At the start of a new year or new season, good resolutions often come back to the table. Perhaps losing weight is at the top of your list. At Daadkracht, we don't believe in diets, but we do believe in healthy weight loss. And you can start with this at any time of the year with these five tips.
In this article about five tips for healthy weight loss: The desire to lose weight is often accompanied by a search for a diet that works, eating rules that you impose on yourself, and the pursuit of a certain result. This way of dealing with your lifestyle often leads to a lot of frustration; we believe that diets do not work. Losing weight becomes a 'thing', making you more focused on the result than the journey to get there. We believe that healthy weight loss is not about achieving a certain weight, but about learning a lifestyle that you can maintain, which will help you feel better in the long run.
Five tips for healthy weight loss explained
1. Feeling over number
In our view, healthy weight loss does not only start with a specific target weight. It is good to set a goal for yourself, but equally important is the feeling that comes with it. Why do you want to reach that weight? What feeling, belief, or value lies beneath it? Is it, for example, that you want to feel better in your skin, feel more confident, or become healthier? Ask yourself these questions to clarify what it is that you truly want deep down. When you move from intrinsic motivation, you will be more motivated than if you are seeking external validation of a certain result. If you ever feel discouraged, remind yourself of your personal drivers. That will take you further.
2. Eat better, not less
When you want to lose weight, it is often automatically thought that you need to eat less. However, the turning point for a sustainable lifestyle lies not in eating less but in eating better. The principle still holds that if you consume many more calories than you burn, you will ultimately gain weight. But what we often see is that there is little awareness of what a healthy diet actually entails. Many people think they are eating healthily when, in reality, they are not. For example, the standard menu in most Dutch households contains a lot of bread and pasta, carbohydrates that the body processes less effectively. Another example is that more and more people are eating vegetarian and choosing meat substitutes, while these products negatively affect hormone balance. Therefore, if you want to lose weight healthily, it is important to gain insight into what healthy food is that suits your body so that you eat better and thus feel better. Tip: we recommend the knowledge and insights that Richard de Leth shares with OERsterk about healthy living.
3. Learn to eat consciously
In the busy society we live in, time is not always made to eat calmly. It often happens that lunch is consumed behind a computer or breakfast is quickly eaten on the go. For some people, eating is also a way to cope with stress. If you are an emotional eater, you might unconsciously snack when you experience stress. Unconscious eating has a negative effect on your brain and body. You do not feel satiated, and you only develop a greater need to eat. Therefore, take the time to eat consciously; this creates a feeling of satiety and gratitude. It is also important for your digestion to chew your food well. Thus, eating and drinking consciously helps with healthy weight loss.
4. Get Moving
Nutrition and exercise go hand in hand. Losing weight healthily is difficult if you don't move enough. The food you consume needs to be burned by your body and converted into energy. Your body needs movement to function and to remain vital and fit. Additionally, sufficient movement promotes healthy digestion. Therefore, try to exercise at regular times during your week and also move enough outside of those times. For example, take a short walk after lunch or take the stairs more often instead of the elevator. This way, healthy weight loss becomes not just a matter of consuming the right food, but especially about developing a healthy lifestyle that contributes to your well-being in the long term.
5. The Power of Recovery
To lose weight healthily, your body needs time to recover. Besides nutrition and exercise, sleep is also an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. We previously shared an article about the quality of sleep and how to improve it. For example, try to go to bed at a regular time and avoid screens after a certain time in the evening. Additionally, meditation, mindfulness, or breathing exercises can help you relax and sleep deeper. Be aware of the effects of alcohol; your body really needs to recover from it, and it can significantly affect your sleep quality. So, if you want to lose weight healthily, you will need to pay attention not only to effort but also certainly to relaxation.
Healthy Weight Loss with a Personal Trainer in Haarlem
Do you want to lose weight healthily? At Daadkracht, we believe in teaching a sustainable lifestyle that allows you to lose weight in a healthy way. We don't just look at the number on the scale, but focus on your intrinsic motivation and provide you with personal guidance in the areas of nutrition, exercise, and recovery. Visit our studios in Overveen or Heemstede or request a trial lesson without obligation.
