8 Habits People Who’ve Lost Major Weight Have In Common

WANDER WOMEN COLLECTIVE, Getty Images

Losing weight is a deeply emotional, intensely personal, and potentially life-changing process for many people. But if there’s one thing that people who’ve lost weight have in common, it’s that they’ve tried a lot of different things to get them to where they are now—and ultimately, it’s a balanced outlook that helps them maintain the hard work they put into their goals. Of course, weight loss isn’t the only reason to embrace a new set of healthy habits, but if weight loss is on your mind, these women are majorly inspiring and have shared what really, truly has worked for them.

I’m pretty lucky in that way: I spend a lot of time writing about weight loss and healthy living for SELF.com, and the women I talk are insanely inspiring. I’ll be honest—as someone who’s lost weight but continues to chip away at those stubborn final pounds, it can be incredibly frustrating to stop making progress (and even put back on a few more pounds). One woman told me that the less she had to lose, the harder it was to stay on track, and man, I can relate to that. Learning about the weight-loss journeys of 35+ women has allowed me to connect the dots and recognize habits and mindsets that are huge contributors to weight-loss success. And while some of their habits already play a major role in my life, some of them are definitely things I can start working on more actively.

From personal trainers to ER nurses to stay-at-home moms, there are some common themes that almost every woman I’ve talked to has brought up, whether they’ve dropped 20 pounds or 100. And while there’s no big secret or be-all, end-all trick that can take the place of hard work, there are some healthy habits that women who’ve lost weight credit a lot of their weight loss to.

Here are eight things that can set you up for weight-loss success, straight from the women who’ve done it themselves.

Related: Here’s How Many Calories You Should Be Eating For Weight Loss

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