Getting on YOUR Weight Loss Track

Have you ever wondered why it is that you might not be losing weight? How many of us have tried diet after diet after diet only to lose a few pounds and then gain them and more all back? I know I have, many times over the years, but after many trials and tribulations I have a few strong foundations that always seem to work for me when I want to lose weight. As long as I follow them, I not only lose weight, I keep it OFF! Now don’t get all nervous and think I am going to say you need to change EVERYTHING you do, but there are some changes that are needed for any program to work.

First and most important you need to make sure that you are doing this for YOU and ONLY YOU! You will not succeed with any certain and long term success if you are only losing weight because someone else wants you to, or if you are doing it just for a dance or reunion. You need to sit down and evaluate why you want to lose weight. List your reasons and make sure they are reasonable. For better health, to lower your cholesterol, high blood pressure, to feel better about yourself, to be a better parent, wife, person in general (for your own reasons) are all good reasons. Anything else may be too trivial and not be a strong enough background for you to keep up your way of life once you get started and then start to see success. Also set some goals for yourself and at first, make them Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½baby step’ goals, such as four pounds this month, then work up to eight pounds the next month, then to see yourself in a size “x” within say 3 months or even 6 months. Let your imagination go wild but don’t allow yourself to believe it will happen overnight cause it won’t but don’t give upâÂ?¦.it can and WILL happen, if you persevere!

Next you need to set up a reasonable plan. The one that I found to be the most successful is to eat up to 6 times a day, but no less than five. Yeah, I said five and six! In these meals you try to have either equal amounts of protein and carbohydrates or if possible have a shade more protein than carbohydrates. Make sure you eat some vegetables at least twice during your mealtimes and drink lots of water. There are so many recommendations on how much water to drink but for me personally I seem to always have a drink in my hand, so in place of most of my soda’s and tea, I replace them with water or low/no calorie drinks that are non-carbonated. Carbonation, for me at least, tends to make my belly bloat and I feel like I am all swelled up. I can see it in my face and especially when I start to show my abs. I am also not saying go strict on yourself all the time or try to be perfect. NO one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes from time to time. When you fall just remind yourself that you can still be okay with your next meal, which is usually only about 3 hours away. Now doesn’t that make you feel great? IF that makes you feel good, then what I am about to suggest will make yourself feel excited about starting a lifetime change in your eating habits. Give yourself at least one day off to eat whatever you want or if you would like (if it works for you) try to eat a couple of meals with something that you really like or a treat (such as an ice cream treat or that Ã?©clair you have been craving, etc.). I moved my meals around and sometimes could only fit in four a day when I was really busy but I never let myself get hungry or thirsty. Once you start getting yourself in practice of eating more meals and smaller you will find that your body will expect to eat approximately every 3 to 4 hours. If you don’t believe me, try it for a week or two and you will see! It is wild that we can teach our selves to do something and our bodies then later expect it to happen!

Lastly, and yes it is the dreaded you have been waiting for, exercise. I personally, HATE exercise, in most forms. I like to walk when I have a flat surface and warm weather. I like to swim, in a shallow pool. I do not like to bounce around to exercise tapes but I do like to bounce around to my favorite music. The most important form of exercise you can do for yourself is to use weights. Start small, as small as you feel you need. One pound, two pounds, five pounds or ten, whatever feels comfortable. Get yourself some magazines or books that talk about using weights in beginner stages so you can have some reference information with you at all times to keep you on the right track. If you do nothing else, do some form of weight lifting, challenging yourself to work harder and better every week. Know for every day, every week, every month you do your workouts you are one step closer to YOUR weight loss goals. Never give up, even if you fall. Pick yourself back up and start over again. It isn’t painful, only a little bruising to our ego, but you are the master of your own thoughts! Do not ALLOW yourself to think negatively. At the end of each and every day, write in a journal what you did that day, how you felt about it and then compliment yourselfâÂ?¦.”I am a great person. I can do this, for me, because I want to! I amâÂ?¦ (Then fill in the blank with things such as Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½starting to feel better about myself’ or Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½starting to see the weight loss in my face, hips, belly, etc.’). This will reinforce what you have done and help you to see what you can do! You CAN do it!!