If you are ready to lose weight successfully and keep it off, there are multiple lifestyle changes you must be willing to make. To really get serious about weight loss Oklahoma, you will need to adopt healthy eating patterns, regularly get in physical activity, work to manage your stress, and find a support system that will keep you accountable.
4 Ways to Get Serious About Weight Loss OKC
Various factors contribute to weight gain and loss. Those include lifestyle, age, genetics, and sleep quality. Diseases and medications also impact weight management. While these factors affect everyone differently, following these four steps will help in most cases.
1. Follow Healthy Eating Patterns
Adjusting eating habits in a sustainable way can be a difficult step for most people. To change your habits over time:
- Observe your current eating patterns. Pay attention to unhealthy habits, like eating too fast or mindless snacking. Try to understand what triggers them, so you can avoid them. Also, celebrate your healthy habits, like eating balanced breakfasts and choosing low-calorie drinks.
- Replace unhealthy patterns with new ones. Limit overly salty or sugary foods and avoid “empty calories.” Instead, eat healthy fats, lean meats, and plenty of vegetables. Instead of sugary drinks, have water and nutritious beverages that will effectively hydrate you Oklahoma.
- Consider adjusting how you consume things. Eat slowly and free from distractions to avoid overeating. You should only eat when hungry, not when bored. Many people have good results with intermittent fasting; if you do this, gradually work yourself up to longer fasting periods.
- Reinforce your new habits. If you catch yourself slipping into unhealthy habits, do not give up – one step back is not going to ruin your weight loss journey. Instead, ask yourself why you did it and what you can do to prevent that. Then, get back to your new healthy eating habits.
2. Increase Your Physical Activity
Regular exercise will help with weight loss OKC and management. Many people experience noticeable results over time with:
- Resistance or strength training twice a week. This can be at the gym or at home.
- Weekly aerobic activity. Aim for 150-300 minutes if moderate or 75-150 if intense.
- Boosting your step count. Working your way up to 10k steps per day is a great goal!
- Increasing your average daily step count can be a big hurdle for most people. Here are a few ways to get started:
- If you are able, opt to take the stairs instead of an elevator or escalator.
- When you go grocery shopping, park further away from the entrance.
- Invite your friends or family members to go on evening walks with you.
Of course, you can do more than the above suggestions! Make sure that your exercises are done correctly and that you follow a plan you can keep up with – consistency is key to successful weight loss Oklahoma.
3. Work to Manage Stress Levels
You have likely heard (or said) the terms “stress eating,” “emotional eating,” or “eating my feelings.” These are more than just phrases; stress really can impact your urge to eat because it causes your body to release the hormone cortisol.
Cortisol increases sugar, enhances the use of glucose, and slows nonessential functions – including metabolism. In fight-or-flight situations, this helps your body protect itself. Prolonged stress leads to consistently high cortisol. When your slowed metabolism is paired with the raised appetite for sugary and fatty foods that cortisol contributes to, this can lead to weight gain.
By reducing stress, you balance your cortisol levels and reduce its effect on your body. There are a few habits you can employ to help with stress, such as:
- Practicing self-care. Simple things like going for a walk or taking a warm bath can help calm your mind.
- Spending time with loved ones. Your social support system can help fight feelings of stress and loneliness.
- Getting more physical activity. Increased movement can help you naturally manage your cortisol levels.
- Knowing when to say no. An overly busy schedule can cause stress; remember to set boundaries for yourself.
4. Get Support from Other People
Your weight loss OKC experience does not have to be entirely on your own. Support from other people can help set you up for success. For example:
- Your spouse can help plan and prepare healthy meals that the whole family will enjoy.
- Your friends could exercise with you, so you can work out while spending quality time.
- You can find accountability partners by joining an online weight loss support group.
Weight loss professionals can also support you during your journey. These experts understand that everyone’s experience will be different due to the unique lifestyle habits and biological factors that impact an individual’s ability to lose and maintain weight. As such, professionals can effectively determine what methods will help you the most.
Depending on the professional you meet with, they may offer other services, such as telemedicine or IV therapy to help effectively hydrate you Oklahoma. As a result, they have an in-depth understanding of everything it takes to achieve a good weight while staying healthy overall. Additionally, the right professional will provide a judgment-free experience and will be ready to support you at every step.
Get Serious About Weight Loss Oklahoma with NP2GO
The experts at NP2GO are here to help you with this lifestyle change. Our support services begin with a video call, where we discuss your health, goals, and biological factors that affect your weight. From there, we will help you determine which methods will have the best results for you. We will also guide you through our four pillars to weight loss:
- Medications. Depending on your needs and preferences, we may recommend safe and effective medications to assist with weight loss and maintenance.
- Behavioral changes. We will help you determine which habits need to change and keep you accountable during our follow-up visits every three months.
- Physical activity. Our weight loss professionals will recommend various exercises so you can create a workout plan to easily add into your weekly routine.
- Nutritional therapy. We will send you helpful information on intermittent fasting and share some of our favorite recipes following the Mediterranean Diet.
NP2GO currently provides weight loss telemedicine services in 29 states, plus Washington, D.C. You can easily schedule your first virtual visit today! To learn more about our weight loss support services, please contact us. We are ready to support you throughout this journey.