If you’re looking to lose weight and are currently over 200 pounds, read on for the motivation you need to kick start your weight loss and make a new YOU!
First of all, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
As much as you may feel like you are, I can assure you, you are not!
I myself have been in your situation a few years ago.
I had always struggled with my weight throughout school.
When I started University in 2011 I gained 40+ lbs in just over 18 months, making me 242 lbs in total.
The penny had dropped for me when I saw a photo of myself amongst my group of friends.
I had problems breathing, my asthma got worse and I even began to find even daily tasks an effort… enough was enough.
By 2013 I was down to 160 lbs, and felt like a completely different person, I had the confidence to do ANYTHING I WANTED.
And now it’s your turn…
So where do you start?
There’s no need in dwelling on the past and being disappointed at how you gained your weight in the first place.
Today is a new day.
Today is the day you take control and start living the life you thought you could only dream about.
Changing your lifestyle is all in your mindset.
YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE CHANGE FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU WANT TO!
Probably the biggest step you’ll take to kick-start your journey.
It’s not going to be the best task I’ll recommend but your future, healthier you will thank you!
Weigh yourself on Day 1 and keep a diary/record of your food (if it helps) and any exercises you will be doing.
It’s also worth writing down how you feel at the end of each day, this will be good to reflect on later down the line.
According to Huffington Post ‘As a rule of thumb, weight loss is generally 75 percent diet and 25 percent exercise.’
Cleanse your body with nutrient rich, healthy foods.
- Try to eat high protein meals each day such as lean chicken breast, salmon, whole eggs and grass-fed beef.
You will be less likely to overeat when you consume these foods.
If you’re new to eating fruit and vegetable start slow, introduce something new each week into your diet – slow and steady wins the race!
It’s so important to drink lots of water every day to flush out the toxins in your body and to ensure you’re properly hydrated.
It’ll help boost your metabolism and act as an appetite suppressant too.
Ask yourself?
Are you actually hungry?
Drink a pint of water, wait 15 minutes and ask yourself again.
You should be focusing on your diet at the beginning of your journey, but as you settle into your new lifestyle you can begin to add exercise into your daily routine.
If you have a sedentary regime at the moment, such as working in an office then start slow.
Even adding a walk to your lunch break can help boost your weight loss, and getting fresh air will help maintain your positive attitude for the rest of the day, ensuring you stay focused and on track.
Calories aren’t everything!
If you really want to keep an eye on everything you eat, it’s much better to track the macronutrients that you are consuming.
If there is one thing you should take away from this article it would be that FAD DIETS DON’T WORK!
You need to change your whole lifestyle, the way you think about food and how you fuel your body.
Yes, you might lose 30 pounds in 6 weeks on the egg and grapefruit diet, but is this sustainable?
What happens when you start eating proper food again?
Eat a healthy, nutritious diet that will not only make you look good but feel good too!
Meal prepping healthy food for the week ahead is a great way to ensure you stay focused, and you’ll also save money too.
Having food prepared is great for those times when the cravings kick in and you would usually grab a sugary snack to satisfy it.
It may seem like you have a long way to go to your target weight.
Break it down into smaller goals.
If you have 50 pounds in total to lose, set yourself a time frame to lose 10 at a time.
Your mind will focus on losing 10 rather than thinking about the bigger picture.
When you lose that 10 pounds, celebrate your win (take a progress pic and compare it to your first one) then do it again!
You’re on a roll now!
You wouldn’t believe the health benefits that green tea can give your body.
It’s also a natural fat burner which accelerates the metabolic process, making it easier for you to achieve your weight loss goals.
So you’re on track until that one day where you have that slice of cake and that leads to a bigger portion for your evening meal, then you ‘write the day off’.
DON’T BEAT YOURSELF UP OVER THIS!
You’re only human.
Write down your feelings/emotions for that day then close the book because tomorrow is a new day!
Most people fall off the wagon at this point and go back to their old ways.
DON’T!
You can do it, you have the motivation to succeed in anything you put your mind to.
Also, a ‘cheat meal’ may help every now and again to reset your metabolism.
Being a member of a group or a regular contributor on a message board full of like-minded people will only motivate you more to stay on plan.
Good luck on your journey – you got this!!
