Healthy Balanced Diet: Guide To Beating Calories

How can you lose weight if you’re plus-sized? Losing weight and keeping it off can be difficult if you have extra pounds to shed. To help make losing weight easier, we’ve compiled 8 habits for weight loss if you’re plus-sized that are tailored specifically to your situation. Put these habits into practice to become healthier, happier, and to achieve the body you want!

1) Get control of your schedule

The biggest hurdle many of us have to weight loss success is that we never take a step back and really look at our schedules. By getting a grip on your schedule, you can begin planning out more efficient ways to drop pounds. Start by writing down your schedule for one week on a single sheet of paper. Next, think about each task on your list and decide how much time it should take to complete each task: 15 minutes? 30 minutes? An hour? Once you’ve broken down each task into an amount of time, add up how much time they will take in a single day—and then in a typical week. Finally, start thinking about which tasks are most important to you (i.e., must-dos) and which ones aren't as critical (i.e., nice-to-dos). Then rework your schedule so that tasks with higher priorities get done first while lower priority tasks get pushed off until later in the week or month (or even year). This process may be tedious, but it’s an effective way to manage your weight loss habits.

2) Meal plan

Being plus-sized doesn’t mean you can’t achieve weight loss. It just means that there are a few extra challenges to overcome on your way to achieving your goals. For instance, some research suggests that overweight and obese people feel hungrier than their skinnier counterparts. This is why it may be especially important to take an active role in creating meal plans that will help manage hunger and cravings and prevent you from consuming too many calories. Try including foods like fruits, veggies, and lean proteins at every meal—these are all foods that are low in calories but still tasty enough to satisfy most picky eaters.

3) Do something active every day

No matter what your shape or size, you can do something active every day. Whether it’s walking around your neighborhood, taking a brisk walk at lunch or going on a bike ride with friends, try to find ways to fit activity into your daily routine. This doesn’t mean that plus-sized women can only workout or exercise in a certain way. If running is more enjoyable than hiking, go for it! Just make sure you’re doing something active every day—even if it's just walking from your car to work and back.

4) Get enough sleep

A lot of people know they should be getting at least 7-9 hours of sleep a night, but many of us don’t get nearly enough. In fact, poor sleep can cause you to eat more and pack on those extra pounds. If you have trouble sleeping, try these habits for weight loss that improve your quality of sleep: turn off all screens an hour before bed, avoid alcohol and caffeine (especially in the afternoon), wear comfortable pajamas or sweats, invest in blackout curtains or an eye mask to block out light from coming through your windows (this is great for moms who are breastfeeding or pumping!), and make sure your room is cool and dark. Going to bed early will also help ensure you get enough shut-eye!

5) Eat slowly and stop when you feel full

Even though it may seem counterintuitive, eating more slowly and stopping when you’re full can actually help you lose weight. The reason is that your body takes longer to register satiety signals when you eat fast and large portions. In a rush, your body often mistakes hunger for thirst or vice versa – a problem that's worse if you’re pregnant. Slowing down while eating also means you give your stomach time to let you know it's had enough food by sending I’m full signals to your brain. If instead of listening to these signals, you decide one more bite won't hurt, chances are good that one bite will morph into two or three bites – and before long, your plate is clean!

6) Get support from others

If you are plus-sized, weight loss may seem like an uphill battle, but it doesn’t have to be. Studies show that people tend to stick with a plan better when they are working together or within a group. Check out weight-loss support groups in your area or join an online community with like-minded people who can support and encourage you as you work toward your goals. Be sure to read our tips on losing weight while pregnant.

7) Learn to like vegetables

If you’re trying to lose weight, it’s a good idea to learn how to like vegetables. Not only are they better for you than greasy, sugary snacks and fast food, but they fill up your stomach with very few calories. You can also spice them up to give yourself a huge flavor boost without adding many extra calories. It can be hard at first but once you get in there and start eating it will become easier over time. A great way to start is by adding grated cauliflower into your favorite recipes as a substitute for things like potatoes or rice.

8) Track what you eat

Eating mindfully is a great way to cut down on portion sizes and track what you’re consuming. When people who are trying to lose weight focus on how much they eat, not just what they eat, they tend to eat less. Other good habits for weight loss: Exercise regularly (at least 30 minutes most days), get enough sleep, manage stress and try to be mindful of your thoughts and actions throughout your day.