Contrary to popular opinion, losing weight is easy, according to Ashanti Johnson, fitness professional and owner of 360.Mind.Body.Soul located in Chicago. Johnson says, it’s following the plan that’s hard.
And she should know. After a lifetime of struggling with her weight, Johnson’s own personal weight loss finally came with ease once the Los Angeles native found happiness after a relocation to Chicago. It was simple, she says, because she started to live her life in a stress-free way.
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Your fitness journey can be just as easy. Here are seven simple ideologies to incorporate into your fitness regime that can give you an extra push toward weight loss success.
1. Lean on someone else and let them lean on you.
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It’s easy to skip a workout or overeat when you only have to answer to yourself. Having a partner or group can make all the difference in weight loss success.
“If you have somebody else that is counting on you, you might just do a little bit more,” Johnson says. “That accountability and connection with the group is key.”
2. Teach someone.
As a part of the gym’s challenges, participants create workout circuits for the entire group and also demonstrate how to cook a healthy meal. Teaching someone else the healthy habits that you’ve learned will commit them to your memory.
“When you teach things, that’s the best way to teach yourself,” Johnson says.
3. Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full.
One of the only rules at 360 Mind.Body.Soul is to, “Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full.” Johnson says that even when you’re not eating the healthiest foods, you’re closer to weight loss when you listen to your body.
“I always relate hunger to any other communication that your body tells you — like being cold or hot, or having to use the restroom,” Johnson says. “You know those signals dead on and you know hunger, but we don’t always obey it.”
4. Be conscious.
If you’re unaware of your overeating, you may be mentally holding on to other issues and baggage that you’ve got to let go of in order to get in tune with your body.
“To get to the point where you’re eating when you’re not hungry means that you’re unconscious; you’re totally checked out,” Johnson says. “It’s important to release a lot of that to make room to pay attention to your body.”
5. Find healthy ways to soothe wounds.
Johnson says that when other people hurt us, the first thing we do is go for things that are bad for us: the snacks, the drinks, the fatty meals.
Instead of going for comfort food, find the root of the problem and fix it there. It’s likely that the answer will be a mental one and can’t be found in the ice cream aisle.
6. Embrace change.
Understanding that some things in your life will likely change is important. Most of Johnson’s clients experience change in some way, especially in their work priorities and relationships, but it’s necessary for them to become their better selves.
“Better requires change,” Johnson says. “If you’re open to change, you have to open yourself up to the world to see something different.”
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7. Return to you.
When creating your fitness goals, ask yourself what you really want and what you prioritize.
“You have all the answers,” Johnson says. “The answers don’t come from school, your mama or your boyfriend, money or job, or anything outside yourself.”
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