Beginning any weight loss plan to lose weight and get fit can seem overwhelming at first. Often the hardest part is just getting the ball rolling. Many dieters feel that once they have started their diet, they gain a certain amount of momentum throughout their routine.
One of the most important things when on a diet and exercise routine is to accurately keep track of your weight loss progress. Using certain tools and habits will help give you get idea of how well you are doing on your diet. Doing so will help identify any areas that may need extra focus and attention in order to help overcome diet and exercise plateaus.
Keeping track of your habits will also help you identify what practices are working well for you. It’s important to remember that losing weight and getting fit is not an overnight event. It takes time to lose body fat and gain lean muscle tissue. Doing this gradually will ensure healthier fat loss, and the ability to maintain a healthier lifestyle once the weight loss goals have been achieved. Here are 4 healthy weight loss tips to help you keep track of your weight loss:
1. Track Your Food Intake With a Food Journal
One of the most important healthy weight loss tips is keeping a food journal to help you identify exactly how much food you are eating throughout the day. Often, many dieters will not realize just how many calories are on their plate at a meal. In addition, a simple little snacked popped in the mouth at various times of the day can really add up the calories. By writing down exactly what you eat all day, you will know exactly how many calories you are consuming, and whether or not you need to limit your intake.
In addition, you will see the types of foods you are eating. Ideally, refined sugars, hydrogenated fats and foods high in sodium should be reduced or even eliminated. Lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds and low fat dairy products should be the staple of a diet for anyone trying to lose weight. A food journal will help identify if one’s diet is on track with the necessary food groups.
2. Track Your Fitness With an Exercise Log
Another one of the healthy weight loss tips that you can do is keep an exercise journal to keep track of the duration and intensity of your exercise routine. You’ll be able to keep tabs on your heart rate, measure how long you were able to exercise for, what intensity level you were at, and how you were feeling during your workout.
Ideally, exercise should be done at least 3 times per week, for at least 30 minutes at a time. As time progresses, your intensity level and duration should increase as well. An exercise log will allow you to gauge your progress in relation to your goals.
3. Weigh Yourself on a Regular Basis
It is important to weigh yourself on a regular basis, particularly once a week. Ideally, you should weigh yourself at the same time of the day, and on the same day of the week so the progress is more accurate. In addition, try to weigh yourself first thing in the morning as soon as you wake up so any food or beverages consumed throughout the day do not affect the results. Weighing yourself will obviously tell you if any of the dieting and exercise you are doing is helping you lose weight.
4. Take Measurements on a Regular Basis
It is important to take measurements in addition to weighing yourself. Often, as aerobic and weight training exercises are incorporated into a diet plan, a certain amount of lean muscle tissue is built up, which can affect the results you see on the scale. By measuring different parts of the body once a week – such as your waist, hips, chest and thighs – you will be able to keep track of whether or not the numbers are decreasing, which they should be.
Following these healthy weight loss tips and using a number of diet and exercise tools will help identify if the work you are putting forth is working, or if anything needs improvement.
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