5 Easy Steps To Feel Lighter Today

Knowing that instant weight loss results are unlikely and unsustainable doesn’t really stop us from wanting them right? But we don’t want to set ourselves up for temporary results that just make the initial problem bigger.  It is quite the catch 22.

What we really want when we seek instant results is RELIEF from the discomfort of stuffing ourselves into our clothes, feeling heavy, and the daily reminders that we aren’t where we want to be in our weight loss journey.

The good news is that we can get instant relief without setting ourselves up for rebound weight gain when we do it right.

Below are five easy steps to get that relief- to feel lighter and more in control- so that you can free up the mental space to follow through with figure friendly actions for long term change and weight loss.

Step #1: Drink your water.

As counterintuitive as it may be, when you drink water, you encourage your body to eliminate water.  Getting rid of water retention is one way to feel lighter immediately and reduce bloating that can make it difficult to fit nicely into your favorite pair of pants.  So fill up that water bottle, chug, and repeat.

Step #2: Consume vegetables that flush water from your system.

You may know that eating vegetables helps you get enough fiber to feel fuller longer and more easily escape an attack of the munchies. However, getting fiber isn’t the only benefit of eating vegetables.  Certain vegetables like asparagus and spinach help your body naturally eliminate water.  Eliminating water retention and bloating is the key to feeling lighter before you lose any real weight.

Step #3: Limit your intake of starchy carbohydrates to just one meal- preferably after your workout.

Reducing your intake of starchy carbohydrate is a short term strategy to feeling less bloated and eliminating water retention.  Since drastically reducing your carbohydrate intake for longer periods of time can decrease your energy and trigger cravings, you don’t want to use this strategy for more than 1-3 days.

Step #4: Get in a good sweat session.

If you have ever done a challenging workout and immediately felt like you fit better in your jeans then you have experienced the effect of a good sweat session.  While one workout won’t make you lose weight the same day, it does go a long way toward making you feel lighter.  Part of the reason for this feeling of instant accomplishment is because you will literally sweat out the water retention that makes you feel miserable and stuffed in your clothes.

Step #5: Take a nap.

Getting enough rest is one of the things that many busy women struggle with doing consistently.  Skimping on sleep drives cravings and hunger through the roof. Even when you have the resolve to resist the urge to act on those cravings and hunger, you may still experience water retention and bloating as a result of your lack of rest.

So while we know that instant weight loss results are unlikely and unsustainable, you can use these five steps to feel lighter today and increase your motivation to follow through on the actions that lead to sustainable weight loss in the long run.