The Magical Cure to Weight Loss

There are "miracle" weight loss pills out on the shelves and new ones are being developed and tested every day. They are all temporary things to help make it easier to lose weight while not changing any aspect of your eating lifestyle. However, people are shocked when they get off the pill and start piling the weight back on. They did nothing about their lifestyle, only added a temporary fix to their problem.

Years ago I tried the weight loss pills and they got me to a certain point and I gained all of the weight I had lost back. That was 40 lbs in all. This time around, I have been on my weight loss journey for 15 months and lost a total of 72 pounds thus far. As of late, I have had people ask me about my weight loss to try and adapt some of my habits into their own lifestyle. They want to take the weight off for good but need that extra kick start, motivation. So as I pondered I came up with a list of things that are important to know. They are not in any specific order.

Top 10 Ways to be Successful

1. Understand BMR- Basil Metabolic Rate is the amount of calories your body needs to function throughout the day. This includes walking, sleeping, breathing, eating ect. This is the base amount of calories that are needed but it is suggested to eat 200-300 calories about this number. There are a bunch of calculators out there on the internet that can be used. This is just an estimate and the amount of calories is different for everyone. But it is easy to find and use as your starting point in losing weight.
2. Logging- Do you realize what you put in your mouth at any given point of the day? We do a lot of mindless eating throughout the day and are not always aware of the choices we make when it comes to food. Logging everything that passes your lips holds you accountable and you are more likely to be aware of what and how much you eat each day.
3. Meal planning- The question that I hear the most often in my house is "What is for dinner?" People who do not plan often hear this repetitively from those they live with. By taking an extra hour or two a week, sit down and plan out all the meals during the week. Factor in those nights you are eating out with friends or that work party. Want pizza one night? Throw that into the menu, but plan ahead and you are less likely to eat whatever is in the house and blow your calories.
4. Food Ratios- It took me a long time to realize how important it is to make sure the ratio of fats, proteins and carbs is decent. In fact, it was not until I started losing my hair that I realized I needed to focus on these and see what was going on. I upped my protein and started watching my carbs and I feel like a totally new person.
5. Cheating- Who has not ever been tempted to cheat? I cheat with my food once a week, generally it is on weigh in days. By cheating I do not mean getting wild and crazy but I eat up to what Loseit! considers my 'maintenance' calories and that is enough to get all the junk food I do not normally eat during the week into my day and satisfy me for another week.
6. Exercise- 20% of losing weight is from exercise. Get in that 30 minute walk or run and your body will thank you for it. No matter how much exercise you do, it helps not only your mood but your heart will love you and the weight may even come off a little quicker. 
7. Experimentation- I have found a love in the kitchen that I never anticipated. Trying new recipes and adding new foods into my diet. Tonight I just made snickerdoodle blondie cookies and chick peas was the main ingredient. It smells delicious in the house! Find what works and what does not work, this includes exercise and food combinations throughout the day.
8. Motivation- The only person who can motivate you is you. I cannot wave a magic wand and give you my motivation or find some from you within your mind. Motivation comes from within yourself, if you do not have it, you are most likely to fail what you begin. My motivation started with the death of my friend and has become something more. I want to know what it feels like to be thin and healthy. What other kind of motivation could I want?
9. Rewards- One of my favorite things about losing weight is rewarding myself for the weight I have lost. Now, I am not talking rewards as in food but other things to celebrate an important accomplishment in my journey. I have given myself a reward for 10 lbs, 25 lbs, 50 lbs, and most recently for getting out of the obese classification. My latest reward was a Schwinn bicycle, and it is an awesome ride. I love going out on it and getting farther than I could when I would walk or run.
10. Support- Trying to do something by yourself is a challenge. Having people walking by your side to help you when you are feeling low makes a world of difference. My support group continues to grow daily from my friends in real life to those I have met online. I am constantly challenging myself because I know that if I trip and fall, someone is always there to pick me back up and help me along.

Making the time for yourself is another issue that many people have. The excuse that they cannot do it because of this reason or that reason. It may seem hard at first but this journey is a constant work in progress. I know I have my good days and bad days but I do not discouraged and keep on trucking along. My success is dependent on the continual growth with the basic ten list above.