I won’t make the claim that losing weight is simple since it isn’t. Even more challenging is keeping the weight off. However, it’s not insurmountable*, and I was able to accomplish it by making 4 minor adjustments to my regular routine. I love the expression “you have to choose your hard.” Both being overweight and losing weight are challenging.

I needed two years to accomplish my goal and a year to see any substantial benefits, but I’ve been able to keep the weight off for more than a year now. The nicest aspect is that it is no longer challenging. Aside from that, I’ve never tried a crash diet or purchased a strange supplement I couldn’t pronounce (although shout out to my fellow blue spirulina enthusiasts – it’s surprisingly tasty!).

Want to know how I accomplished it? I personally experienced this. Since every person’s physiology and circumstances are unique, I cannot guarantee that following these suggestions will result in weight loss. But I was able to use them.

There were many things that contributed to my weight loss, but I’ve selected the four that had the biggest effects on me:

Consume full meals that are high in protein and fibre.
daily movement in some capacity
Plan and prepare meals each week.
Get plenty of water.

Consume full meals that are high in protein and fibre.

Have you ever heard the saying, “Abs are made in the kitchen?” For years, I made an effort to combat this phrase. I toiled away at Soul Cycle and spent all of my money, yet I was still overweight. This is due to the fact that I had no understanding how to eat to fuel my body, and nutrition accounts for 75% of weight reduction and maintenance.

If that seems like bad news, relax; it’s not. Healthy eating does not have to be difficult. To achieve my goals, I made very few dietary adjustments, and those alterations affected my appetites, which in turn made adopting a new eating style simpler.
a salad bowl on a marble-topped table. Purple radishes, cucumbers, lettuce, and half an avocado make up the salad’s filling.
A fantastic salad from Venice, California’s Plant Food + Wine.

I ate significantly more at meals than I used to, which may seem paradoxical. I ate till I felt satisfied. I soon discovered that I was no longer need to nibble in between meals. I did this by giving protein and fibre first priority. Why fibre and protein? Both of these make you feel fuller for longer, which makes it easier to stop snacking and overeating.

America as a whole lacks fibre to a 95% degree. I exceeded the recommended range of 19-38g by roughly 45g each day. This seems like a lot, but all it takes is one tablespoon of chia seeds, one cup of oats, one cup of raspberries, and three-quarters of a cup of pistachios; this could easily serve as breakfast. A diet rich in fibre is beneficial for many reasons, but it is particularly helpful for weight loss because it slows stomach digestion, which keeps you feeling fuller for longer. Protein helps you feel fuller for longer, much like fibre does. Additionally, it aids with muscular growth, which I’ll cover in tip 2.

You can design this anyway you like, but I always make sure that half of my plate at every meal is made up of fiber-rich veggies. Bonus points if I include a seed for added fibre, like chia or flax. Protein makes up one-fourth of my plate. The remaining food can be carbs, fats, or anything else I feel like eating.
a meal preparation-related Instagram post by bewellbykelly. In a Tupperware container, there is broccoli, kale, rice, sweet potato, chicken, salmon, and Brussels sprouts.
Fab4 Meal Prep by Kelly’s Be Well

This is quite simple to accomplish by simply switching out some of your favourite goods. Here is a list of good sources of fibre, and here are some good places to get lean protein. I made the following swaps:

Regular tortillas versus high-fiber wraps like Ezekial
Farro, quinoa, cauliflower rice, and bulgar wheat are more nutrient-dense grains than white rice.
russet versus sweet potatoes
Dark greens as opposed to iceberg lettuce
Mangos versus raspberries

Here are some examples of simple meals that will make your plate appear as follows:

(Highly recommended) Smoothie Recipes for Be Well By Kelly’s Fab 4 Smoothies
Chicken Za’atar
Lunch in a “bowl” (highly advised using Rrayyme’s bowl advice)
Grilled prawns and vegetable kebabs, a grain-fed beef and broccolini
Bok choy and asparagus with salmon in miso sauce
NYT Crispy Tofu with Cashews and Chicken with Blistered Snap Peas Shawarma
caramelised onions, a grilled vegetable, a sweet potato, and turkey burgers with vegan cheddar cheese

daily movement in some capacity

Recall what was said earlier about Soul Cycle? Although I had a great time at Soul Cycle, I stayed the same weight (and may have even put on a little weight). This is due to the fact that vigorous aerobic workouts like Soul Cycle burn a lot of calories while simultaneously making you feel significantly more hungry. Additionally, since they focus more on cardiovascular health than strength-building, you won’t see long-term metabolism benefits.

Instead, I started strength training and walking 10–15 thousand steps per day. There it was. I work out with heavy weights three to four times per week and do yoga, pilates or a short walk the rest of the time to relax. I take 10,000–15,000 steps daily for cardio. Although having a dog is practically like cheating, I still strongly suggest getting into audiobooks and podcasts to support your walking efforts. Every day I look forward to my walk so I can listen to my audiobooks.
Results of my body scans from May 24 to May 27, 2019. Both of these were taken at Equinox, one with Fit3d via F45 and the other with InBody. I had already shed 4 pounds from 2017 as seen on the left.
Results of my body scans from May 24 to May 27, 2019. Both of these were taken at Equinox, one with Fit3d via F45 and the other with InBody. I had already shed 4 pounds from 2017 as seen on the left.

You can see from the fit scans I uploaded above that my body fat percentage decreased from 30.5 to 22.8%, increasing the proportion of muscle to fat in my body. My basal metabolic rate increased as well as a result of this. Without delving too much into the science (if you’re curious, check out Natacha Oceane’s YouTube channel), this indicates that I naturally burn more calories while sitting than I did in the past due to the fact that I have added more muscle (1 309 vs. 1289, to be exact). This is how, as your muscle mass increases, weight loss and maintenance become easier.

I am aware that not everyone can walk this much or even perform this much strength training, especially those who don’t live in an area with consistently pleasant weather. Therefore, I advise choosing a workout that makes you feel good. Is it dancing in your kitchen as you prepare meals? Great. Can you get to the post office by foot or by bicycle? Wonderful. You can actually do anything to make moving every day a habit.
Plan and prepare meals each week.

This relates to the first tip about eating well. It’s simpler to stick to your plan when you know what you’ll be eating each day in advance. especially considering that eating out nearly always results in ingesting more calories.

Though it may appear extremely difficult, I assure you that it is not. To get you started, I wrote a whole article on how to meal plan (along with a free spreadsheet you can use!) and another on how to meal prep.
2 lunches with perfectly prepared meals in rectangle Tupperware. At the bottom, there is meat, followed by beans, onions, tomatoes, and lettuce.

I now spend less than two hours per week on food planning and preparation. You would have 40 hours during the week and an additional 32 hours on the weekends if you worked 8 hours a day and slept 8 hours a day. This means that only 2% of your week should be devoted to meal preparation. Consider how approachable that seems. You probably scroll around social media for five times as long.

The process of meal planning and preparation also grows simpler over time, as I discuss in both posts. Your future self is already grateful to you!
Get plenty of water.

I won’t spend a lot of time on the last one because it’s neither innovative nor rocket science. BURN OFF A LOT OF WATER. The idea that “if you think you’re hungry, you might be thirsty” is false doesn’t really apply to me. Simply said, I feel so much better when I drink water.
A Pamplemousse La Croix can in front of a park’s water feature. The La Croix is being held by a person with painted nails.

The psychology behind how much we mindlessly consume is a factor, and switching to calorie-free water is just another thing you can do with your tongue. In addition, doing things that keep you feeling well is something you want to do when you feel good. Your body needs water to function correctly.

When I declare I drink 120 ounces of water every day, the one proviso is frequently the first question I am asked. Do you not urinate frequently? Yes, and I’m fortunate to have a job that allows me to quickly pop off the camera and say “brb” while working from home. I consider having to use the loo once per hour as a pleasant side effect of always feeling good.

I am aware that there is a lot of health and wellness nonsense out there, and that the pain can seem to be inexorably increasing. Reaching your health goals doesn’t have to include making an outrageous 180-degree turn; every day is a fresh chance to make little, beneficial adjustments in your life. With the help of four simple behavioural modifications, I was able to do it, and I believe you can too.