6 Things That Helped Me Lose Pounds and Gain Happiness | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

6 Things That Helped Me Lose Pounds and Gain Happiness

Are you unhappy with yourself, your lifestyle, your weight, and your habits? Here are six things that helped me personally go from the lowest point in my fitness/health journey to the highest point.

25
6 Things That Helped Me Lose Pounds and Gain Happiness
1. Exercising (at least 30 minutes a day)

I know what you're going to say. Ugh. Everyone always says to exercise. Well, there's a reason as to why everyone says it - it WORKS. When I was 45 pounds heavier than I am now, I never envisioned myself as being a person who exercises daily and actually enjoys it. Now I cannot imagine a day where I don't at least move my body. Exercising not only helps with cardiovascular endurance, it also helps with your mentally stability. I'll be the first to tell you that I hate gyms; you don't have to like them in order to get into shape. I do my workouts at home. You have to find something that you LIKE and that you will enjoy, and then go from there. Get up, get moving, and your body will reward you for it.

2. Stop The Snacking

I cannot begin to express how much this step has changed my life. You might think that a little bowl or a little handful of Goldfish or popcorn won't do anything, but you'd be surprised. This is the habit that took me the longest to break. I am not saying that you can't have any snack foods ever, because trust me, I still have some Goldfish and popcorn! But it needs to be way less often than you'd think. I used to eat breakfast, then a snack, another snack, then lunch, then a snack, dinner, and then more snacks. I didn't even realize I was snacking as much as I was! Most of the time, you aren't even hungry for those snacks -- you're just bored. Put the snacks away, drink some water, and get moving!

3. Never Skip A Meal

I am not one to do any of the "fasting" diets and I am certainly not the "I don't eat breakfast" type of person. Breakfast is quite literally the most important meal of the day. It's the meal where you are supposed to have most of your calories with, because these calories are what fuel you throughout the day AND what you get to burn off throughout the day. Then comes lunch, which is supposed to be a little less calories than breakfast, but still enough to fuel you. The thing with dinner that I've learned is that you are not supposed to have a huge & high calorie dinner -- just enough to fuel you for the night. But skipping any of these meals? That absolutely never helped me - that would just make me crave those snacks more and more.

4. Drink Water

This one is pretty simple - DRINK YOUR WATER. Surprisingly enough, water actually satisfies hunger cravings. So when you're feeling hungry, but you're like "That's weird because I just ate", drink water. Whatever you do, whether you take any of my advice from this or not, at least just drink water. It's one of the best things you can do for yourself.

5. Give Yourself A Goal

One of my favorite things to do after I workout is to cross it off of my calendar. I do workout programs that have their own calendars that show you each workout to do on each day. My favorite thing is when I get to cross a day off. It's something so little but it is so accomplishing. Even if you don't do a specific workout program, you can still make a calendar for yourself with goals on it so that you get to cross off whenever you finish those goals!

6. Have Fun With It

Above all else, have fun with becoming a healthier person. I tried to change my lifestyle when I didn't want to and when I was mad at myself, and I did not see results. I only started to truly change and to see actual results when I stopped worrying and just started enjoying the process. It may be hard work and it may take awhile, but that is all the more reason to enjoy it while it's happening. Your body will love you for it.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

1095
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

657
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

199775
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

20621
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments