Standing in line at the grocery store I saw a magazine with a woman on the cover who lost 170 pounds in some number of months and they had an article on how to lose some number of pounds in a couple of months. Having been injured and in plateau mode since April, I can understand the desire to drop weight quickly. I get it.
A person I know took B12 shots last year and dropped down a couple of sizes. She raved about it and went out and bought hundreds of dollars worth of new clothes. Then she stopped the shots...and she's back in her old clothes.
Back in 2003 I lost 60 lbs--the most I ever lost to that point--and got down to a size 18. I thought I was the bomb-diggity. Then it got harder and life happened. Two years later I was back where I started plus some. And every time I tried to lose weight I would get frustrated because it seemed like it was taking too long, like nothing was happening. I tried all sorts of diets and tricks. I woke up at 4:30am and went walking. I bought Jillian Michaels' fitness set. A few weeks in and I was frustrated again because I wasn't losing weight quickly enough. Then I would go into a downward spiral and hate myself because I failed. Then I would eat. Then I would stop exercising...and the cycle repeated itself.
A friend recently contacted me and asked for help in getting started and staying motivated. I'll share with you what I shared with her:
1) Understand that this is a process and will take time. You will have moments when you "fall off" but the key to moving forward is not staying in that spot--don't allow yourself to go into "F-It!!" mode. The more you stick to it, the better you get, the better you feel, and the more progress you will make. Would you quit a five mile race at mile three or would you push through just those two more miles to the end? If you quit, you don't get to enjoy that moment of victory--and trust me, it's so sweet.
2) Don't try to change everything at one time. You will feel overwhelmed and confused and frustrated. Pick one or two things to incorporate/change over three weeks or 30 days. Once you have those behaviors down add something else to the mix. For example, make your goal getting in 30 minutes of exercise five days a week--no matter what--for the next three weeks. This will teach you how to plan your week, how to overcome obstacles, and will get your body ready for more activity. Maybe add to that drinking an adequate amount of water daily. That might mean not allowing yourself to drink any other type of beverage until you've hit your water goal.
3) Surround yourself with people who will help you move forward. Ask someone at work to partner with you. Join a group, page (Fat2FitPosse) , or discussion board to keep yourself accountable and motivated. Positive people will help you stay positive. Active people will help you stay active. Encouraging people will help you stay encouraged. Find a Meet Up group. Find a running/walking club. Become a "regular" at a fitness class.
None of this is rocket science; it's mental science (aka psychology). And no, these are not the elements to quick weight loss. But having experienced both sides of the coin, I'm enjoying sustained weight loss much better than I ever enjoyed the yo-yo dieting. These three tips are keys to changing your behaviors and how you view this journey; they will help you start and keep going. Decide to be in this for the long haul. Commit to doing what it takes to reach your goals. Succeed daily and celebrate YOU!
Be Fit4Life!!
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