Woman who shed 22 kg at home shares 5 things she wished people knew about weight loss: 'You can do it the quick way...'

Do you want a balanced, flexible approach to weight loss, or do you want to feel trapped in a cycle of restriction and obsession? Here are tips that may help.

Johanna Sophia from Canada is an online weight loss coach and mother who lost over 50 pounds (22.6 kg) with home workouts. In a February 26 Instagram post titled '5 things I wish people knew about losing weight,' Johanna highlighted that when it comes to weight loss, the approach you take can significantly impact your overall well-being and long-term success.

According to her, these are the five things people need to know about weight loss to achieve sustainable weight loss and improve their overall well-being:

How do you want to feel once the weight is lost?

1. You can either do it the quick way: under-eat, over-exercise, get lost in the numbers, and get caught up in a toxic mindset. Or do it the right way: stay disciplined, get consistent with your nutrition and workouts, be intentional with your nutrition, and lead a balanced lifestyle. Both ways will make you lose weight, but the question you have to ask yourself is, how do you want to feel once the weight is lost?

2. Consistency (even if it’s only 5-10 minutes to start out or fill in days when you can’t do any longer) is more important than intensity. Through consistency, your body is transformed (through repetition), and your mindset is transformed (through confidence in showing up for yourself). Showing up for an hour of exercise once a week will do less for you than 5 minutes daily.

The weighing scale can be tricky

3. Calories in vs calories out is essential, but it’s not the only factor that will determine weight loss. If your routine is out of whack and you’re not taking care of your stress levels or consuming nutrients your body needs to thrive, your body won’t efficiently or sustainably lose weight — meaning it will be super easy for you to gain it all back once you’ve reached your goal.

4. The scale can be tricky because of how your body holds weight. You can see no physical difference and yet see the number move on the scale. Similarly, you can see a drastic difference in your physique and see no change on the scale. The scale cannot measure the difference between muscle and fat, how much water weight you're holding, how fat is distributed throughout your body, your confidence levels, your mindset, or anything that matters aside from the change in how gravity affects you. If you struggle with numbers, throw that scale out

5. The sooner you take a look at how much refined sugar you are eating throughout the day, the sooner you will be able to realize why you are fluctuating in your mood, cravings, energy levels, and all the things you need to put towards your weight loss journey. Understanding the role of glucose and insulin in your weight loss journey will transform the way you approach it and make it a million times simpler.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.