Is it all about eating right and training right? Yes and No! With the right eating and training program you will be able to make considerable progress in your quest of losing those unwanted pounds, however, chances are that you might get stuck few weeks into your plan, lose motivation, get tempted by that birthday cake you cannot resist or that cheeky glass of wine!
Have you been there before? I think we all have! What is going to propel you forward and make you stick to that eating and training regime is the way you approach the whole journey ahead of you. I have tried every eating plan that has ever been created and tried every exercise class invented but until I started feeding and training my mindset properly I kept failing miserably at each and every attempt.
So you have decided to shed a few pounds, chances are that you have tried before but didn’t quite get where you wanted to, so, what to do now, how to avoid getting stuck and succeed once and for all? Simple! Before embarking in any new diet or exercise plan, follow these key steps:
Take aside 30 minutes and take a picture of how you are feeling inside. Why do you want to embark in this journey? Why is it important to you to make these changes in your life? Write down all of the reasons why you are here today and all of the reasons why you want to make this commitment. Like a brainstorming session, write as much as you want. Once you got it all out, pick the three most burning intentions and place them somewhere where you can see them on a daily basis. It will be a powerful reminder for when you feel less motivated.
Take responsibility for where you are right now and visualise where you want to be. Take some measurements, weigh yourself, measure your Body Fat percentage and get to know exactly where you are starting from. Once you have assessed where you are, visualise yourself where you want to be and set yourself some targets. Do not just focus on your scale weight, add another way of measuring progress – clothes size, body fat %, measurements etc.
Now the fun part: set yourself a fitness goal. Is there something you have always wanted to do and never been able to accomplish? Run that half marathon, pick a date and go for it. Running is not for you? You need a bit more variety? Why not try training for a triathlon – if you are more of a gym rat, you love your weights, why not get out of your comfort zone and step on stage? Whatever you choose, make sure you pick something you feel excited about. This is something that will keep you going no matter what the scales tells you.
Have you been in this position before? Have you tried to lose the weight before but it never quite happened? Ask yourself WHY you gave up last time; analyse the reasons of what got in your way. Now make a list of everything that has stopped you before. Your challenge is now to come up with solutions to overcome these obstacles in the eventuality they will re-present themselves again. Try to identify what are your main ‘excuses’ and work through them before even starting with your program!
When people look at getting healthier and shedding some pounds they often associate it as being deprived and restricted in their choices. They see it as missing out on good food. Whatever you choose to follow doesn’t have to be restrictive. If it is restrictive, it will not be sustainable. You can add variety and still be healthy and still be able to get to your goal. There are great meal replacement products such as Shake It Slim from Forza available on the market in stores such as Holland and Barret and Boots.
I’ve been trialing the starter pack for simple and effective weight loss. I felt I needed to shift a few extra pounds before heading on holiday, so I decided to compliment my exercise with this diet. It’s super tasty with 3 flavours, chocolate, strawberry and vanilla. Not to mention, it’s only 204 calories per serving and it has 22 different vitamins and minerals.
Allow yourself a free meal a week where you can still indulge in your favourite foods. Have a browse online on how to make delicious healthy recipes. Start planning ahead, dedicate one evening a week where you choose and prepare the foods for the week. There is such a wealth of free information online.
Most importantly, don’t forget to have fun along the way and surround yourself with people who are supportive of your choices. Getting to a healthy weight and staying healthy is not just for summer or a Christmas party, it’s for life!
I have to say when it comes to weight loss I’m of the mindset that you have to be strict in the week, but at the weekend I eat just what I want. Always living for the weekend and those extra calories!