How To Make A Weight Loss Plan (And Stick To It)

The start of a weight loss journey is an exciting time. I want your plan to last all the way through to your weight loss goals. In this article, I discuss how to make a weight loss plan and how to stick to it for success.

Get A Detailed Plan

Make a clear plan and stick to it. Write out exactly how you are going to be doing things.

For example you might say that you will walk the dog 6 days a week for 30 minutes. You may even get more specific and say that you will walk the dog 30 minutes a day every Monday-Saturday.

If you waver from the plan, have a good reason and write down why. For example, it was raining on Wednesday evening so I couldn't walk the dog that day. You may even choose to make up for it by walking the dog on one of your off days.

These are just examples, but this will help you know how specific you need to be. Keeping yourself on a plan is important to the success of your weight loss journey.

Get A Realistic Plan

Let's be real.

If your plan is too hard and much too strict, you will fall off the plan every single time. You will find yourself too tired to exercise, or so ravenously hungry that you visit the nearest buffet asap. That's not what we want.

Your plan also shouldn't be too easy, because if it's too easy then you won't lose weight from it. There will always be some amount of discomfort when losing weight. You have to expect that when going on a weight loss plan.

Make sure that you are eating at a caloric deficit, and make sure that you are getting moderate activity at least 4 days per week. Other than that, you adjust it how you see fit.

If you want to start out with a smaller deficit, that's fine as long as you are able to lose weight that way. You want to at least shoot for 1-2 lbs lost every week. Less than 1 lb per week is going to be much too slow.

You are looking for that nice middle ground where you are eating at a caloric deficit, losing weight steadily, but not feeling miserable every single day while you do it. Find that balance.

Once you have found the balance, that is your plan to stick to. It could take some experimentation, and that's okay. Different people have different metabolisms and different things work for different people.

Modify If Needed

Over time, you may need to modify your weight loss plan. As you lose weight, your caloric needs change. You will not be burning the same calories at 175 lbs as you did at 210 lbs. You have to check your calorie needs and lower your calories as you lose weight. You should modify your plan as time goes on or you will notice that you stop losing weight altogether.

Another reason you may need to modify your weight loss plan is because of hitting weight loss plateaus. A weight loss plateau is when you are doing everything right, at a deficit every single day, but your weight has stalled week after week.

If you find yourself in this situation, check out my article about weight loss plateaus.

Find Weight Loss Motivation

Another great way to stick to your weight loss plan long term is to stay motivated. Motivation is so important to your success. In fact, having motivation is the only way you will be successful in the long run. You have to live this stuff daily and remind yourself why you are doing it. Because the box of donuts will always be there to remind you of why you don't want to be on a diet.

There are many ways to stay motivated and I even wrote an entire article about weight loss motivation. It's very helpful for reaching your goals, so you should check it out.

Summing It Up

So you have a solid weight loss plan. The plan isn't too hard to stick to long term. And you are fully motivated to continue week after week. This is how you reach your goals and stay there. I am routing for your weight loss success.