Do you struggle with weight loss consistency?
You say to yourself “Things are going to be different this time.”
But in the end, nothing ever changes.
You’re always falling into the same predictable pattern:
- Get inspired to be in a calorie deficit and lose weight
- Stick with things for a little bit
- Fall off track
It happens time.
And time.
And TIME again.
The good news is…
Things definitely don’t have to be like that.
Things don’t have to be like that though (they can actually be the exact opposite).
Imagine a world where you stick with things long-term and have great weight loss consistency.
You lose the weight you want and it stays off, once and for all.
No more yo-yo dieting or starting back at square one.
Let’s help you achieve that goal.
I’ve outlined 10 tips below that’ll show you how to stay consistent with diet and exercise 💪
Why can’t I stay consistent with my weight loss?
1. Don’t go to the extreme
NOW.
That one word is when you want to see weight loss.
Not next week, next month, or three months from now but…
NOW.
…As in right this very second.
So, you call on some pretty drastic weight loss methods in hopes it’ll speed things up.
You restrict yourself by only eating 1,200 calories and cutting out all of your favorite foods.
But going to the extreme is like tossing a boomerang.
It always comes right back to where you threw it from originally.
The same thing happens when you take extreme measures for weight loss.
That’s codeword for: You won’t make any lasting progress.
You get stuck in weight loss purgatory where you just cycle between losing a little bit of weight and gaining it all back.
How can you prevent this from happening in the future?
Get rid of the “I can make weight loss happen overnight” mindset.
That’s not how weight loss works.
Instead, improve your weight loss consistency by taking a more modest approach.
Here are 4 easy steps you can take to do that:
- Eat about 20% less than your maintenance calories.
- Consume between 0.7g-1g of your goal body weight in protein every single day. Protein keeps you full and is key to building/preserving muscle. Muscle increases your metabolism, which enables you to lose more fat.
- Strength train 3-4 times per week. If you want a fitter, more athletic-looking physique with muscle definition, this is a non-negotiable. You can easily create your very own customized strength training plan by reading through THIS POST.
- Get between 7.5K–10K steps every single day. Daily movement has SO MANY health benefits and it’s also one of the easiest forms of exercise you can do for weight loss consistency.
2. Actually keep track of your consistency
Results are simply just a reflection of how consistent you are.
So if you’ve been giving a D+ effort, are A+ results a reasonable expectation?
Try the following exercise out to help with your weight loss consistency.
I picked it up from fitness trainer, Jordan Syatt.
Over the next 90 days, I want you to give yourself an “X” on the calendar when you hit BOTH your workout and nutrition goals.
You only get an X if you:
- Stayed within your calories
- Hit your workout (if you had one planned that day)
- Got your daily steps in
On days you don’t meet that criteria, give yourself a “0.”
Just to reiterate, either you get an “X” for the day or you get a “0.”
There’s not a middle ground with this.
At the end of the month, tally up how consistent you are (take your total number of X’s and divide by 90 days).
Use this grading scale to determine your weight loss consistency (it’s the same one from when you were in school 😂):
- A: 90-100%
- B: 80-89%
- C: 70-79%
- D: 60-69%
- F: Below 60%
80% or above is what you want to shoot for.
If you’re below 80% that means you have some work to do in the weight loss consistency department.
3. Establish a calorie range to hit instead of just one number
Are you approaching counting calories like this? ⇩⇩⇩
“My calorie deficit is X calories and I need to hit the number exactly on the dot.”
Or another way to put it…
Let’s say your deficit number is 2,500 calories.
Would eating 2,550 give you anxiety and make you feel like you screwed things up?
All thinking that way does is mess with your weight loss consistency.
Being in a calorie deficit isn’t this all-or-nothing thing.
It’s not like, “Ah! I ate 10 calories above my number so I won’t be in a calorie deficit anymore or lose any weight.”
Give yourself a range instead of a single target to hit (plus or minus 100 calories in both directions)
Back to our 2,500 calorie example, your range would be 2,400-2,600 calories.
As long as you’re staying within that range, everything will be all good.
You’ll still be in a calorie deficit and see weight loss.
4. Change one or two things instead of doing a complete overhaul
One of the biggest weight loss mistakes a lot of people make is taking on too much, too soon.
