Setbacks – they’re part of the weight loss journey. No matter how hard you try to avoid them, you will encounter them.
Birthdays, holidays, and parties all present temptations. And work stress, family responsibilities, and social pressure can all wear away at your willpower.
Yep, everyone faces obstacles on the road to weight loss. How you respond to them is what makes the difference between failure and success.
So what’s the simplest way to not let setbacks steer you off course?
Plan ahead.
Take a good hard look at what’s made you fall off the wagon in the past. Was it that pushy coworker? Holiday goodies? Or was it a case of stress-eating?
Whatever the case, the clearer you get on the problem, the less likely you’ll be to repeat the same misstep again.
Once you know your triggers, you can create coping skills to prevent setbacks from ruining your success.
Need some inspiration? Here are 5 coping skills to keep setbacks from turning into stumbling blocks:
🍴 Check out the menu beforehand. That way you can pick a healthy dish before you set foot in the restaurant.
🙅♀️ Remove temptations. It’s much easier to make healthy choices when there’s no junk in sight.
🥗 Bring a healthy dish. Not all parties will have healthy options. So bring your own!
🧘♀️ Manage your stress. Take a bath, exercise, call a friend, or try some breathwork.
⛹️♀️ Rebound quickly. Don’t let one mistake ruin all your success. If you slip up, forgive yourself, and get right back on track.
ACTION STEP: Be mindful of any triggers that lead you to overeat. And put a plan in place so they won’t steer you off course.
Superfood Spotlight: Bell Peppers
Bell peppers are loaded with vitamin C, which supports a healthy immune system. In fact, one medium red bell pepper boasts 169% of the RDA for vitamin C. That’s nearly twice as much as an orange!
Bell peppers are also rich in vitamin B6, a nutrient crucial for brain health. Vitamin B6 increases your levels of “happy hormones” like serotonin and norepinephrine, boosting your mood, focus, and energy levels.
Bell peppers are easy to add to salads and soups and make a tasty snack with hummus. You can also stuff them to make a filling main dish. Try it out with the recipe below!
Recipe of the Week: Mexican Black Bean Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
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Recipe makes 1 serving
477 calories per serving
Ingredients:
- 1 red bell pepper, halved lengthwise (165g)
- 3 tbsp quinoa, rinsed (32g)
- ½ cup water (120ml)
- 2 tbsp zucchini, grated (16g)
- ½ cup canned black beans, no salt added, drained (85g)
- 1 green onion, chopped (12g)
- 2 tsp olive oil (10ml)
- ¼ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- 1 clove garlic, chopped (3g)
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds, unsalted (15g)
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (1g)
- Juice of 1 lime
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Line a tray with foil. Place peppers cut-side up on the tray. 2. Combine quinoa and water in a small pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until fluffy.
3. Transfer the quinoa to a bowl. Add zucchini, beans, green onions, olive oil, cumin, turmeric, chili powder, coriander, garlic, pumpkin seeds, and cilantro, Mix well.
4. Stuff each pepper half with quinoa mixture. Cover with foil, and bake for 25 minutes.
5. Remove foil, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until peppers have softened.
6. Top with lime juice.
20 Tasty & Healthy Snacks Perfect for Weight Loss
“If I eat snacks, will I still lose weight?” I get this question all the time. And the answer is YES… if you choose the right ones.
Reaching for that candy bar when 3 pm rolls around can be tempting. That’s why it’s a good idea to have healthy snacks on hand before a craving strikes.
Need some ideas? Check out this post where I lay out 20 tasty and healthy snacks for weight loss.
Latest Wins 🏆
This week’s Smoothie Diet wins are short and sweet, and come from Carolyn and Monish:
“I am on day 11 and lost about 4 pounds. I can tell a difference in my waist and midsection.”
Carolyn M.
“I lost 2 kg (4.4 lb) weight just in six days with one-time smoothie following meals as per your list with two snacks.”
-Monish S.
Great! 🙌 Please both keep me updated on your progress!
That’s all for now – until next time, have a great week!
