Excess weight can be such a hard thing to ward off. It creeps up on you ever so slowly, one day you’re minding your business enjoying life and all of its’ many tasteful pleasures, then the next day you can’t fit into your favorite pair of jeans.
That’s how it starts, next thing you know people are asking you if you’ve gained weight, and it spirals out of control from there. Fortunately, it’s possible to lose that weight or even maintain the weight you’re at now if you so wish. These are the tips that worked for me to keep me looking my best.
1. Love your body, mind & soul- demonstrate self–love regardless of what size, what color, or what shape you are.
2. Stop telling yourself you can’t- change begins in the mind, so believe you can accomplish your goals.
3. Switch up your routine- going to the gym Mon-Fri doing 30 min on the treadmill, & 30 min on the elliptical every single time can get boring. Incorporate different activities, hobbies, and even weightlifting to make things fun and challenging.
4. Don’t rely on friends and family- yes it’s great to have a workout partner but be prepared for when and if they bail. Be determined to still get that work out in any way.
5. Keep track of your progress or lack of progress- this will allow you to make necessary adjustments.
6. Stop eating after 8 pm- allow your body sufficient time to digest your food before bed. Check out this ultimate guide to stop overeating.
7. Avoid eating a heavy breakfast- instead have 2-3 glasses of water throughout your morning, with fruit and water-concentrated foods to start your day.
8. Bring your lunch to work- this will not only save you money but will also allow you to be in control of what you’re eating.
9. Leave your cards at home- this will prevent you from being tempted to buy snacks and junk at work. Hopefully, your job doesn’t have Apple or Google pay, or better yet disable it.
10. Be patient- you didn’t become overweight overnight and unfortunately, you’re not going to lose the weight overnight as well, respect the process.
11. Don’t listen to what others say- your journey is YOUR journey, your body is YOUR body, your outcome and your results may not be the same as someone else’s and may not be accomplished in the same amount of time either, but the point is to continue until you reach your specific goals no matter how long it takes.
12. Don’t cheat yourself boo- you missing a workout day or eating 1 jug of ice cream in one sitting because you had a bad day at work is only hurting yourself and your progress. Keep grinding even when it’s hard, even when the easiest thing to do is just cop out.
13. Wake your butt up on time- starting your day off right makes it that much easier to make further decisions that are intentional and in favor of your health. If you get lax and press the snooze, it’s that much easier to make subsequent poor decisions like eating that whole jug of ice cream or eating that bag of chips.
14. Stop playing the victim- take responsibility for your health. I’ll say that again, Take responsibility for your health. If you’re barely able to walk, if your knees hurt when you stand, if your short of breath after 10 feet, it’s on you. Let that be your motivation to make the changes needed.
15. Make lasting changes- only implement changes that you know you’ll be able to maintain for a LIFETIME, yes… a lifetime. You might want to lose weight for a special occasion or outfit but how you transition into your old age and how well you’re able to engage with others and activities is just as important if not more.
16. Incorporate something you love with working out. – If you’re anything like me, a thousand ideas of what else you could be doing pop into your head when it comes time to work out. One of the things I do to help make working out more bearable is listening to motivational speakers which I love. Incorporate what works for you.
17. Do what’s most unpleasant at the beginning of your day- whether it’s working out or eating vegetables, or even taking your supplements. If it’s chore-some, try to accomplish those things at the beginning of your day. You’re less likely to do activities you’re not necessarily fond of after a long day when you’re tired, or you’re just “done”. Can anyone relate?
18. Find inspiration- there are so many outlets for inspiration to motivate you. If you can find an accountability partner, this should be your first choice. Pinterest, books, Youtube, and blogs such as this are all choices. Feed your mind and your spirit constant inspiration, and constant motivation when in the process of reaching your goals, and when you come up short.
19. Take your workout outdoors- even if it’s just taking a power walk through the park, incorporate nature into your routine, it has healing powers.
20. Stop believing the hype- I know it’s tempting to try all the latest pills, shots, and exercise equipment, and read all the latest books on the easy way of losing weight, but we all know anything you get quickly is lost just as quickly. Do the work, keep your head down, and grind, during the process of losing if you do it the right way, and if you pay the price, you will also figure out how to maintain it. You will find out what works best for your body.
Until Next Time With Love,
