How to Lose Weight and Keep it Off Long Term!

 First thing first...You have to change your mindset. 

Everything in the present is about easy and quick.  You have to realize that losing weight does not happen as quickly as some ads make it appear.  The slower it comes off the longer it will last and vice versa.  Restricting your diet for a short period of time might make that number on the scale go down quickly but if the changes are not natural (for example; excessive restriction/under eating) and not maintainable then it will come back just as quick and it will only be more difficult to lose it the next time (it can cause damage to your body).  The secret is to make lifestyle changes that are realistic for YOU.  This takes time because you have a habit of thinking a certain way and we all know that habits are difficult to break!

You should expect to want to quit more than once, 

even daily, as you are experimenting with what works and does not work for you.  But instead of giving up all together, feed your mind.  Thinking positively about what you are working towards will help you more than you believe.  The more you think about how what you are doing is a waste of time and that you can't do it any longer the more likely you are to give up for good.  If you encourage yourself to stick with it and focus on all the good you are experiencing now then you are more likely to keep it up to see further benefits.

So what exactly do you need to do?

Get Moving!

Do resistance training. 

(free weights, machines, resistance bands, etc.)

Do cardio. 

(treadmill, elliptical, stair climber, plyos, etc.)

Stretch.

(Yoga, dynamic stretching, static stretching, etc.)

You need more resistance training than cardio.  The more muscle you have the more calories your body will burn all day, the more fat you will burn and the more lean you will look.  Cardio does burn calories but not much longer after you stop the workout.  If you do only cardio you will not get the full benefits of exercising.

Eat Up!

Drink water.

Cut back on bottled and canned drinks that are most likely filled with artificial sugars and chemicals.

Eat Fruit.

Yes, fruit has sugar.  You should focus more on the added sugars in products you buy or that you add to your food.  Eating a variety of fruits throughout the week will help you get all of the nutrient/vitamin benefits they have to offer.  They are also a great source of fiber.

Eat Your Veggies.

Also a great source of fiber and beneficial nutrients and vitamins.

Don't Restrict.  

Your body needs protein.  Your body needs carbohydrates.  Your body needs fats.

Be Consistent with your Workouts!

Be Consistent with your Nutrition!

Unfortunately, when you reach a point where you are comfortable with your body and new lifestyle changes you can't stop putting in the effort.  Once you go back to your old habits you will go back to what you worked so hard to change.  There is no harm in indulging (in moderation).  There is no harm in skipping a workout.  The problem is indulging over and over again.  The problem is skipping workout after workout; I have found that going 3 days in a row without exercising is a recipe for completely falling off the wagon.  I found that if I don't at least stretch every morning I will be grumpy by the afternoon.