Losing weight in college can be so complex and frustrating. You are busy all of the time with school, clubs and jobs and once you finally get in the gym things might not turn out how you want it to. There may be a reason for that. Surprisingly, there is more to losing weight than just exercising and eating right—it is a lifestyle change. You might have to change your habits in order to get ultimate results. There is a philosophy that is used with playing sports that says that sports is 90% mental and 10% physical. This concept can also be used with losing weight. Maybe not with the same percentages but having the right mindset is the first step to losing weight and improving your lifestyle. Here are some tips on how to get mentally ready for a new beginning.
1. Start off with a positive attitude
By thinking negatively, you will only set yourself up for failure. You have to have faith in yourself and tell yourself daily that you can do anything that you put your mind to.
2. Stay away from unnecessary stress
We all know that school is already stressful. Other non- school related stress in your life can be toxic, can stop your motivation and mess with your emotions. Try to avoid stress as much as possible.
3. Set realistic goals
You can have your ultimate goal set out but give it a reasonable time frame. Give yourself mini goals in between so you don’t get discouraged.
4. Have something to motivate you
If you are making this journey alone you might what something to push you. For me, I have a picture of Serena Williams. For others it might be a piece of clothing that they wish to get back into. You want something to remind of why you started this journey.
5. Get organized!
Being organized is a big part of weight loss. Making schedules for when to do school work and workouts can help declutter your life. A messy life means that you are just going with the motions. Making and getting used to your schedule will help form a habit.
6. Stick with it and go hard for the first 14 days
It takes 14 days to form a habit. You have to stick to your workout schedules and eating choices for two weeks. Once you get through that you start moving like clockwork.
7. Don’t weigh yourself everyday
Weighing yourself everyday can really throw you off of your path. When you don’t see the numbers dropping don’t give up. You can possibly be losing inches which is just as great! Try to weigh yourself each Sunday or every other Sunday.
8. Plateauing is okay!
It can be so frustrating when you are on a roll and you just stop losing weight out of nowhere. Plateauing might just mean you need to switch it up. You might just need to change meal plans or switch up your workout routine.
9.Cheat once a week
Yes I said it. It’s okay to cheat. Cheating just helps you remember what great foods taste like. We will get tired of eating almost the same thing daily. Don’t go over board and have a cheat day but a cookie or ice cream to replace 1 serving of fruit is okay. Just make sure you don’t continue to cheat.
10. Stay active
We college students love our down time but we can’t stay in our room all day. It’s best to get out and stay occupied. Go to the library and catch up on some work but avoid becoming bored. Boredom leads to many things like snacking and over eating.
Losing weight is a process and you won’t get results right away. The best thing to do is to keep up with this journey to a new you!
HXCO!