10 Things I’ve Learned About Weight Loss This Year

Thank you Jenny Craig for sponsoring this post. — Get serious about losing weight with Jenny Craig!

Remember back in January when I shared Ways to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions? Well, I’m happy to report that I’m still meeting my healthy living goals and I’ve learned so much in the process. I’m eight weeks in and still a long way to my goal but I know I can get there.

If you need a little encouragement or motivation in your own healthy living journey, here are 10 Things I’ve Learned About Weight Loss This Year.

1 | Eat more Veggies

I realized I have not been eating enough vegetables. Jenny Craig suggests eating a 1/2 cup or more with dinner and using vegetables to snack on when hungry. These past 8 weeks I’ve really stepped up my vegetable game and I’ve noticed a difference.

2 | Two cups is a TON of salad

Kind of along the same lines as the point before. With lunch, Jenny Craig recommends eating 2 cups of garden salad. I checked the bag and a serving is actually 3 cups of salad. Do you realize how much salad that is!? Chances are you don’t. My two cups easily fill up my salad plate. All these years I’ve been serving myself way too little.

3 | Drink Lots of Water

Most people don’t drink enough water. I used to be one of those people but now I’ve swapped Diet Coke for La Croix and make sure to drink two 32oz bottles of water every day. They say many times when you are hungry, you’re actually thirsty and I’m becoming a believer. Usually when I get the urge to snack I drink a glass of water and wait 20 minutes. If I’m still hungry I grab some veggies but usually the water is all I need!

4 | It’s all about Portion Size

The first week on Jenny Craig, I would compare the size of my dinner to my husband’s plate and marvel at the huge discrepancy. I think portion sizes was the biggest takeaway for me. I need to be eating much less at meal time.

5 | Give Yourself Grace to Splurge

Being serious about losing weight doesn’t mean you have to give up enjoying the foods you love. Dieting is so much easier when it isn’t a sacrifice. Jenny Craig has more than 100 menu items, including a sweet treat or salty snack to enjoy each day. This makes the plan seem less like dieting and more like real life in moderation. Allow yourself to have this occasional splurge but watch your portion size and keep it in moderation.

6 | Always Plan Ahead

Sticking to your plan is the best way to lose the most weight. But sometimes you get stuck somewhere and don’t have your food. Or you have date night with your spouse or lunch with friends. Plan in advance and check menus before you go and make sure to choose restaurants with lots of healthy options. Pack healthy snacks and portable meals when you will be away from home for the day. It’s all about thinking ahead and knowing your options before you go.

7 | Exercise!

Jenny Craig members can expect to lose an average of 1-2 pounds per week, which is a healthy range of weight loss. However, I have had atypical results. Most weeks I’ve lost more than the average. I credit that to not only sticking to the plan but also being consistent with my exercise. I go to the gym 3-4 times a week and exercise for an hour. Maybe that’s walking on the treadmill at a serious incline, taking a yoga class or doing the elliptical machine. I make exercising a priority and I’ve noticed a huge difference in my energy levels.

8 | Accountability is Key

One thing I love about Jenny Craig is the weekly one-on-one meeting with my consultant. With Jenny Craig, you always have someone there to cheer you on, motivate you and keep you on track. We review the week and talk about any challenges I had from the previous week. Things that worked well and areas that are more challenging. She has been really encouraging and her texts throughout the week help me stay on track with my goals

9 | Journaling Helps

I’m the first to admit I haven’t stuck to the Jenny Craig plan 100%. There are definitely days or meals I’ve had to go “off-plan” and that’s okay because I write everything down! It helps you stay accountable to yourself. Knowing you have to write down, “I ate an entire sleeve of Thin Mints” might be all you need to tuck the sleeve back in the box and just eat one.

10 | It’s Not ALL About the Scale

Sure losing weight is nice but don’t lose hope when it doesn’t move as quickly as you’d like. Losing inches is just as important as losing pounds. And as you incorporate exercise into your diet your overall body shape will change too. See that in inches can be really encouraging!

I hope these things I’ve learned about weight loss can encourage you. I have spent the last several weeks I’ve focused on creating a more balanced approach to living and I’m loving the results. I’ll check in with you again in the summertime so you can see if I meet my ultimate health goals for 2017 but thanks to Jenny Craig I know I’m off to a great start!