Designing Your Weight Loss Journey Around Healthy Habits

While GLP-1 medication provides a phenomenal jumpstart for a weight loss journey, an integral part of achieving long-term results is developing healthy habits along the way. Diet and exercise are two common goals people set to improve, and we have a few other achievable, sustainable suggestions. Developing healthy habits on your weight loss journey can prove difficult, but we promise it’s worth it. Remember, this journey is about prioritizing your well-being.

Healthy Habits to Establish on Your Weight Loss Journey

• Evaluate your nutrition goals
  Are you snacking frequently or staying up late to eat? Are you reaching for sweets more often than not? It’s time to set some nutrition goals and stick to them. The key is setting sustainable goals – doing a complete 180 isn’t the path to lifelong changes. During your GLP-1 weight loss journey, protein is an essential nutrient you should prioritize. Protein is found in chicken, eggs, nuts, Greek yogurt, and peanut butter. It keeps you full while providing a sustainable source of energy for your body to draw from. As a starting point, it’s recommended to eat a minimum of 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight or about 0.36 grams per pound. However, if you have any questions about specific macros to strive for, your provider can help. Non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and leafy greens are a great addition to your plate during your weight loss journey. There are great recipes out there to add extra flavor to your veggies, too! GLP-1 medications curb cravings, making it important to maximize the nutrients you consume during mealtime. 

• Prioritize sleep
  After a long day, it’s tempting to decompress by turning on the TV, scrolling for hours, or letting time get away from you. It’s critical for everyone to get optimal sleep for physical, mental, and emotional function, and it’s particularly crucial for individuals on a weight loss journey to rest properly. Your circadian rhythm deeply affects the weight loss process. Changes in meal time and inadequate sleep increase the risk of obesity. Short sleep duration is also associated with higher energy intake, largely attributed to increased consumption of high-sugar foods and drinks. In a 24-month study conducted with two groups of overweight and obese women, those who got over 7 hours of sleep increased the likelihood of successful weight loss by 33% in comparison to the group sleeping under 7 hours yet following the same routines. So when you’re trying to decide between another episode or getting cozy, support your weight loss journey and get the extra hour of sleep. 

• Always carry a water bottle
  Water does more than quench your thirst – it can aid your weight loss journey. It’s a natural appetite suppressor, keeping you hydrated and full. A 2016 study found people who drank two glasses of water immediately before a meal ate 22% less food than those who didn’t drink water. Keeping up with water intake can help you cut out liquid calories. By staying hydrated throughout the day and preventing intense thirst, you’ll be less likely to reach for a sports drink, soda, or sweet tea. While there’s not a precise right number of ounces, at least 64 ounces (8 cups) of water is a great starting point for a successful weight loss journey.

• Make your moves
  Not only does exercise encourage weight loss, it helps you feel better too! During your GLP-1 weight loss journey, we have specific exercise recommendations to reach your goals.
  
  Strength training targets specific muscle groups using weights, resistance bands, or body weight (push-ups, squats, etc). Make sure to focus on proper form to avoid injury and work your muscles properly.
  
  Even if you end up going for a walk around the block, something is better than nothing when it comes to exercise. 

How to Establish Sustainable Habits

You know what you need to do, but how do you stick to it? Where do you start? The beginning is the most overwhelming part. Give these methods a try and find the route that works best for you on your weight loss journey.

• Habit Stacking
  Say your new goals are to drink 64 ounces of water, exercise for an hour, and eat two cups of vegetables at dinner. Instead of trying to make three potentially drastic changes at once, knock them out one by one. For week one, focus only on drinking 64 ounces of water every day – that’s your number one priority. When week two rolls around, keep up the momentum with water and begin exercising for an hour. It takes three weeks to establish a habit, and you’re already ⅓ of the way there for one of them. At the beginning of week three, you introduce the two cups of vegetables. Since your goals are staggered, they’re easier to achieve, less daunting, and simpler to envision. 

• Find an Accountability Partner
  If you skip today’s workout, no one will know. Unless you have an accountability partner. Whether that’s an online connection from our virtual community, close friend, family member, or mentor, you’ll provide mutual encouragement. 

• Establish a Reward System
  Who doesn’t love a treat? It requires discipline, but you can find productive rewards relevant to your weight loss journey. Maybe a new workout set, exercise class trial, or spa day to recover. 

Conclusion

Every weight loss journey is different and should be treated as such. If there was one specific routine, diet, or medication that worked for everyone 100% of the time, we’d all know about it. Remember to give yourself grace and understand that missing the mark from time to time doesn’t mean you’ve failed. Think big picture – maybe you didn’t make it to the gym today, but you went all last week. Always celebrate your wins and don’t forget to celebrate others as well. Healthy habits exist as a guide to great choices and prioritizing them will be so beneficial today and down the road. Discover the difference they can make during your GLP-1 weight loss journey and review all available resources in the app.