We just need a plan, to be constant about what we have to do, practice self-love and good results will come by. Even if gaining weight due to different factors in our lives is a normal thing, most times we feel overpowered by the impact such a shift of events has on us. We suddenly feel down, sad, even depressed and we feel the extra weight is here to stay with us forever as we see it as an irreversible fact.

Just as easily as we gain weight, we can very well lose it. We don’t have to despair or be mean to ourselves as if we are not worthy of a good life and self-respect because of the extra kilos. In these situations, a rational mind and methodology work better than giving in to emotions.

Here are some tips and tricks about what to do next after you realized you gained some weight. Gaining weight is ok, it is not the end of the world, so just be kind to yourself and take positive action to turn back to your ideal self.

When we do something that feels wrong, we tend to be mean to ourselves. Instead of focusing on solutions and positive actions, we go negative with ourselves and we only manage to bring ourselves now. To what avail? Extra weight can be lost by planning ahead better nutrition and moderate workouts, for example, not with calling yourself names. Also, people who practice self-compassion are more effective at changing their behaviours.

While working out is good for losing weight and for the general well-being, the tendency to over exercise when we want to get thinner will not bring desired results in the long run. Why is it so? Because over exercising means our bodies get very tired, so we might not be consistent enough with carrying on 3-4 workouts a week at high intensity. Moreover, exercising hard makes us feel more hungry, so instead of eating small portions of food every few hours, we feel we need more food.

Alongside planned workouts, non-fitness movement is just as important. Walking every day as much as you can is natural for our bodies, it is just that we tend to not do it that much anymore because everything has become so easy for us: we use cars when we want to get places, we order groceries via apps instead of shopping ourselves, and so on. We basically transformed walking outside our homes into a delivery app holding us inside on our couches and chairs. So, just move as much as you can as part of your lifestyle routine, not just as an extra measure when you want to lose weight.

When you want to lose weight, the idea is to lose it in a healthy way. Skipping meals, over exercising and obsessively weighing yourself won’t get you far because these aren’t the signs of a healthy lifestyle. A number on the scale is not the ultimate proof of our well-being. It is more important what we eat and how we exercise. Our weight can easily change depending on a lot of factors such as hormones, how much water we retain in our bodies or day to day choices that we make. So, it is not worth obsessing over something that can fluctuate so easily. A once a week weight figure, first thing in the morning, should be enough!

Most of our weight gain is due to mindless snacking. We just pick up stuff that we find around and eat it. From candies, to chips, to leftovers and sugary drinks, these are the items we forget about consuming because sometimes we don’t even realize we are doing it and that is why it is called mindless. When you’re hungry, for a meal or a snack, have it on a plate, sit at a table, and be mindful about your eating process.

Following the above steps alongside drinking more water, having enough sleep, limiting processed foods intake and enjoying small treats like chocolate and wine, once in a while, to avoid frustration and the feeling of deprivation, can get you a long way. Don’t forget: losing weight is not the end of the world, it is a process that takes planning, action, consistence and self-love!

JoinCrave is a diet and well-being mobile app where nutrition coaches are by your side every step of the way.

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