Thursday, March 20, 2008

Powering Through Weight Loss Roadblocks

Powering Through Weight Loss Roadblocks
When starting a new weight loss plan, you begin with lots
of enthusiasm and expectations.

However, as you continue making changes in your lifestyle,
you may hit the occasional road block:

Perhaps the pounds aren't dropping fast enough...or you've
had trouble fitting a regular exercise routine into your
already hectic schedule...maybe you've had a hard time
giving up some of your favorite foods or struggled with
portion control techniques.

Don't Despair... Celebrate!

Instead getting discouraged, take a moment to congratulate
yourself for starting your weight loss program, because in
doing so you've already worked through the excuses.

And as you probably know by now, weight loss programs begin
by shifting your beliefs and making behavioral changes.

Granted, it's a lot of work!

So, if you've begun your weight loss program and need a
little motivation to stick with it, read on... Not Too Fast

Many dieters struggle because they want their results
faster. The American Dietetic Association recommends
dropping just 1 to 2 pounds each week, so real and lasting
weight loss isn't something that happens in a matter of
days, healthy weight loss takes time.

In fact, losing weight too rapidly can mean you're losing
lean tissue or water, not the dreaded fat. This will
actually slow down your metabolism, making your struggle
with weight loss even more difficult.

"Seeing" Success

You've likely heard of "thinking yourself thin." Well
there's validity to using visualization to reach your
goals. Picture yourself six months from now, and think of
how great you'll feel and look as a thinner version of you.
If you have old pictures of yourself, taken when you were
closer to your target weight, put them up where you can see
them. Use them to remind yourself what you are working for.

Think of the habits you adopted that got you to your
current weight, and begin eliminating them.

Focused Goals

Making a lot of changes at once can be overwhelming, so set
small and realistic goals.

Your goals should fit easily into your lifestyle, like:

A) double your daily intake of fruits and vegetables B)
walk thirty minutes at lunch time C) order the side salad
instead of the French fries

As these new habits become part of your routine you'll see
results and won't feel like you're giving your life and
entire overhaul.

Partner Up

Finally, find support. You can recruit a friend, family
member, or co-worker to exercise with, to dine with, to
talk to. There are also a number of online weight loss
support communities and forums that connect folks with
similar issues and goals. Dieters who have support
experience more success in making changes, and have an
easier time staying motivated.

Celebrate the milestones, whether it's dropping 5 pounds,
jogging a 10 minute mile, or fitting into your skinny
jeans! Toot your own horn and enjoy the benefits of your
weight loss plan.

Remember: What you set in motion, stays in motion.


----------------------------------------------------
Debbie endeavors to encourage women over 40 to take care of
their bodies and feed their minds with good positive
thoughts. She shares her expertise on natural weight loss
and radiantly healthy living at her blog
http://weonadiet.com .

No comments: