How This Helps
If you feel like you are doing everything right, but still not getting to where you want to be with your weight loss, it could be you need to just be patient. Read on to learn how to pace your weight loss for long term success!
Instructions
We are a quick fix nation. Open 24 hours, next day shipping, ready in under an hour. Some things like our health and our fitness, do not come with any sort of realistic overnight solution. Instead of resisting this information, embrace it. The idea that there is no quick fix, is one that if accepted as reality, can be both freeing and motivating.
The recent articles exposing the Biggest Loser, as a failed quick fix that nearly destroyed the metabolism of its participants, it’s not nearly as unique as the show itself. What is most upsetting for those of us that work in the field every day is the outcry of shock and disbelief by the public, as a result of the article. The facts relating to the failure in rapid weight loss sustainability is no surprise to science.
The body simply cannot keep up with rapid weight loss and the damage that ensues when we put stress on our systems. Have you ever heard of feast or famine? The participants in the show, went from 0-100mph in their fitness, all while decreasing their caloric intake dramatically. These were people that were well over the caloric threshold they needed daily, for years. Their bodies were used to caloric overages, well above and beyond what they needed to survive and thrive in their daily lives. When a body goes into starvation mode, fewer calories than it needs to survive or significantly less than it is used to, it will hold on to whatever it can and store it. Great for a TV series length of time, terrible for real life.
Participants went home after the show to their real lives. Real lives do not, unless you are a professional athlete, include hours and hours per day of intense, physical exercise and typically, don’t come with a personal chef. The average American struggles to fit in fitness and manage a healthy diet. Those that have struggled for years to find a healthy balance are even more susceptible to revert back to their old, comfortable habits.
So what do you do if you are one of the average Americans, just trying to look and feel better? How do you finally win your weight loss journey? Start with embracing the idea that to change your body and your habits, you will need to invest more time in yourself. Be selfish. Just because it won’t happen or shouldn’t happen overnight, doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying for. If you feel like spending 3-6 months to change your body the healthy way, isn’t worth the time commitment, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.
How to be the biggest winner in your weight loss journey is actually very simple and can be enjoyable! Eat whole foods, eat what you need and no more, and limit your treats to 1 time per week. When it comes to exercise, because you can’t just manage your nutrition without addressing activity, get active for at minimum, 30 minutes a day. Vary your exercise in style, intensity and duration as you become fitter. When working within realistic goals, you will achieve success in the form of 1-2 pounds per week, consistently and over time.
No idea where to start with either restricting yourself or choosing whole foods? You’re not alone. Change is not easy, especially when it comes to potentially depriving ourselves. Setting goals with the help of a professional, after getting a clear picture of your overall health with your annual physical, is the best place to start. Start the summer season with a plan to enjoy the feast that nature provides in the form of fresh fruits and vegetables harvested in the summer months. Try to plan outings revolving around fitness with your family and work diligently on making regular activity in the form of specific and measured fitness, a part of your daily schedule. The summer is not a loss if you haven’t reached your goals yet; it’s a fresh new start filled with opportunity.
