Forget the New Year’s promises, they never work! I know this year is going to be different, right? With this incredible new weight loss program you have found, you will have lost 10 pounds by January 31, by March 31 you will have lost 25 pounds and by May 31 you will be looking like Heidi Klum in a gorgeous bikini! Not to mention you will be perfectly toned, after all, you are joining six new fitness classes! As soon as January 1st hits, all of the craziness of the holiday season (as well as all of the chocolate and holiday candy) will be gone. In its place a refrigerator stocked full of fruits and veggies; time in the schedule to prepare delicious, health filled meals; and the willpower of ten normal humans. This year our weight loss program is fool-proof! Or so we think.
What we forget in our weight loss quest is that over the last five years our will power has went down the proverbial drain as January rolled on. What we forget is that all of that chocolate and holiday food didn’t just disappear, we ate it in an attempt to “get rid of it” before we started our diets, which, unfortunately, only lasted five days until our schedules got hectic again! What we need is a new focus, a new perspective for weight loss help. Do I have one? I personally don’t know what you feel about losing weight and being healthy, but read on and find out if our perspectives match up.
Losing weight and keeping it off starts with first things first. Take a good look at yourself. Why do you want to lose weight and be healthier? Often wanting to lost weight is not enough of a reason to keep us motivated. I had a friend who wanted to ride a motorcycle with her husband. She was heavier than he was and she was concerned she would throw the balance of the bike off. The motivation was so strong that she successfully lost a good amount of weight. Another friend successfully lost weight when her health was in jeopardy and she couldn’t bare the thought of her children living the way that she currently was. These are legitimate reasons that often produce terrific results. If you need to lose weight, find a purpose. If you simply aren’t happy with your body, maybe you should give yourself a break. I don’t know your situation, but maybe you should be content with your weight and choose instead to begin living a healthier life.
Take baby steps. I hate to break it to you, but chucking everything you have been doing for a lifetime in favor of something else rarely works. In fact, it is counter productive. A sudden, massive change often results in feelings of failure (which as we all know really means “I’m going to sooth myself with whatever fattening I can stuff in my mouth!“). So instead of instantly being a health nut on January 1st, how about deciding to eat a fruit or veggie before every meal or getting your recommended daily amount of fiber every day for a week? An effective weight loss program is all about baby steps.
Just say NO! Say no to restaurants or engagements that you know you won’t be able to control yourself. Say no to fattening unhealthy food in the grocery store. Say no to eating leftovers off of your child’s plate. Say no to taking thirds! I know this is easier said than done, but begin to build it into a habit. Sit when you eat and focus on eating, enjoying the flavors as they unfold. Once you start to get this down, remember, you don’t always have to say no. The fun of life is not depriving ourself of every good thing, but enjoying in moderation.
It is time to talk about exercise. Nope, you can’t get away from this. Fat loss and weight loss can not be done completely without this step. Actually, lets just forget the weight for a moment. Think of all of the body healthy benefits of exercise and fitness. The positives are endless. Don’t shortchange yourself. You can be a better person – a healthier, happier individual. All it takes is a little commitment. A word of caution: Don’t think it is going to happen all at once and don’t think you will ever stick with six new classes. To prevent becoming a defeated perfectionist, add your exercise and fitness goals slowly. As that becomes natural, add another time during the week. Once more, baby steps until we are healthier!
Seek weight loss help. Find and speak to a dietician. Search out a personal trainer that can get you set up on a exercise and fitness program. Ask an accountability partner to keep you committed. Ask for advice and guidance. The resources are limitless, look for them.
This article is meant to be an overview only. It is not intended to guide you through the entire process of a weight loss program, but to give you some common sense guidelines to base the process on. As you contemplate what needs to happen please remember not to get discouraged. Keep trying! It isn’t going to be easy to incorporate a healthier lifestyle, but it certainly will be worth it.