I think we all know someone that has gone on a diet or weight loss plan and soon quit before giving it a real go. Why do people do that? Well there are two common answers, I think anyway.First of all, there are diets that are designed that pretty much starve the body by reducing the calorie intake. These are what you call 'con diets', because they will never promote long term weight loss, and as soon as you come off of them, the weight will come back. Initially, you will start losing weight, but it will be mostly fluid, muscle tissue and a little fat. So to start with, you're going to be happy and you will see your weight dropping, but there will be a plateau. The problem with those diets, is that it doesn't make you 'look good', because it simply 'drains you', rather than transforming you. You may weigh less, be thinner, but you will have no real shape to your body. Once the initial weight loss is over, that's usually the time when people start stressing and thinking its not working, and quite often they quit. Quitting is never good, but they were doomed to fail as soon as they signed up to one of those 'con diets'. Its really not the way to go....
The other reason, that I believe anyway, is down to a lack of will power. You could have someone that signs up for the gym, hires a nutritionist or purchases a real nutrition plan, but they just don't have the will power. They will find themselves snacking when nobody is looking, not giving the exercise 100%, and then blame it on their genes, or age, or having no time to do it, or even blame the nutritionist/trainer for no results. Now, it is more common than it should be, but you do get personal trainers that just suck, and are useless at their job, but if that's the case, its down to you to hire someone else, not to continue and then just moan about it. You also find that some people say they can't not have their packet of crisps, or chocolate bar, or ice cream, of biscuits, or cake.... you see a pattern? That's all in the mind, and it can be changed, you just have to put the hard work in to 'retrain your body' to prefer healthy foods instead of fatty, sugary foods. But if you just quit, even when you have the right resources, then that is nobody's fault but your own.
Some people do say that 'overweight people are just lazy', and in some cases, I believe that, but in others I don't. You do get some people that are just plain lazy - won't go shopping for healthy foods, won't stand in the kitchen preparing a healthy meal, won't make time to go and exercise, would prefer to just sit on their backside and eat crap. But also, a lot of people are just not educated enough about healthy living, and its also outside factors that do not help. Coming through a recession, people are tight for cash, what adverts do you see? fast food, sugary foods, junk food, processed foods, all at low prices (because they are just awful and fake) and people say 'I can't afford to eat healthy'. I've seen many articles and even a TV show proving that a lot of the time, takeaways are MORE expensive than buying and cooking healthy meals, it just takes effort. Personally, I remember when I was with my brother a while back and we were thinking of having a takeaway as we had nothing in the house (yes... a takeaway... such a low point in my life!) and the prices were insane!! So instead, we hopped in the car, bought some ingredients and made a healthy meal.
Losing fat and getting in shape takes effort, commitment, dedication, and will power. If you quit, you are only going to hurt yourself.
There is a quote from a motivational speaker that I love - 'Don't cry to give up, cry to keep going, don't cry then quit, you're already in pain, you're already hurt, get a reward from it'. So when it gets tough, when workouts are burning, when temptation is in front of you, fight your way through it, because a lighter, slimmer, healthier you is at the other end, but you have to battle your way there, it is NOT easy, but it IS doable!
Have a great weekend, tune in on Sunday for 'Sunday Supplement' !
www.leegregoryfitness.com
