You've decided to embark on a weight loss journey that you've been planning for years: what now? With so much information on how you can start your healthy lifestyle, it can be information overload and become quite overwhelming! That's why we've simplified it for you in just three steps and provide you with all the tools you need to succeed.
In this article, we’ll outline the steps we suggest you take to bring your health goals from “someday” to “right now.” It's time to take initiative and map out your game plan!
Here’s what we suggest you do...
Step 1: Decide to Commit
Before you can start making waves with your goals, first you need to define your “why” – a point that you will hear us make over and over again throughout your journey.
Why do we keep mentioning it? Because your “why” changes… It’s different now than it was two years ago, and maybe even two months ago, and you have to keep reevaluating.
We always suggest that you write down your “why”, in order to keep track of your ever-changing initiatives as your goals change over time.
Check out this article on creating and then measuring goals that stick.
What are YOUR goals? What are you MOST excited to accomplish in the early part of this year? Start with that initiative when you begin making your plans, since it will likely be the fire under you needed to accomplish all of the rest!
Psst… Feeling ready to commit?! Many people find that the 310 Starter Kit is a great jumping off point! Check it out here!
Step 2: Put Your Plans Into Action
Moving onto the next stage, from conception to actually putting your plans into action, let’s talk about the first steps.
Every body type is just as unique as your individual goals, and you need to respect your body and your individual needs as you make your plans. This means that what works for your best friend or your favorite celebrity on Instagram may not work completely for you – but you need to find what does.
That is exactly why we have Health Coaches available to you at 310 whenever you need them – at these early stages of your journey and later on as well. They are always there to answer your questions and make sure you’re on the right track. You can find them in the My310App and in the Community!
Check out this video by 310 Dietician, Becky, as she explains what can be expected on each stage of your weight loss journey!
You can also take the needed “action steps” in your plan for healthier living on your own, and consult the coaches whenever needed.
Here is what we suggest…
- Find your unique calorie goal, based on your body type and preferences
- Know that there are lots of measurements that are important (not just your weight and your number on the scale).
- Join a Community of like-minded individuals that can help propel you forward in your plans. A Community offers the support, motivation, and encouragement you need along your journey and helps remind that you aren’t alone in your steps and progress!
Step 3: Make Sure Your Plans Stick
It’s not just about making your action plans, it’s also about making sure they are things that you can stick with for the long-run. There is no use in losing weight but not changing your habits. The end goal should be healthier habits that you can maintain – so that once you reach your weight goal, you already know how to continue living that way.
What can you do to make sure your plans stick?
Get the right tools!
From super-yummy and dessert-like 310 Shakes, to immunity-boosting juices to 310 Lemonades and Hydrates, we’ve got you covered to fight off cravings while keeping your body in balance.
No individual health plan is the same, so pick the health products that work best for you and your bottom line.
At the very least, we recommend a schedule of two 310 Shakes per day in place of regular meals for weight loss. Preferably paired with a healthy diet and healthy lifestyle choices including regular exercise, along with getting enough rest and hydration.
But there are so many other products you can add to your personal routine, and you can also enjoy 310 Shakes as healthy snacks, desserts, workout boosts and more.
Keep up with the right mindset
If you remember earlier, we mentioned that your goals will keep changing, so you need to be flexible and “grow with your goals”. You also need to keep up with a mindset of grace, positivity, and motivation in the face of challenges.
There WILL be challenges, so accept that right now, before you begin. You will most likely hit a weight loss plateau or discover some struggles you didn’t plan for, but then you just keep going.
When you pre-prepare yourself to hit some conflict, you can be ready for the push-back, and be ready to fight against it.
Often before you quit something physically, you’ve already quit in your mind, so do the early “fortifying work” to make sure that doesn’t happen to you.
Work on those healthier habits
Again, long-term health comes with healthier habit changes, starting right now. Learn to replace most of the processed foods you eat with healthy, real food choices, and replace the sugary drinks with equally-delicious yet slimming options.
We also suggest a practice of “mindful eating”, and you can learn all about what that is in this article, “The Mindful Approach to Weight Loss”.
In short, eating mindfully means to focus your attention solely on eating, appreciating all of the tastes, textures and smells, and not rush through your meals. This gives you more time to listen to your hunger cues and take note of how certain foods make you feel. Being mindful can also be a much more satisfying way to live in general, bringing your attention and energy to the present moment.
You can find the motivation and support you need in the Community when you have questions. And once you get your new clean eating plan on track, many people feel they have the energy to add weekly exercise and daily movement into their lives.
Before you know it, by taking one small step at a time in the right direction, suddenly you’ll find that your life looks completely different than it used to… you’ll have more energy, more mental focus and motivation, and more overall satisfaction and enjoyment.
You just need to take the first steps and then keep at it, and one day you’ll realize how much healthier you consistently are!
Know how to measure your progress “beyond the scale”
Finally, realize that your entire journey is fluid – there is not one set path to get to where you are going. And that’s great news!
You also cannot measure your success simply by the number you see on the scale, because there is so much more behind it! In fact, we recommend you check out this article on Weight Loss Beyond the Scale to see all the other ways to quantify your success – many of which are far more important than the scale will ever be.
Greater confidence? A smile of approval from your doctor? Being able to play with your kids or grandkids easily, and without pain… All priceless.
How do you quantify YOUR success? That is the question to ask yourself as you move towards saying “YES” to all your health goals today.
Start by taking the first steps and before you know it, you’ll be the next success story, inspiring someone else!
