3 Steps to a Slimmer, Healthier You

Weight loss life hacks to use with or without exercise

“How to lose weight” is the bane of our existence. This quest crosses all borders, cultures, races. We’re all searching for the answer to weight loss as if it were the Holy Grail of Happiness. And in effect, it is.

Look good, feel good and suddenly our serotonin levels increase. Voilà, we feel happier. And I can relate 100%. You are not alone, my friend.

I am excited to share with you some weight loss life hacks that are tried and proven. You’ll be able to flex this plan to fit your needs and add some exercise, if you so desire or not.

Weight loss is hard. But, it doesn’t have to be. What if I told you that if you approach weight loss with a “business mindset” you could drop 10, 20, 30 pounds and keep it off?

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You might want to consult with your family doctor before following my advice. I’m not a licensed medical professional; I speak from personal experience and research. You may also come across a few marketing affiliate links below. Clicking does not cost you a penny more just helps fund my dreams. 

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The Backstory

I’ve joined a 90 day weight-loss challenge at work and I’m going to share the “play by play” journey. This is a first world struggle! Is why you’re reading this and will also be able to see me in action on YouTube.

Ok, so you’re probably asking yourself: “If you know how to lose weight and keep it off, why are you in this challenge“? Fair enough. Life happens – I moved my eye away from the prize and BOOM 20 pounds later here we are!

Am I disappointed in myself? Yes. Am I concerned? Absolutely not! Been there, done that AND bought the proud healthy life t-shirt. And so can you!

The 3 Step Weight Loss Business Plan

Every good business plan begins with outlining your goals, identifying the methods on how to achieve them and plotting out the time frame needed. We’re going to approach losing weight with a business mindset. This will keep our eyes on the prize. No surprises.

1.- The Goal

1. Understand your ideal body weight – don’t fixate over the past; don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Today is a new day. And yes, there are a lot of variables: age, gender, height, frame, BMI, etc. There are tables and tips to calculating your ideal weight. My simple favorite: if you’re a woman = 100 pounds for 5 feet plus 5 pounds for every inch over. For example, I’m 5’8″ – ideally I should weigh 140 pounds. If you’re a man = 106 pounds starting at 5 feet plus 6 pounds for every inch over. For example, Man X is 6′ – ideally should weigh 172 pounds.
2. Commit to a realistic number. We are not losing 50 pounds in 3 months. Wrong post if that’s your goal as that would be incredibly unhealthy. This plan is designed for you to lose a modest and acceptable 1 to 2 pounds a week.
3. Get healthy for life. Be open to making this about a lifestyle change beyond the 90 day challenge. It takes 21 days to make or break a habit; but, it takes 66 to 90 days to create a permanent lifestyle. You’ve got this!

2.- The How / Method

1. Build a spreadsheet to track your progress daily. Spreadsheet should include meals, calories, water consumed, exercised or not, formulas built in for success rates, how you feel, etc. If you’d like a free copy of my spreadsheet, click here. Like any good business plan, you will update this all day long and will help you identify trends that help or hurt you. Keeping it in a Google Sheet form will allow you to have it available on all devices at all times.
2. Plan out your eating schedule. Your body loves routine and your appetite is no different. Feed your stomach on a regular schedule and it will stop telling you it’s hungry. Drop in calendar appointments so that you get alerts, move meetings and obligations around to accommodate. Yes, you have to schedule eating events as you would a business meeting or yoga class.
3. Count on 3 meals and 1 snack daily. You have to make time to eat. And true to common gossip: breakfast is incredibly important. Skipping meals is the WORST thing you can do. You’re body is smart and will call you out. Your body doesn’t not respond well to the unexpected. Who does?
4. No eating past 8 p.m. Your body does not need fuel at night. Unless you’re living the Euro lifestyle, dinner at 9 p.m. AND walking the city – just stop, please. Walk away from the pantry and refrigerator; it’s not your friend past 8 p.m.
5. Eat smart. It’s all about portion control, freshness and colors. If it comes from the grocery store freezer section, it should go straight to the garbage bin. Set yourself up to win and do a kitchen purge. Throw out anything that is risky and unhealthy. No baked chips, it’s a lie – they’re bad. Stalk up on fruit, nuts, etc. for your one snack a day.
6. What to eat depends a lot on your culture and your personal history. I’m not going to tell you carbs are bad. They’re clearly not. There are continents eating white carbs all day every day and no one is obese. You know who I’m talking about. If you want a free sample meal plan, click here.
7. Mindful eating. Multi-tasking is a myth – at work and at home. Don’t “work through lunch” or eat while watching TV. Step away, sit down and enjoy your meals. When you’re eating those veggies, think about where they came from. When you’re cutting into that steak, thank the animal. Yes, it’s kinda hippie-ish; but, it works. Be present in the moment! And take your time. Chew slowly. Not only will you enjoy what you’re eating; but, your digestive system will thank you for it.
8. Eating until you’re full is completely unhealthy. Your stomach is about the size of a fist and should only be filled 2/3 of the way, more or less. That full feeling means you ate way too much! Track this feeling in your spreadsheet so you start to understand how your body reacts to certain foods or quantities. For more great intel, read up on Hara hachi bun me and the 80% rule.
9. Drink water. Drink a minimum of 8 glasses a day. Not a big deal once you get into the habit. Just don’t be that person that says: “I don’t like how water tastes”. What does that even mean? Water shouldn’t have a pungent taste – if so, you might think of changing wells. And, you could always squeeze some lemon juice to amp things up. I drop a “green tea” bag into my Swell bottle ’cause I love the added bonus.
10. You need at least 7 hours of sleep. Proven studies show that sleeping less than 7 hours increases your chances of putting on weight. Is what happened to me last Fall. I was getting home from work at 6, tending to family, blogging for 2 to 3 hours and then relaxing before bed, binging on some fav shows. Literally was going to sleep between 1 and 2 up at 6:45 am. Insane.
11. Use the same scale every time you weigh in, at the same time, on the same day. Weigh yourself first thing in the morning as soon as you wake, naked preferably and after your first bio break. Do this once a week to keep morale up and running. Remember our target weight loss is 1 to 2 pounds a week. Daily weighing in can be deceptive and counterproductive.
12. Exercising is a definite plus; but, not mandatory. Plus, I feel like the word has negative connotation for some reason. If you’re ready, cardio is your no. 1 friend: 3 days a week for 30-60 min. You’ve got to break a sweat, raise that heartbeat. Or, start small if exercising is not for you. Park your car at the furthest point and walk. Always take the stairs. Mow the law yourself. Get up and just go!
13. Socialize your journey! The more people you tell about your plan, the easier it is to see it through. How did I successfully complete my first half-marathon? I blew up my social media knowing there was no turning back. I ran my first 13.1 Rock n’ Roll 7 months later in 2.20 hours. Not bad for a first race.
14. Cheat days. Ridiculous. Do you get a free pass to cheat at school, work, God, from your other half? No. And so why would this be any different? You are not dieting. You are making a choice to get healthy for life. There are no cheat days in life.
15. Lastly, don’t shy away from changing things up that aren’t working. Lesson 1 in business – never be afraid to make adjustments to a plan. Change is good.

3.- The Time frame

This 90 day plan is designed to help you lose about 1 to 2 pounds a week and it starts today! Embrace your worst weight fears, jump on that scale and let’s do this. You could be 20 pounds lighter in 90 days!

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So, what do you think? Does any of this resonate with you? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below – I love hearing from you!