It’s often said that effective weight loss works more like a marathon than a sprint. By focusing on incremental progress, taking it slow and steady, and exercising patience, you will gradually work toward your ultimate goals. So instead of focusing on just one big end goal (the weight loss) it can help to implement one healthy change at a time.

As a bonus, these tips are also healthy for people who don’t want to lose weight. So get the whole family involved, and you’ll all be healthier as a result!

Drink water first thing in the morning. As soon as you wake up, drink a full glass of water. Doing this helps to rehydrate you after a night of sleep, and prevents overeating at breakfast.

Focus on protein at breakfast. Pack as much protein as possible into your first meal of the day. It will set the stage for a slow, steady calorie burn throughout the day, and prevent cravings for sugary, unhealthy snacks.

Get ready for the next day. Before going to bed at night, make sure you’ve set out your workout gear, you’ve washed your water bottle, and you’ve packed healthy snacks for the following day.

Establish a healthy snacking routine. Remove unhealthy snack foods from the house, or at least ask non-participating family members to hide them. Place healthier options in the forefront, making them more convenient to grab on the go. Keep healthy snacks at your office, too.

Prep food once per week. Choose a day of the week, and devote an hour to chopping up veggies and pre-portioning snacks for everyone.

Switch to whole grains. Ditch the unhealthy white-flour options, and switch to whole grains for breads, bagels, cereals, and so on.

Make sleep a priority. Too many of us sleep whenever we can, instead of arranging our schedules around sleep. Make rest a priority, to support your health.

Take a walk every day. Establish a time (during your lunch break, after dinner, or some other time) to go for a walk every single day. This is one simple way to work more exercise into your routine, and it also aids digestion and boosts your mood.

These new new habits can get you started toward a weight loss plan and healthier lifestyle. But for more specific advice on losing weight and keeping it off, give us a call to schedule an appointment.