Are you wondering how those lean people seem to be able to eat anything and not gain weight? You’re not alone. Genetics are partly involved, but we really can’t control that. All we can do is try to have a better lifestyle and develop habits that keep you lean.
It may sound difficult, but if we follow what others have done, we will get on the right path.
Let’s jump right into the 9 powerful things that lean people do to stay fit.
Lean People Have a Plan and Goals
Having a plan is essential to getting and staying lean. It doesn’t just happen from sheer hope. To get lean, a person has to create some goals and follow through with a plan. Most of the time, the goals are simple and attainable like, “I want to stay at 150 pounds”, or “I want to lose 7 pounds in 2 weeks.”
Once you know what you want, you can develop a way to get there. Whether it’s diet, exercise, or a combination – your plan will fall into place. This will prevent you from wandering aimlessly in the grocery store or gym. When you are organized around a plan, you will definitely be more likely to succeed.
Your goals and plan will drive your routine. If you take time to focus on everything you want to accomplish and all of your goals, you are beginning to think like a lean person. Some of these articles can help:
- How to Start an Exercise Program: 5 Awesome Tips for Beginners
- How to Start Bodybuilding – Do These 7 Things to Begin
- Weight Loss Lifestyle Change: Important Steps for Permanent Weight Loss
Get Moving – And Make it Fun
Lean people tend to build exercise or some sort of physical activity in their lives. Some people see the words “exercise” and “diet” as bad words that should be avoided at all costs! The fact is, you don’t have to go to the gym for 4 hours a day or even do a home workout if that’s not your thing (though weight training will get you there quicker).
What do you like to do? Maybe you used to be on a sports team, and you can rekindle your enjoyment. Other fun ideas are going for a walk, forest bathing, swimming, walking your stairs a few times, getting your friends/family involved, and anything else that sounds enjoyable to you.
Making exercise fun is imperative because you will actually be grateful and happy to be able to do so. This is a big factor in lean people. They find fun in physical activity, do it with their loved ones, and support each other in their lives.
Lean People Have Good Eating Habits
What you’re eating is one of the biggest factors of being lean or not. Lean people know this and develop their goals/plan around this fact. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Eat More Protein – Try to have protein with almost every meal. This burns belly fat, keeps your metabolism going, and reduces your appetite.
- Don’t Skip Breakfast – Breakfast really is one of the most important meals. It gets your body ready for the day, jumpstarts your metabolism, and keeps you energized.
- Drink A Lot of Water – Lean people often pay attention to how much water they need to hit their goals. Most people don’t drink enough. Here’s a calculator to see how much you need.
- Eat More Meals More Often – Eating more meals (instead of 3 large ones) reduces your chances of overeating and snacking on unhealthy foods. In general, you will feel better on a regular basis and never be stuffed.
- Adding Variety – Lean people add seafood, tofu, vegetables, and much more into their diets to stay happy. The variety will keep you on track
- Rarely Eat Out – Try to reduce the frequency of eating out. Plan ahead, pack meals, or meal prep for the week.
- See This Article for More: How to Develop Good Eating Habits: 12 Simple Tips to Change
Cheat Days/Meals Are Okay
People who are lean understand that it’s okay to cheat every once in a while. Going cold turkey is rarely the solution to solving a problem or bad habit. So, by all means, have that donut, soda, cake, or whatever it is you desire. You can even make sure that cheating (sometimes) is built into your plan, so that means you aren’t failing!
Many people that view “diet” as a bad word usually picture strict restrictions on what you can and can’t have. In reality, your diet is simply what you eat on a regular basis. If you allow yourself to occasionally enjoy the unhealthy foods that you love, who’s to argue? Once you know how much and how often you can have it – you will build this into your plan.
This is what lean people do. They eat something like ice cream maybe once a week or every two weeks. They make sure that it’s built into their overall plan, then either eat a little less throughout that day or exercise a little bit more.
Lean People Keep the Big Picture in Mind
What is the big picture?
Being lean isn’t about losing 40 pounds as quickly as possible. Any fad diet or exercise routine that promises this is probably a scam. Even if it isn’t a scam, it won’t build good habits into your life.
