5 Ways to Help The Pounds Fall Off This Fall

With big cozy sweaters and delicious seasonal treats upon us, it might seem easy to let yourself slip up with your weight loss goals this fall. To ensure you stay on track in any season, South Beach Diet offers an easy meal plan to make it possible for you to drop those extra pounds, without having to sacrifice all of your favorite foods. It’s crucial to understand the importance of living and maintaining a healthy lifestyle in order to remain on your weight loss journey.

Sometimes when we say goodbye to summer, we also say goodbye to the healthy eating habits we were maintaining during bathing suit season. This fall, you can spice up your fitness and health routines to make those pounds fall off during one of our favorite times of year. You will be donning those cute autumn sweaters—but in smaller sizes! Stay on track to keep your weight low and your happiness high this fall.

Try these five fat loss tips for fabulous fall weight loss results:

1. Add a new workout to your fitness regimen.

Studies show losing about 15% of your body weight can be a lot easier than the actual maintenance of your weight loss. After you’ve sculpted your summer body, met your previous fitness goals and found a bathing suit that works, you may be asking yourself what’s next. Many people find themselves in a weight loss plateau, and research from Mayo Clinic explains that this can be caused by your metabolism slowing down once you have shed the pounds.

Try changing up your workout routine with one new fitness activity to surprise your body and stimulate your metabolism— so you can start melting those pounds again. Since it’s fall, running outside, biking, hiking and other outdoor activities can be a great way to treat your body to something other than the monotonous motions of the machines at the gym.

Check out these 5 Workout Habits You Need to Add to Your Fall Fitness Routine! >

2. Eat five to six times a day with portion control.

Eating smaller portions more frequently throughout the day is much more beneficial to your body than eating two or three heavy meals a day. Not to mention, smaller meals are much easier to prepare and grab on-the-go, which means eating healthy will always be at arm’s length— no matter where your day might take you!

We all know the three meals-per-day method leaves room for cravings and often leads to cheating on that healthy lifestyle you worked so hard to build. Studies from Food and Nutrition Online explore the idea of the modern day consumer often being classified as a “snacker”— meaning the American population is thought to prefer snacking over actual healthy meals.  When you get that urge to “snack” remember to reach for something that will provide you with quality nutrition.

Pro Tip: Try swapping out some of your unhealthy snacking habits with a healthy equivalent—ditch the chips and dip for some all-natural peanut butter and celery sticks to continue to shed those pounds!

3. Swap a daily meal or snack for a protein shake.

Eating five or six smaller meals and snacks a day makes finding something filling to enjoy challenging. So, when you don’t feel like concocting chef-inspired dishes, don’t fret! Try swapping out a meal or snack for a delicious (and nutritious) protein shake.

On-the-go shakes make getting out the door so simple, you’ll want to add them into your everyday routine! With so many delicious flavors to choose from, a creamy protein shake can taste like you’re cheating with a milkshake (but don’t be fooled). As long as you find a low-carb shake that’s low in added sugar, it’s a smart choice that can keep your body satisfied, and so are you when you step on the scale!

Pro Tip: Stock up on your favorite flavor shakes ahead of time so you always have them handy! You won’t be sorry when you start to drop those extra pounds.

4. Write down and track your weekly weight loss goals.

Writing things down is ALWAYS a good idea when your memory can easily fail you due to the craziness of everyday life. Research done by Michigan State University Extension explains how writing down goals can increase your chances of achieving them.

Try applying this to your weight loss goals! By writing down a list of milestones and weight loss goals you want to reach on your weight loss journey, you give yourself the ability to keep track of how close you are to attaining each item on your list. This can be something as simple as running for 30 minutes straight. Write it down! By noting it, you’ll continue to work towards it, and it will feel THAT much more appeasing when you get to cross it off your list.

Pro Tip: Try keeping a whiteboard calendar or journal handy so you can also write down your planned weight loss meals for the week. You don’t have to track every meal, but if you can plan ahead you will be more likely to stay on track with your healthy eating habits and less likely to go astray.

5. Never skip breakfast.

Although it’s tempting to roll out of bed, throw on a warm sweater and head out the door this fall, you may want to add a few minutes to your morning routine to grab some breakfast.

A Harvard University study found that there is a link between heart problems and those that don’t find the time to eat breakfast. Not only is fasting all night and through the morning bad for your heart, it certainly won’t help your weight loss goals! That’s right, skipping breakfast can actually cause you to GAIN weight, as it can cause your metabolism to slow down.

Pro Tip: Try pairing your first meal with a large glass of water. Drinking plenty of water also promotes shedding those extra pounds. Keeping up with your water intake is so important—so as you kick off your day with a nutritious breakfast, wash it down with some refreshing water!