By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD 

If you’ve pursued weight loss in the past, whether a few months or several years ago, the path to restarting your journey may seem daunting. It’s not always easy to identify where or how to get back on track, especially if some of the strategies you used didn’t seem to work. 

Fortunately, there are many ways to resume a weight loss journey and no one-size-fits-all path that you must follow. Here are some great ideas for reigniting your focus, one step at a time. 

1 – Start eating at regular intervals. 

Having regular meals (and not skipping any!) is a tried and true method for kickstarting healthy eating and a weight loss meal plan. Start with three meals a day with about three to four hours in between them. Even if you don’t feel very hungry at meal time, consider having a small, balanced snack with protein and fiber-rich carbohydrates like cottage cheese and fruit. This will be more helpful in preventing overeating at a later time than skipping the meal altogether. 

2 – Limit sugar-sweetened beverages. 

If you only have the capacity to prioritize one or two things as you restart your path to losing weight, make beverages your focus. Regularly consuming sugar-sweetened drinks can make it difficult to drop extra pounds. Try swapping unsweetened sparkling waters, such as La Croix, Bubly, or Polar, for soda. If you prefer energy drinks and sugary coffee beverages, consider iced tea with lemon or coffee with a little cream to still get your caffeine fix without the extras. 

3 – Move more. 

It doesn’t have to be much to start, but moving more often during your day is a good first step for losing weight. Take the stairs, park farther away from a store, walk around the neighborhood after dinner, or try a new exercise class. As movement becomes part of your routine, increase intensity and frequency. 

4 – Think protein. 

Getting enough protein is key for maintaining a healthy metabolism and feeling satisfied between meals. If you tend to skimp on protein, make it a priority to include some at every meal and snack. Eggs, beans, ground beef, chicken breasts, cheese, and Greek yogurt are a few accessible, easy, and affordable options. 

5 – Focus on SMART goals. 

If you struggled with reaching weight loss goals in the past, you may want to try setting SMART goals this time around. The acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time Bound. Instead of focusing on a vague, general outcome, SMART goals incorporate specific and realistic steps that will help you be more successful in achieving them. Check out our blog post about this topic for more details. 

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