Weight loss! 

Sometimes it seems like ONE.GIANT.HURDLE. Doesn’t it? 

The fact that it seems more like an obstacle than something everyone can attain, is the main reason that people will try wraps, shakes, pills, diets, or teas before they will actually change their BEHAVIOR. Because whether or not someone actually achieves results, at least doing something makes us feel better than doing nothing.

When you stop for a minute to think about how change works, however, you begin to realize that unless you make fundamental changes in your habits or belief system, your efforts aren’t going to be permanent.

It isn’t losing weight that’s the hurdle–that’s actually the easy part.  It’s developing the daily practices and habits that help you lose weight (and keep it off) in the first place that challenges us. 

So what can you do if you’re ready to make some changes, but aren’t sure where to begin?

BE REALISTIC

Sometimes when we set goals for ourselves, we become child-like in our ideals.  I’m personally a kid-at-heart, but if I’m not realistic about what I am willing to do (or even more so what I am not willing to do) I set myself up for failure.  If you have spent years getting “out of shape”, don’t expect it to take days to get “in shape”.  Sure the internet is full of six week success stories and a gagillion befores and afters. I myself even promote a course called Six Weeks To A Better You®, but the people who find the most success in any program go into it knowing that yes, there will be change in six weeks, but in many cases, it’s just the beginning.

SET SMALL ACTIONABLE GOALS

Planning to lose twenty pounds by next summer or dropping fifteen pounds before your high school reunion are nice targets, but in order to change your mindset you have to rethink your current behaviors.  If stuffing your face in a bag of chips is your go-to afternoon habit, a small, actionable goal would mean something like:  “Don’t buy chips the next time I go to the grocery store”.  If sitting around all day is your normal routine, take a twenty minute walk at lunch.  It may seem overly simplistic, but when you implement small actionable goals, you are actually taking the first steps toward permanent change.

BEGIN WITH WHAT YOU KNOW

With all the information there is in the online space, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with what to do, how to do it and when to do it.  But you actually have more knowledge than you realize.  If you have a daily or three-times weekly Starbucks habit, for example, you don’t need someone to tell you that that is a big source of “empty calories”, you already know that! The same holds true with putting cream and sugar in your coffee every day, eating junk food or eating out several times a week.  You don’t have to look up whether that behavior is affecting your ability to lose weight, it’s common sense.  Again, setting a small actionable goal could be something as simple as (initially) limiting your consumption of Starbucks or cutting down on the number of nights you go out to dinner.

BUILD A SOLID FOUNDATION

What is the first thing you see when a house is being built or a skyscraper is being erected?  A FOUNDATION!  Foundations are necessary when plans are laid and in order to see changes in yourself, you must be as equally prepared.  You couldn’t build a house if there wasn’t a foundation beneath it to support the structure on top and the same is true of your plans to lose weight.  Take the time that you need to both mentally and physically prepare for change.  Acknowledge that there are going to be challenges and obstacles, that things ARE going to come up unexpectedly and that that is okay. Set yourself up for success by planning meals or work outs in advance, having healthy snacks on hand or finding alternatives to your biggest temptations in order to help ensure your success. Life  is full of ups and downs but those who can adapt most readily are usually the ones who are the most successful.

START NOW

If you want to accomplish something, you have to start somewhere.  Losing weight is not going to happen on its own and it certainly does not happen just by thinking about it.  If writing things down helps you keep track of your thoughts, write down what you want to do and how you plan to do them.  Tell your friends, tell your family, post it on Facebook–whatever it is that increases your accountability–then get to work!  You don’t need to wait until all the Oreos are gone, until the first of the year, or until you finish up the last pint of ice cream to start, begin now and pick something.  There’s no time like the present, so get going!

Making fundamental changes in your habits or belief system doesn’t happen overnight, but you can accomplish change by taking the right steps to maximize your success.