Making progress doesn’t require doing a complete 180 degree turn with your life.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, the best thing you can do to improve weight loss consistency is simply to start small.
You’re not looking to take monumental strides here.
Start with something simple, like:
- Eating at least two servings of veggies a day and a piece of fruit.
- Going on a 30 minute walk three times per week
- Eating more fiber (25 grams per day for women and 35 grams per day for men)
Focus on taking that first initial step, then the next small step after that, and another small step after that.
Those little steps will eventually add up to the big change you want.
5. Stop waiting for motivation to come
Motivation isn’t like Superman, it won’t always fly in to save the day.
The truth of the matter is you’re just not always going to feel super motivated when it comes to weight loss.
But that’s totally normal.
If you really think about it, motivation is a feeling just like being happy or sad.
And feelings come and go.
Are you motivated every single day to get up and go to work?
No, but you need money to pay your bills.
What about washing dishes?
Nope, but if you didn’t you wouldn’t have anything clean to eat with.
Does mowing the lawn get you all fired up?
Again, naaaaa.
Weight loss consistency is no different.
You can’t rely on feelings to get done what you know you need to do.
If you want to achieve your weight loss goals, get comfortable with taking action even when you don’t feel motivated.
You know what happens when you take action?
It produces positive results (i.e. you get a good workout in, have all your meals prepped for the week, feel proud of yourself for going on that walk, etc).
And when you see those positive results, it motivates you to keep taking action.
That’s how motivation ACTUALLY Works.
It’s not this: Motivation → Action → Results.
It’s this: Action → Results → Motivation.
6. Plan ahead and create structure
”Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”
I definitely didn’t make that up…
So shout out to Benjamin Franklin 😂
When you don’t have a plan, it’s easier for you to just not take action.
It’s like “Well I don’t have a plan so what am I supposed to do?
Here’s what you do to get a game plan together…
Take out your phone.
Not tomorrow, the day after that, or a week from now (You won’t do it if you wait).
But literally RIGHT NOW.
Block off times for fitness-related activities–strength training sessions, going for walks, grocery shopping, meal prep, etc.
Have everything all scheduled?
Here’s the key to this exercise:
You treat these appointments like you would like a meeting with Warren Buffet, who has so graciously promised to give you 10 million bucks just for showing up.
Any chance you cancel?
Negative.
I can already hear it…
“But Chad, that’s different. I don’t get 10 million dollars for showing up to my workouts.”
Well, what’s the price tag you’re willing to place on YOUR health, wellness, and fitness?
I can’t think of one high enough…
7. Have some quick go-to meals as in staples your diet
When you’re super hungry you opt for convenience.
It’s much easier to reach for a handful of chips or M&M’s as opposed to cooking, which can take more time than you’re willing to wait.
That’s why you need to have some quick and easy 5-minute meals you can turn to that are simple to make.
Here’s an example of what that could look like (It’s a typical lunch for me).
I’ll make a burrito using an Ole Xtreme Wellness Wrap (super high in fiber, which is filling).
Then, in the burrito I’ll have:
- Pre-sliced chicken or turkey breast: High in protein
- Vegetables like lettuce, tomato, onion, etc: Give you more food volume
- Bolthouse Farms condiments and salad dressings: This company has a bunch of different flavors but Caesar and blue cheese are my personal favorites
I’ll also usually have a Dannon Light + Fit nonfat Greek yogurt and some chips like Cheetos or Doritos on the side.
“Chips aren’t healthy! If you eat those, you won’t lose weight.”
Is that what you’re thinking?
I used to think the same exact way–that certain foods like chips, pizza, or burgers were “bad” for weight loss and other foods were “good.”
I also thought strictly “healthy eating” was the only way to lose weight.
But all it did was make me feel miserable.
Thankfully, I finally learned that severely restricting yourself is no way to lose weight long-term.
You might find yourself in the same boat.
You deprive yourself and then always end up not being able to stick with things.
If you want to upgrade your weight loss consistency, ditch those rigid diets you think are “healthy,” stop depriving yourself, and start eating with more balance.
Balance = sprinkling in the foods you love (yes, the higher-calorie ones) while making sure to get the majority of your calories from nutrient-dense whole foods.
