This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
We believe that losing weight and eating healthy delicious food should be doable and it can be when you have the right tips, tricks, and tools for success.
That’s what this blog is all about.
We are so excited to share our easy healthy recipes, meal plans, eCookbooks, weight loss tips, and inspiration with you.
Wether you are trying to lose weight, eat better, or cook more at home, please know we’re here for you cheering you on!
If you’re struggling with your weight, it probably feels overwhelming, especially if you have a significant amount to lose.
There’s good news!
The latest research says that losing just 5 percent of your body weight is all it takes to see major health benefits including improved insulin sensitivity, lowering the risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease in obese people.
So the truth is that if you weigh 200 pounds, losing just 10 pounds – not 50 or more – and keeping it off can provide important health benefits.
We are on a mission to help as many people as we can achieve this important 5% weight loss milestone. That’s why we’ve assembled this list of weight loss tips from successful Weight Watchers who have lost weight and kept it off.
Choosing to be healthy and lose weight takes committing to the actions that will create the results you desire. You must stop wishing and start doing. You must make yourself and your health a priority.
The key is to find strategies that are livable.
The habits and behaviors you develop in the process are more than worth the effort of your health, regardless of how you think you look in the mirror.
As David Kirchoff, the former President and CEO of Weight Watchers, who has openly shared his own weight struggles, so wisely puts it, “On some basic level, each of us has a choice: (1) Seek to be healthier, with the nice side benefit of melting a size or two; or (2) let health fall by the wayside. For me, my long journey has paid me back more times than I could ever hope to count. My only wish is for you to experience all the same and more.”
We strongly agree!
Table of Contents
Related: 101 Essential Links & Resources for Weight Watchers
One of the things that we love best about WW, (Weight Watchers), is that it provides a proven framework for losing weight. But ultimately, because we are all unique, we each lose weight our own way. Talk to a group of successful Weight Watchers and you’ll quickly discover that they have each tailored the plan to suit their likes, dislikes and lifestyle.
I lost weight my way. You’ll lose weight your way. But the chances are great that your journey will share some things in common with other successful folks. They are what I have dubbed, the “7 Secrets of Successful Weight Watchers.”
7 Secrets of Successful Weight Watchers
#1 Make It Conscious
All change begins with awareness. Keep a food diary, at least in the beginning. People who keep food journals lose three times more than those who don’t. This can be on a piece of paper, in a diary, in your computer, with an app on your phone, or by taking pictures with your phone.
You also need a way to build in accountability. Regularly weigh or measure yourself. Equip yourself with tools and resources to support your efforts.
#2 – Control Your Environment
Your environment has a lot more impact on what and how you eat than you realize. It is easier to change your environment than your mind or behaviors.
So, one key is to set your environment up to support your weight loss success by making healthy foods convenient.
You also want to banish unhealthy foods and trigger foods that you mindlessly eat to excess.
I used to eat cheesy crackers until the sides of my mouth hurt from all the salt. I’ve learned that you can’t eat what you don’t have. Leave the temptations at the grocery store so you don’t have to test your willpower every day.
Keep your kitchen stocked with the good stuff: fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and low-fat dairy.
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
~ Arthur Ashe
#3 – Establish Healthy Habits
Replace negative behaviors with new healthy habits and routines that you don’t have to think about. Expect that each habit will take 2 to 3 months before you begin to do it automatically.
Begin with something easy to build your weight loss muscles.
Doing a little bit every day, is better than doing a lot occasionally because a little bit every day is enough to grow into a lifelong habit.
Two habits that have really helped me are:
- only eating when seated, and
- portioning out all food and eating it from a dish.
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
~ Lao Tzu
#4 – Don’t Live In Deprivation
Once your mind and body feel deprived, you’re doomed.
If you deny something for too long, you end up craving it more and more. Your mind, body and the environment will gang up on you and sabotage your best efforts. So figure out strategies for giving yourself what you crave in reasonable amounts.
Starvation is not a weight loss strategy. If you run around hungry all the time, you will eventually gorge yourself.
Find foods that keep you feeling full that are also great calorie bargains.
When it doubt, bulk it up with low calorie fruits and vegetables and lean proteins. It’s much easier to avoid temptation when you are not hungry.
#5 – Add Movement To Your Days
This doesn’t have to mean formal exercise. But it does need to be a priority.
Find ways to move more in your everyday life…
Park at the far end of the lot. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Get up and move around during the commercials of your favorite television show. Make it fun.
Find ways to turn exercise into play. Take a bike ride with your kids or play tag with them. Try a dance class.
My primary forms of exercise are gentle yoga and walking.
I’m also a big believer in the benefits of mind/body exercises such as yoga and tai chi.
Here’s a great 30 minute yoga practice to increase energy.
#6 – Find Support
Managing your weight is so much easier when you have a weight loss partner, particularly if you live with him or her.
If that’s not possible, join a formal program with support, or find an online group.
I receive an assortment of newsletters and emails that are always providing me with information about weight loss and healthy eating to keep me focused on the topic.
Click here to Sign up to get my emails with all my best easy healthy recipes, tips ‘n tricks, inspiration and more to help you lose weight your way!
“When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.”
~ Franklin D. Roosevelt
#7 – Give Yourself A Break
Remember that the key to long-term success is progress, not perfection.
Chances are that you will fall off the wagon at some point. Maybe you’ll fall off repeatedly – just like I did.
When you do, you’ll have a choice: either stay down or get back up. You know where staying down will leave you. Don’t beat yourself up when you do fall down – it happens to all of us. A lot!
It doesn’t mean you are weak or lacking character. It means you’re human. It simply reflects the fact that being healthy is challenging and takes effort.
Be proud of your effort!!
“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.”~ Zig Ziglar
P.S. If you are looking for a livable way to get on track with your healthy eating and weight loss goals…..
ืbพ eถ-ึกญ็๊บaถฺl๛"^ซศ^vXฏx ขo๖๑ึฒฒfซถหZฎ m,rฅ้เ{๚ฎขุ-ุฆษZฒสฎขึฅ ๅy๛pฆ)๎5๋,7บYjบlญสฎขุmถ?ศฆฆWงข๊โฒ+โ()rํz{บhi?Mz]ฟวZหขeขห,ชํฒึซท4วฎผ{^=ำ}9็๕฿H้ซจตฉmช๊-ภฺศ(ZWงๅm.,Jfซต+Zฎฺฎข"vุjบwำJฎขุ^mช๊-ใMjบ]jึฉy่ฆ)๊บmฎ็ชบูmจ-฿ู้mฆ Lส[Zทช๊-iณ์jezz.ฎ+!yูbพ)เrฟวZสษฎ-jปpz(!ถZ,ฑศZWง๏๊บ`ทok$ฆjปRตชํY่ า่ฒวข๊์yฉx([j fk&๋-ยญสญ้hขHง๚+฿ู้mฆ Nฝ๊฿ข๊๐y้,สด฿ูem่"๋-iนbฒงฺ่บุงzหajจนฦงฒุญ ๚+z๗ซ฿ู้mฆ eท๚`ต.ำeVฒถ ฎงw +ฺ ญๆญyจ^j[aฆบ&ขุง้ฉฃซx%๗ฌท)^ถญฒ๊iขปlสขทข ayทฌถ๗ซฒ*'กจปญญ่ฅถศZ๊+u๊k๖ญๅท๚`ถ[iูmฒฺ่- ๋-ขgซM๋-j'ฉl฿์ถบ' eท๚`ถ[iฺฎขูmzh- #ฎุZ"ซrฌyจบนmj~ซจถmฆฯฒ)ฉ้่บธฌ ็e๘งส&o k+&jปlตชํม่ ูhฒว!jY^ฟช๊-ผ ฌชํJึซด(ZWง้mจ-jwHฺฎขา ข}7๖ู'ฃhยฺ- ฉไสฅท๗ฆฺฎขะnถ฿ู้mฆ jบeต้ ดxjปah่บmสซึกญ็๊บaถฺl๛"^ซศ^vXฏx ขo์ ข2ข๊์zW์)ฎุฆjืขบwe{ขpjื!zท๋้/๊บ`ต)hภ*(๊$้้mจ-ถZศZฝๆz{$iข aฎ ุ^ฉื(๋-ขgฃบหaฃ ฎr (ฎLจบฏzญ{hถฌjwcบหp ซZmชเj)ศHมฉํถajy2ข็่ญฉeสกฉ!ฉลศญyhm่"*.ฎ[Zทช๊-iณ์jezz.ฎ+!yูbพ)เrฟวZสษฎ-jปpz(!ถZ,ฑศZWง๏๊บ`ทok$ฆjปRตชํ฿ฺะฺหXฌถจฎบ0฿ jบeตบิhn)ม฿ู้mฆ jบeต้ ดฦซถษธ ๋-jฆขgงทฌยง":"็rข๊ๅตจky๚ฎขุmถ?ศฆฆWงข๊โฒ+โ(ผuฌฌชํฒึซทขeขห ฉezx ซจถ v๐6ฒJfซต+Zฎีm., ฅ้เz[j Hถฅฅ็fzZ(ซe๗ m,ญๆฅหbqฉeส[zh-ช๊- ซaส[ฆ eถ-ช๊-ืฆา$2ขๆซz๗ซษปฌษปญ";ฌทงต็mขืฅ*.&นศHjkyศต์จบทงrซjง้[jjjYr{)ทjขฺ jุ^j[aษฉ ฒม่ า%ข๗ฒข๊ๅตจky๚ฎขุmถ?ศฆฆWงข๊โฒ+โ(ผuฌฌชํฒึซทขeขห ฉezx ซจถ v๑ึฒrซฑ้mจ-jwZ\จบบr*^ฒุฉฑฉ)ํฐฬกบฦฺูhฝ๋ ฝ๊๒ถงกj๗ญฎ'ฒฺฌโุZLจบ[zh-ช๊-Iฉศษm-฿๘-
Hi. I find your messages encouraging and helpful. I use MyFitnessPal and your recipes have made success so much easier. In the last 15 months I have lost 54 pounds. Thank you for the big part you have played in my success.
Hi Sandra, Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know. Congratulations on your 54 pound weight loss. That’s wonderful! ~Martha
Martha, thanks for your inspiration! What are your favorite cookbooks?
My favorite Christmas movie is Itโs a Wonderful Life. I love spending time with family & friends. Iโm getting close to getting to my goal weight.im loving the New Weight Watchers program. Iโm going to roast a variety of veggies and drizzle balsamic vinegar reduction on top.
I love connecting with family and friends at Christmas. White Christmas with Bing Crosby is my favorite movie. I am looking forward to making turkey vegetable barley soup. I track so I can begin to establish healthy habits and appreciate the support from meetings and friends who understand the weight watcher program