One Powerful Simple Action Will Double Your Weight Loss
What if I told you there was one simple action that would double your weight loss, was easy to do, has no side-effects and costs nothing..would you do it? Of course you would. The action I am referring to is accountability. This specific form of accountability – ‘food tracking’ research shows, results in double the weight loss and much quicker.
Food tracking helps in providing objective information on food intake, portion sizes and patterns. It gives you a quick glance into what actions you are taking or are not taking and clearly lets you know what changes need to happen.
A very common surprise when tracking food/drink intake is that we really misjudge our food intake. Misjudging serving sizes and how much one eats, is one of the most common mistakes people make when evaluating their eating habits. Research shows that people UNDERestimate how much grains, fats, oils and sweets they eat, and OVERestimate their intake of veggies and other healthful foods.
There are different types of accountability and adding at least one or all of them, will take you to success. However, finding one that is a good match is important. Start out with one you believe you will maintain on a consistent basis. Below are a sampling of the different forms of accountability available to choose from.
Different Types Of Accountability
Keep a Food Journal. A food journal is the #1 accountability tool to weight loss success. Research shows that simply “tracking” every bite and sip doubles weight loss. It is crucial to write down everything (every nibble too) that crosses your lips as we tend to underestimate the amount, the size and how often we eat.
Have a Diet BFF. Having a weight loss buddy not only reinforces accountability, but also provides positive motivation to stay on track. Buddying-up can make the difference between failure and success with any weight loss plan. Many people put effort into finding the right weight loss or fitness plan, but neglect the necessary success components of support and accountability.
Keep a Fitness Log. Exercise is an important component to weight loss and optimal health. By keeping a fitness log and simply marking an “X” on the day you workout is highly rewarding and motivating. You can also add in what type of cardio and/or strength training. At the end of the week, you can see how successfully active you have been.
Use Your Smartphone. Apps provide an excellent opportunity to have virtual accountability in many areas such as fitness, water intake, weight loss, calorie counting and much more. Apps such as Lose It!, Snap it or My Fitness Pal, to name a few.
Enlist a Weight Loss Coach. A weight loss coach has expertise and will help you stay accountable and succeed. Knowing that you have to be accountable to your coach means that you will, in most cases, do your best and if you have any obstacles, they will be overcome. For example, if you had a video crew following you 24/7, you would most likely do what you are supposed to do. The same is true with having a coach – you will do what you need to do; difficult goals become achievable and the process becomes much more rewarding, fulfilling and fun.
Learning to rely less on an external accountability system and more on an internal one is a crucial step = a mindset shift that will carry through to weight loss success.
Resource:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080708080738.htm
©2017 DLS HealthWorks, LLC. Lori Shemek, PhD health expert and weight loss expert. Author of How To Fight FATflammation! and the best-selling author of ‘Fire-Up Your Fat Burn!’