Here’s another quick entry regarding weight loss. Losing weight is a process, not an instant solution. It takes work, dedication, and patience. Those who succeed usually always have failed numerous times and sort of stumble upon what works for them. That being said, there are 3 questions that you must answer when deciding on a weight loss plan/goal.
1) Why do I want to lose weight?
This is probably the most important question. You must answer this question before you can even attempt to tackle the next two. Are you losing weight for yourself or for someone else? It’s always best to lose weight for your own good. For example, you want to live longer, be more active, or maybe achieve a certain goal like climbing a cliff or something cool like that.
It’s also ok to use other people as an inspiration for your weight loss, but never the reason. If there is a certain person you want to impress with your new look, that’s ok, use that desire to keep you going strong. Emotion is a powerful motivator.
Make sure you write down this answer in explicit detail in your journal and describe why you want to lose weight and how losing the weight would make you feel.
2) When do I want to reach my goal weight?
I’ve said it before but it bears repeating. A goal is a dream with a deadline. Ask yourself when you want to be at your goal weight. You don’t have to be perfect, just create an idea of when you think you’ll be there.
For example, you could say that within 6 months you want to lose 40 pounds. And you want to be at your goal weight within 12 months. Now, work hard to achieve that goal in the time you have allotted. Change the dates some as you get closer to your goal and see how your body works.
Goal setting is sometimes tricky because we set goals and work so hard to keep them. It’s not always possible to reach weight loss goals by the exact date we set because we can’t be sure how our bodies work. Some people lose weight fast while others take time. So far I’ve lost 92 pounds in 6 months. That’s pretty quick, but I still have to lose a lot more weight.
I have tentatively set a date of October of next year to be at my goal weight, but I am well aware that it could happen sooner or later than that date. All I can do each day is work with all I have and strive towards that goal date.
So, set a date and a weight you want to reach. Put that in your journal next.
3) How do I plan to lose the weight?
This is the million dollar question The How-to. You’ll have to decide what plan works best for you. We are all different and have different tastes (literally) and ideas of what is easy and difficult.
When it comes to diets, they usually break down into 3 categories:
- Low Fat
- Low Calorie
- Low Carb
Atkins and South Beach are low carb. Weight Watchers is low calorie. I believe the Mayo Clinic diet is low fat. But all that doesn’t matter. Study online and do your homework. What you’re looking for is an eating plan you like. If you don’t like the foods you’re eating you will never stay with it.
More important than that though is this. You must change your lifestyle. You can’t just go on a “diet”, lose a few pounds, and then go back to eating whatever you want. That’s why you shouldn’t be looking for a diet, you should be looking for a lifestyle.
Personally, I started out eating low carb. I then made adjustments to my eating that I felt fit my lifestyle more. I also keep up with cardio and weight training. This is the best thing to do. Work on your eating habits, then start going to the gym. You will find it easier to make small incremental changes in your lifestyle. It will also be easier to maintain your changes.
Write down your “how” answer in your journal. Be specific in your plan and write how you plan on following the plan you have created.
Now you should have a 1-2 page weight loss goal Q and A sheet. You should read this everyday and work on completing your goal on time.
It doesn’t seem like it right now, but you are well on your way to changing your entire life. Your weight doesn’t have to hold you down. Use it as a chance to show yourself and others that you have the self-discipline and will power to accomplish anything you want.
I know you can do it!
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