Written by: Luke Mitchell, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Losing weight in the winter can be challenging! We start to unwind after a busy year; we know Christmas is coming, and we can often fall into the trap of "I'll start in the new year."
The days are getting shorter, colder and wetter, which can hit our motivation hard!
That being said, carrying too much weight can have a massive impact on all areas of our lives!
Low confidence
Low self-esteem
Low energy
Low productivity
Health issues
If you are experiencing any of the above, they will get progressively worse unless you take action!
Here are my TOP winter weight loss tips to overcome self-doubt and low motivation!
1. Get clear on your "WHY" - What is the main reason you want to lose weight? Simply wanting to lose weight is not good enough. When the going gets tough, you'll revert to what is comfortable, which has led you to where you are today!
Ask yourself WHY you NEED to change! How will changing improve your confidence, health, and relationships?
And if you do not make a change, what will the consequences be? When you are clear on your WHY it will help you to stay on track with your goals when the going gets tough!
2. Think PROGRESS over PERFECTION! - One of the biggest mistakes people make when losing weight is trying to have everything perfect!
The perfect diet and training plan, and when things don't go to plan, they feel like a failure and give up!
Instead, focusing on slight improvements every day will be much less overwhelming, allowing us to adapt to the small changes and create new sustainable habits for long-term success!
3. Do NOT restrict foods! When we start restricting foods, it creates a bad relationship with foods.
You can resent the journey and end up in a situation where you may end up binging the food you've restricted!
Especially with Christmas, if you are restrictive, you will either end up not enjoying Christmas or ultimately going off the rails.
Instead aim for a balanced approach that includes a wide variety of foods, including treats from time to time!
4. Energy Balance is KEY - We must create a calorie deficit to lose weight. Applying the above will make it easier to sustain a calorie deficit to lose weight.
Food tracking apps can help you manage the food you consume, whilst a smartwatch can help you keep track of your daily movement.
Aiming to hit daily targets in a no-restrictive way is one of the best practices for successful weight loss!
5. Manage your stress - This is KEY! We often turn to food and alcohol to relax and unwind when stressed.
Whilst it may offer short-term relief; the knock-on effects will be consuming excess calories, experiencing an overwhelming sense of guilt and continuing self-sabotage!
Practising de-stressing activities such as walking, exercising, reading, and listening to music can help massively!
Let's finish 2022 strong and commit to changing lifestyle habits to become the best version of yourself
Luke Mitchell, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Luke Mitchell is a leader in fitness, health, and nutrition for professional parents! Having struggled with adapting to parenthood and running multiple businesses, he had let his health and fitness slide! This impacted his confidence, productivity and his happiness! Using his knowledge of health, fitness and nutrition, he decided enough was enough, and something had to change and become the best version of himself physically, mentally and emotionally! He has since dedicated his life to helping others unleash their true potential and become leaders in their homes and businesses. He is CEO of the Built To Inspire Program, the premier online health and fitness academy for parents! His mission is to inspire as many parents as possible to make long-standing lifestyle changes.
