I’ve worked with thousands of clients over the years and I’ve come to the conclusion that there are really two keys to successful weight loss. First and foremost, you have to PLAN AHEAD! Secondarily you must GO TO THE GROCERY STORE! Sounds simple right? Amazingly the are quite simple, but unfortunately for some they are quite difficult to master. So how come these are the two keys to success and how can you conquer them to ultimately set yourself up for successful weight loss?

Let’s start with planning ahead; this relates to both the food you’ll be eating and your workouts. You can’t just tell yourself you’re going to eat healthy or start working out without some careful planning? If you eat on the run and don’t have things planned out, nine times out of ten you’ll turn to processed foods (such as canned, boxed or frozen meals) or eating out because they are quick options! Both can be disastrous as it relates to weight loss. First off, processed foods generally have added sugars, excess carbohydrates, unhealthy fats and salt in them…all counterintuitive to weight loss. As for eating out, again added carbohydrates, fats, and sodium are often hidden in the entrees. Additionally, most restaurants simply serve too large portion sizes which can lead to overeating. So nutritionally, you’ll need to take a few minutes each day to think about and prepare for your meals the following day. Prepping healthy snacks, packing a healthy lunch, and preparing a healthy dinner to cook at home are just a few tips to help in this planning process. If you do intend to eat out, look at the restaurant’s menu (most contain menus and nutritional content on the web) before you even arrive so that you know you’ll be making a healthy choice. Only eating half of what they serve you or splitting a meal with a friend or family member is another healthy tactic when eating out.

Planning ahead is also important for your workouts because you need to have a weekly strategy (i.e. how many workouts do you intend to accomplish, when will you do these, and what type of workouts will you do; i.e. strength, yoga, cardio, etc.). If you have a plan in mind, chances are they’ll actually get done. If you don’t have a plan and only tell yourself “I’ll exercise if I have time…”, that time may never come. Set your workout schedule for the week and make those appointments just as important as work meetings and/or other appointments you have set for the week.

Now for the second key to successful weight loss: going to the grocery store. This really sounds simple, but I’m here to tell you that if you don’t do this you’ll have a difficult time staying on track. Obviously you also have to make healthy choices when you do your grocery shopping, but bottom line is you have to have healthy “whole food” options at home in order to make weight loss friendly choices for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. The whole food concept boils down to choosing foods in their most whole/natural state. If you have to open a package before you eat it, think twice about eating it!