-rested, you have more energy and are better able to make healthy choices. Sleep deprivation can lead to cravings for unhealthy foods and increase your risk for obesity.

The hormones that regulate hunger, namely leptin, and ghrelin, are disrupted in the absence of quality sleep, helping you appreciate how insomniacs develop eating disorders quite often.

When you’re tired, you’re more likely to make poor food choices, such as eating high-calorie foods or sugary snacks. You simply lack the mental and physical fortitude to fight the easy way out, since cooking, and the general desire for quality food go out the window.

Then, you may also notice that you'll be more likely to skip exercise or underestimate how many calories you’ve consumed.

What's more, lack of sleep can also lead to inflammation, which has been linked to weight gain, insulin resistance, and obesity. When you’re chronically tired, your body produces more of the stress hormone cortisol, promoting fat retention, inflammation, and adrenal oversecretion.

So do yourself a favor. Getting enough sleep is one of the simplest things you can do to help promote weight loss.

Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep each night. If you have trouble falling or staying asleep, try making some small changes to your bedtime routine, such as avoiding caffeine in the evening or winding down with a relaxing activity before bed.

If all else fails, a safe, non-habit-forming sleep aide like DREAMZZZ can help thanks to the inclusion of melatonin to correct circadian rhythm disorders.

Avoid High-Calorie Beverages, Drink Water Instead

When it comes to your health, drinking high-calorie beverages is one of the worst things you can do. Beverages like soda, sports drinks, and fruit juices are packed full of unhealthy sugar and calories. These drinks can quickly add up and make it difficult to maintain a healthy weight.

Water is a much better choice when it comes to hydrating your body.

It is calorie-free and helps the natural detoxification processes of the body. Plus, drinking water regularly can help suppress your appetite to help you maintain a healthy weight and reduce your risk of developing certain diseases.

If you’re looking for a change or dread plain water, try adding some slices of fresh fruit to your water or brewing up some herbal tea to mix things up. These options are not only healthy, but they also taste great!

If you find it difficult to meet your water quota each day, try keeping a bottle of water with you wherever you go, and commit to drinking it completely within a stipulated time. This will help you stay hydrated and make it easier to reach your daily water intake goals.

Promise Yourself To Practice Stress Reduction Techniques

It's important to manage stress in order to maintain a healthy weight. When we're stressed, our cortisol levels increase, and this can lead to weight gain if it's chronically elevated.

High cortisol levels can also cause problems with blood sugar control and metabolism, which can make it even harder to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.

There are a number of things we can do to manage stress and keep our cortisol levels under control, including yoga, meditation, deep breathing exercises, and spending time outdoors in nature. When we take the time to relax and de-stress, it makes it easier to stick to healthy eating habits and maintain a healthy weight by cultivating mindfulness.

Herbs classified as adaptogens; ginseng, turmeric, ginkgo, and ashwagandha are also excellent at improving how the body responds to stress, and in effect, mitigate the magnitude of effect cortisol can have.

Make Exercise Important

Exercise is important for keeping a healthy weight. It helps to build lean muscle, which burns more calories than fat. Additionally, exercise increases the production of endorphins and other hormones that make us feel good, which can help to lower stress levels and improve our overall mood.

When it comes to exercise, consistency is key. Aim to exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. This could be going for a brisk walk, doing a HIIT workout, or even just doing some yoga.

Be sure to also do resistance-based exercises to keep muscles strong, and maintain bone mass density.

It's important to choose activities that you enjoy and that suits your lifestyle. If possible, try to find someone to exercise with as it can make it more enjoyable and help to keep you motivated- which leads to our next point.

You Don't Need To Go It Alone

One of the best strategies to lose weight and keep it off is to have a strong support system. This could mean friends and family who are there to encourage you or a weight loss support group that meets regularly.

When you have people who are supportive of your goals, it makes the journey much easier and compliance-friendly.

If you don't have any friends or family members who are supportive of your weight loss goals, reach out to the internet. There are plenty of online support groups available, and they can be a great resource for information and motivation.

Patience Is Virtue

One of the things that is vastly different from years past compared to the time we live in is patience. The word of the day is instant gratification.

Unethical ways to make money, shortcuts to achieving the body we desire, and more- often not resulting in the long-term results we want.

When it comes to weight loss, patience is key. It's not going to happen overnight – or if it does, it would be extremely unhealthy– so you need to be prepared to put in the hard work and dedication necessary for sustained results. And believe me, it is worth it.

There are countless reasons to want to lose weight: improved health, increased energy, and looking and feeling great. But all of these benefits are secondary to the most important reason of all: your own well-being.

You owe it to yourself to commit to healthy habits and see them through, no matter how long it takes. Because when you finally do reach your goals, you'll be able to look back and be proud of everything you've accomplished.

Celebrate Your Accomplishments Along the Way; Reward Yourself for Progress Made

We all have different ways of celebrating our accomplishments. Some people like to reward themselves with a new piece of jewelry, while others might take a weekend trip to the beach.

For many people, that reward is food- not a very effective strategy.

This is because food is a reward that never lasts- it's fleeting and doesn't satisfy us in the same way as other rewards. Instead, try to focus on non-food-related rewards- things like going out for a movie, a trip to somewhere you always wanted, or even getting a massage.

These are rewards that will last longer than food, and they can help to keep you motivated and on track to reach your goals.

Final Words

Even though you may feel that a New Year means another attempt at a failed goal, you should also look at it as another attempt at success, by utilizing things you have learned that work and those that don't, so this time you're more likely to be successful.

Weight loss is simple and doable. But the most important element; commitment, doesn't require any fancy tech or diet plans.

Just a real desire for change- quite within your grasp.