Sustainable Weight Loss: Long-Term Habits for Success

We see this all the time among our clients. When we ask them why they want to sign up with us, why they want to join The Quad, of course getting stronger is one of the top two reasons.

But also what ranks really high is weight (fat) loss. Internationally, the diet industry is a multi-billion dollar industry and day after day people across the world try to lose weight, by fair means or foul. At The Quad, we are against anything that falls on the ‘foul’ part of the spectrum: anything that promises quick fixes and drastic solutions.

Sustainable, healthy and wholesome is what we are about and what we prescribe to everyone that walks through our doors. We firmly believe that this is the only way to success, without compromising on health.

So, what are the long-term habits for sustainable weight loss?

What does pursuit of weight loss really mean for you, is something you need to be clear in yourself. Above all, the why of it is vital. Why do you want to pursue fat loss? Is it because losing some pounds will have a positive impact on your health? Will it improve the quality of your life?

Or is it mixed up with your identity? Do you think losing weight will give you a new lease of life, a new identity, a chance to achieve something? This needs to be worked out. Going into this for the wrong reasons will end up in the opposite end of the spectrum from sustainable weight loss.

What are the key habits for sustainable weight loss?

Mindful eating

This is arguably the most important habit to adapt. Eating mindfully fosters a healthy relationship with food. It makes us pause, absorb and take in what we are eating. When you slow down, you have more time to take in the flavours, the textures, the smells - you involve all five senses and actually gain pleasure from the simple act of nourishing your body.

This needs a simple shift: to keep your focus on the actual act of eating and not multi-task. No more watching the cricket match on TV, while chatting with your friends over your phone as you bolt down your dinner.

Incorporating movement into everyday life

Time was, “gymming” was a thing. It was something the serious-minded did, signing up to a gym and doing Lord knows what in there. Mostly end up running on the treadmill, going nowhere fast, would be my guess! But making movement a part of your everyday has never been a thing.

For sustainable weight loss, this needs to change. Walk, as much as possible. Avoid the lift and take the stairs. Take public transport, if viable. If not, at least park your car at a distance and get some steps in. Move your joints, your limbs freely. Lift weights. Play a sport regularly.

There are myriad ways of incorporating movement into our lives. But what is important is the mindset. It is pointless to lift weights for an hour thrice a week and sit on our backside for the remainder of the hours. Those 3 hours cannot undo the harmful effect of your otherwise sedentary lifestyle.

Calorie deficit is the magic pill

Many people that want to lose weight, want us to provide them with a magical remedy. Go on any social media channel. It won’t be long before you find someone posting a video about a magic drink that you need to drink on an empty stomach every day without fail, for it to just wash all your fat away.

It may sound fantastic, but the comments section will be inundated with people asking for details: how long should they do it, how much should they drink, can they do this twice to lose weight twice as fast, is this safe for pregnant / lactating mothers / diabetics… the questions will be many and varied. No one would question the validity of the source or the veracity of the ‘treatment’. Why? Because everyone wants the magic pill.

We hate to bust this bubble but the only magic pill out there is the boring one called ‘calorie deficit’. Burn more than you consume and your body will start shedding the excess pounds you are carrying. Lifestyle diseases, metabolic illnesses, chronic diseases, menopause - they all can throw spanners of varying heft into our weight loss efforts, but for sustainable solutions, nothing beats the old reliable calorie deficit.

(Sorry!)

Make some lifestyle changes immediately

We humans vastly underestimate the impact of stress on our daily lives. We are mired in it from the time we get up to when we go to sleep. We drive to work in a stressful manner, we lurch from one stressful situation to another during the course of the day, serve up some more on the home front and wonder why we feel so blah all the time.

Stress is a killer. It will cause your body and mind untold harm if left to swim about your insides freely. It will make you hold on to excess poundage, to hold your mind in a vase grip, to make you feel unhealthy, to say the least.

How to get rid of stress? This is no mean feat. This means a sea change in attitude. This means adopting self-care as a matter of priority. Yoga, pranayama, tai chi, swimming, stepping into the slow lane, whatever it takes. Make de-stressing a matter of priority and your body - and mind - will thank you.

It takes a village

It is not actually like bringing up a baby but embarking on a new way of life means surrounding yourself with like-minded people. When you start taking your life - your health, your fitness, your body - seriously, it is important you are having people in your life who prescribe to the same school of thought.

The last thing you need when you are trying to eat in a healthier fashion, prioritising health, is for someone to pooh-pooh your efforts as nonsense or a fad and “just live a little” and “you live only once”. A supportive environment is vital for long term success in anything and sustainable weight loss is no different. This is the best way to foster healthy habits for life and embrace positive change.

Sustainable weight loss is not a quick fix, not the latest fad. It is tough, it demands commitment and it requires a lifestyle change. You cannot do the same things you did that made you unhealthy in the first place and expect different results.

To embark on a journey towards fitness and sound health, get in touch with us.