feeding the mind + body + soul + everything in between

In part I of my ‘Welcome to the Wonderful World of Weight Loss’ (4WL, here’s Part I if you missed it) I said that people need to stop managing their weight and start managing themselves. It doesn’t sound that hard, but this is a very difficult process. I only say this because I’ve seen my family, friends and clients go through it.

But congratulations! You’ve made the decision to be healthier, lose that extra fat and get in shape! That is awesome and we’re so excited for you! I’m sure you are as well! But here is what tends to happen to most people. We say we’re going to do it, and we actually do it for two weeks. And then it’s no more.

So we’ll get that gym membership, buy some new workout clothes and the latest Nike running shoes with the iPod sensor that tracks your pace, distance, time and calories! Of course we gotta look good! (and if there is anyone that loves buying workout apparel or sports gear, it’s me!) We put it to good use for about two weeks and then we get busy with work, family, and whatever else that might distract us. Then there’s the food. We commit to eating healthier so we buy more veggies and we’ll cut out the soda, fast food, and junk food. How many of you have tried this? It’s tough isn’t it?

Here are 5 tips to avoid failure before losing any weight.

1. Stay in the shallow end! You might be gung-ho about losing weight and getting fit, and while that positive attitude will take you far, it won’t take you the distance. Make small changes in your diet first. If you cut out fast food cold turkey, the body will know and the cravings will be much worse. This is the same for anything with high fructose corn syrup and refined sugar. Cut it out slowly. And when you don’t miss it anymore, then you can start swimming freely in the deep end.
2. Portion control! Most of us can eat for two. It’s true. We’ll go to a restaurant and we order a steak, with mashed potatoes and steamed veggies. When the food comes out we are absolutely livid because the steak is half the size of your palm, you only get an ice-cream scoopful of mashed potatoes, and the steamed veggies consist of four string beans, three baby carrot sticks, and two and a half pieces broccoli! Maybe this will make you feel better.. That’s how much you should actually be eating. You getting upset about how much food is on your plate will just stress your vital organs and yourself. Just eat what’s in front of you and leave room for some fruit at the end of your meal.
3. Know your weaknesses! We all have foods that we crave and we don’t have to avoid it completely (refer to Tip #1), but we must acknowledge that this is a weakness of ours. People believe they can stop eating their comfort food whenever they want. This is not the case for most people. If we know our weaknesses, then we’ll know how to play to our strengths!
4. It’s Not Just Weight, It’s Your Health! If we constantly remind ourselves that it’s not just about losing 10 pounds but a health issue, then we just turned a goal that could be reached in 30 days to a goal that we can chase after our whole lives! If you make it about your weight, you won’t lose much weight. If you make it about your health, you’ll end up losing more weight than you you thought you could!
5. Don’t Ever Give Up! I can’t tell you how many challenges you’re going to face as you start this journey to a healthier life. You will be faced with people asking you to have dinner with them, grab drinks after work, all the birthday cakes, cupcakes, and cheesecakes… You will be tempted beyond your limits! But DON’T EVER GIVE UP! You will overcome! You will lose that weight! You will be healthier! And there is nothing greater than knowing that you fought everyday to have your health!