8. Stop comparing yourself to others
You feel like a failure because Suzie from HR can’t stop talking about how she lost 8 lbs last month?
And here you are…
You’ve only lost a measly two pounds.
What’s the point in trying if you can’t make progress like her?
STOP IT!
Comparing yourself to others does absolutely nothing for you in terms of weight loss consistency.
Their journey isn’t your journey and when you tell yourself things like “I’ve ONLY lost X amount of weight,” it minimizes the progress you’re making.
And that’s the key word–progress.
You.
Are.
Making.
PROGRESS.
Which means you’re headed in the right direction.
That’s the type of mindset you want to have.
9. Try calorie cycling
The one requirement, above all else, for weight loss?
Being in a calorie deficit.
But you don’t have to be in one 24/7, 365.
As long as you’re in a net calorie deficit for the week, you’ll still lose weight.
Calorie cycling is something that can give you a little more flexibility with your diet.
You look at your calorie deficit on a weekly basis as opposed to daily.
Some days you’ll eat a little more calories.
On other days, you’ll eat fewer calories.
At the end of the week, it all events out to you being in a calorie deficit, which = weight loss.
10. Realize you don’t have to be perfect to see results
Perfection and weight loss consistency are like having to pee and being stuck in an elevator…
They just don’t mix 😅
Perfection is an unrealistic expectation.
And besides, being perfect doesn’t drive results.
How consistent you are does.
So it’s not what you do all the time but what you do MOST of the time that counts.
Had a weekend where you binged out and went over on your calories?
That’s okay, things happen.
Don’t beat yourself up about it.
Instead, remind yourself that…
“It’s not what I do on one day but what I do on the majority of my days that produces results.”
How to stay consistent with weight loss FAQs
How long does it take to lose weight with consistency?
Assuming you’re consistent about being in a calorie deficit (not just thinking you’re in one), rough estimate…
You should start seeing some type of results–whether that be weight loss and/or inch loss–within about 1-3 weeks.
Now, there’s a caveat to this.
If you’re a beginner to strength training, you can actually build muscle and lose fat at the same time.
How that normally looks is this:
You lose inches but not weight.
You’re essentially replacing fat with muscle.
Since muscle takes up less space, that’s why the scale doesn’t move but you lose inches.
Inch loss = fat loss, so when that happens, know that you’re still making progress, even though the scale doesn’t currently tell you that.
How do I maintain weight loss after losing it?
How you lost the weight originally (hopefully, in a balanced and sustainable way) is exactly how you’re going to keep it off.
No drastic 1,200-calorie crash diets where you overly restrict yourself.
No trying to fit 6 HIIT workouts into your week.
Or suffering through endless bouts of cardio on the treadmill.
You lose the weight and maintain it by continuing to practice flexible eating (Remember the 80/20 Rule).
You strength train 3-4 times per week, focusing on lifting heavier and heavier weights over time (AKA progressive overload).
You continue to get daily movement throughout the day and not bond so much with your couch.
How do I become consistent with dieting?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed about weight loss consistency, don’t try to make a complete 180 overhaul of your life.
As we’ve talked about, one way to stay consistent with weight loss is to start by making small changes.
Eat more fruits and veggies, drink more water, go on walks in the morning or after dinner.
Then, just build on smaller habits like those.
That’s what leads to lasting change…
A bunch of little habits added up together and done consistently over time.
How do I stop self-sabotaging my weight loss?
Our minds don’t like discomfort, even if that temporary discomfort will make things better for us in the long run.
Your mind would rather you stay all wrapped up in your little cocoon it’s gotten used to, not making any changes and just maintaining the status quo.
For example, if you’re used to having ice cream every night after dinner, choosing not to so you can stay on track with your weight loss goals will probably set off alarm bells in your head at first.
It’s like “Woah woah WOAH, what are you doing?! I’m not used to this!”
It’s uncomfortable not having it like you normally do.
Here’s the thing you need to understand…
Change and growth only come out of discomfort.
So don’t shy away from those feelings, lean into them.
Feeling a little uncomfortable means you’re making progress.
Your mind will adapt, the discomfort will subside, and the healthier, more sustainable habits you’re practicing will become your new normal in time.
You just have to keep at it.