Lean people don’t care if they gain a couple of pounds in a day, as long as this trend doesn’t continue. They have built a lifestyle that has the big picture of being and staying lean over time – not just the next few weeks until they get bored with diet/exercise.
In essence, the big picture really is the grand plan – which is ultimately to stay lean (in this scenario). Everyone starts somewhere, and they usually start small. If this seems overwhelming for you, then take baby steps and build change into your life. It doesn’t happen overnight, takes time, and will need motivation.
No Excuses
All of the lean people I know rarely make excuses for their problems. They follow through with their plan no matter what. Here are some common excuses to overcome:
- I’m Too Tired, I’ll Start Tomorrow – Taking the first step is the hardest. Once a plan is in place, follow through as soon as possible. Start today if you can.
- I Don’t Have Time – This one is definitely avoidable. Lean people make time for exercise and eating properly. Get moving on a lunch break if necessary.
- My Muscles Are Too Sore – Being sore is a good thing. Use that as motivation to keep going and working out. Build stretching into your routine on days that you really can’t exercise.
- The Weather is Bad – If you work out outside, this a big hurdle to overcome. Have some home workouts on your list when this is the case.
- How to Boost Your Energy – 11 Great Ways to Get You Moving
Find out which excuses are your favorite and plan ahead with solutions. You’ll stay on track when you do this.
Little or No Pop/Soda
Drinking minimal pop/soda is so important that it deserves its own section (rather than lumped with the healthy eating habits). Every lean person that I know rarely or never drinks soda.
Even though they may taste great, sodas are linked to obesity, weakened bones, and other illnesses. They’re filled with empty calories and sugar that don’t do a body any favors. Try to reduce your intake greatly or cut it out completely if you can.
You might be thinking, “well I drink diet pop and it doesn’t have calories or sugar.” This isn’t a good alternative either. Artificial sweeteners are also linked to several health issues, and some research suggests that your body has enhanced sugar cravings after drinking diet soda. This can lead to binge eating or overeating food that’s high in sugar and fat – definitely harming a person’s diet.
Get Enough Rest
Do you get enough sleep? There are a few factors involved in sleeping that help people stay lean – or not.
- Being Less Tired – When you aren’t tired, you’re more likely to do physical activity (see excuses above!). Getting enough sleep will help you stay motivated to work out.
- Sleep is Linked to Hunger – People who sleep less tend to get hungrier and eat more. It is indirectly linked to obesity. This study explains more.
- More Time to Eat – Simply speaking, if you are awake for more hours, you have more opportunities to eat. Since lean people tend to rest more, they aren’t snacking on unhealthy foods.
These are only some of the links found between getting rest and being lean or obese. The evidence suggests that you should get more sleep to increase your body’s ability to stay lean.
Lean People Stay on Track After Slip-Ups
We already said that cheating is okay, and it’s even a good idea to know that you will cheat and build it into your plan. The difference between lean people and others is that they don’t allow this to get them off track. Even if they cheat more than they planned to and ate extra, they still make it a point to get back to their routine.
Don’t give up. There will be a time when you don’t want to work out or continue. This feeling is natural and unavoidable. It’s much easier to do whatever you want at all times. Staying committed to the plan is one of the most important things that lean people do.
If you understand that this will happen, then you’re off to a great start. Don’t give in to your innermost desires and focus on the goals that are important to you. Once you do this, you will be on the path of a lean person!
Final Thoughts
You can use these tips and habits to your advantage. If your goal is to get lean, then the items in this article will get you there. Remember that it won’t happen overnight. This takes a major commitment to change and a lifetime of habit building to maintain.
Remember to not lose hope. You can do this. Keep the outline of this article handy!
- Lean People Have a Plan and Goals
- Get Moving – And Make it Fun
- Lean People Have Good Eating Habits
- Cheat Days/Meals Are Okay
- Lean People Keep the Big Picture in Mind
- No Excuses
- Little or No Pop/Soda
- Get Enough Rest
- Lean People Stay on Track After Slip-Ups
It may sound tough, but everything worth doing is, right? If you made it this far in the article, I’m confident that you will do what you need to in order to succeed and follow through with your goals!
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