Weight loss can be a perpetual, frustrating, roller coaster. One week you discover you lost 5 pounds and two week later, you discover you gained back the 5 pounds you lost only to gain another 2 pounds the week after that.
Or perhaps you had successfully lost 10-20 lbs or more only to find yourself gaining back the weight you lost and then some.
Then there are those who have successfully lost weight, transformed their body, and have kept it off. I happen to be one of those people.
I can tell you first hand that building a body that is fit and healthy takes commitment and doesn’t happen overnight. Many people are in a constant battle of the bulge and too often they will start and stop a program and not achieve results.
Fitness is NOT an event, it’s a lifestyle
If you are like most people, your best weight loss success happens when you are motivated to lose weight and look your best for an event, whether that event is a vacation, a high school reunion, a wedding, etc., and as soon as the “event’ is over you go back to your old habits that were not contributing to your weight loss goals. My question is, why go back to your old habits that were not contributing to your weight loss goals once the event is over? Why not continue to do what you were doing?
Being healthy and fit is a lifestyle, and I stress the word LIFESTYLE, where you are consistent with eating healthy meals and you are consistent with your exercise program. I don’t have to think about eating nutritious foods and exercise. Eating nutritious foods and exercising should be as natural as any other daily habit such as showering and brushing your teeth.
This mindset is what separates those who keep the weight off and those who struggle to keep it off.
Nutrition
Nutritional Sustainability
Everyone knows that the basic rule of thumb of weight loss is calories in vs. calories out. It’s not about the latest fad diet or a quick fix. If your nutrition plan isn’t sustainable, you’re not going to be able to stick to it.
Eating a balanced diet consisting of a variety of foods that are nutrient rich, flavorful, low in calories, that you enjoy is much more sustainable and enjoyable than the latest starvation diet or the latest fad diet that has you eating as much as you want of one particular item and very little of another item. Simply put, while you may get results in the short term, in the long term you can’t sustain it and end up gaining back the weight you lost and then some.
Be Aware Of What You Eat
95% of the time, I am very aware of what foods I eat. I don’t eat for the sake of eating. I don’t eat out of boredom. I eat to nourish and fuel my body and avoid foods that are loaded with calories that contain no nutritional value.
Unhealthy, unfit, overweight people tend to not give a second thought as to what they are eating and whether or not the foods they are eating are nutrient rich foods.
Precook your meals
Pre-cooking my meals for the week not only prevents me from grabbing foods that don’t contribute to my health and fitness, but saves me lots of time in the kitchen during week. I create nutritious, mouthwatering, healthy meals on the fly that take 20 minutes from prep, to pan, to plate.
So, how do I do that?
Every week I pre-cook and prep all my food for the week which includes slicing and dicing all my vegetables, I pre-cook chicken, beef, or fish on the grill and pre-cook a few sweet potatoes. I also buy foods that are easy to pack in a cooler and carry on the go with me such as Low Fat Greek Yogurt, Apples, Nuts, and protein shakes so that I don’t have to eat unhealthy, processed, convenience foods.
If you talk to any physique athlete, or individual who has successfully lost weight and have kept the weight off, you will discover that we all share this same habit.
For many years I consistently buy all my groceries for the week on Fridays and precook my food for the week every Sunday which takes me about an hour to one and a half hours max.
If you have a very busy schedule or a family, I promise this will not only save you time in the kitchen during the week, but will have you and your family eating more nutritious meals and will save you money.
Fitness
Give it your all!
Regardless of what type of fitness program you choose, the key to being healthy and fit is to exercise at least three days a week 30 -60 minutes and don’t just go through the motions when you workout. Make each and every workout count and give it all you got!
Find an exercise program you enjoy doing, challenges you, and you follow consistently. The best workout program will not provide you the results you are looking for if you do not follow it and you don’t give it your best effort.
Have a fitness game plan
Whenever I walk into the gym to do my workout, I always have my fitness game plan. If you walk into the gym with some vague idea of what you’re going to do, chances are you’ll end up wasting a lot of time and spinning your wheels.
You should walk into the gym knowing exactly what exercises you’re going to do, how many sets and how many reps of each exercise. Having a fitness game plan not only helps to keep you focused and motivated on your workout, but you’ll also be working out more efficiently and effectively.
Avoid Plateaus
I avoid training plateaus by changing up my workouts every three months. Doing the same workout day in, day out, month after month not only numbs the body, but numbs the mind as well.
I’m constantly challenging myself physically and mentally in the gym by trying out different training programs, styles and techniques and look forward to my workouts. (Be sure to check out my product reviews of some of the workout programs I’ve tried.)
I always feel a sense of accomplishment mentally and sets the tone for the rest of my day. When I challenge myself in the gym, I feel like I can accomplish anything I put my mind to and am more productive and always in a good, positive mood.
Exercise for the Mind/Body
Lack of sleep and stress can interfere with your weight loss goals and being consistent with your exercise program is a great natural stress reliever. Not only is being consistent with exercise a great natural stress reliever, it is also great for getting good, quality, restful sleep.
Conclusion
And there you have it. If you want to lose weight, and keep the weight off, it pretty much boils down living a healthy lifestyle that includes being consistent with your workout program and eating healthy, nutritious foods. I know this is something you haven’t already heard before, but for some reason, most of us tend to let their fitness and nutrition habits fall by the wayside. Don’t be one of them.
Shari Fitness
Fittalknews
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