January often rings in with ambitions of weight loss but, as the month winds down, many might be finding the journey tougher than expected.
Fitness coach Shannon Collins, who’s renowned for her frank health insights on Instagram, could just help boost your motivation. She’s shared valuable advice aimed at those struggling to keep the extra weight at bay.
Shannon advocates that the key to sustained weight management is simply sticking to some straightforward habits. Once these practices become second nature, she assures results will come.
She said: “I started this journey around 2016, but didn’t really start to take all aspects (cough, cough DIET) seriously until about 2018. It was major baby steps for me to nail down all these habits simultaneously.
“I had the biggest hang up over reducing cardio or thinking that I couldn’t possibly lose fat unless I was drenched in sweat. Took me years to figure out it basically doesn’t matter what you do, if your diet doesn’t match up, then you won’t ever reach your goals.”
Shannon added: “Recently, I shared that I lost a few pounds without tracking food, but a lot of that is to credit from years of tracking/weighing and actually learning about what is in my food and what normal portion sizes look like for me. I learned so much during that time.
“It’s very eye opening and I think everyone should at least trial doing it for a period of time to see the real truth! When you get really good at your habits they become second nature, and you don’t even need to think about them anymore.”
To kick things off, Shannon began by keeping track of her food intake and weighing her meals. This strategy enabled her to understand the appropriate portion sizes for herself, leading to a “balanced plate”.
In addition to this, the dedicated mum made sure to have a proper breakfast each day, moving away from fasting. This change was instrumental in maintaining her fullness and preventing hunger pangs throughout the day.
She also shifted away from excessive high-intensity cardio workouts, which she found spiked her appetite. Now, her exercise regime is more varied, and she no longer feels the need to be soaked in sweat to experience a sense of accomplishment.
Furthermore, Shannon took up weightlifting to enhance her muscle strength, noting that it helps to “burn more calories at rest”. Another lifestyle adjustment was increasing her daily step count by incorporating more walking into her routine, which not only helped her burn additional calories, but also improved her sleep quality.
Since sharing her post, it has garnered thousands of likes, with many people jumping in to express their gratitude for Shannon’s valuable tips. One commenter remarked: “This was so me but what a game changer to eat filling meal. That alone fixed so many things. Thanks for continuing to share this information.”
Another added: “I used to do lots of cardio thinking that’s what I needed to lose fat and stay in shape. It wasn’t until I started lifting weights and more walking rather than a bunch of cardio that I finally saw my body change.”
Meanwhile, a third also replied: “Learning how to track food is a game changer! Brings so much awareness to what you’re eating.”