Despite what media and fads may tell you, weight loss is a long-term commitment; a full marathon rather than a 50-yard dash. And if I’m being honest (and I always am) it’s a marathon through hills and valleys, desserts and rainstorms, complete with black toes and blistered feet. It’s not pretty, it’s not easy, and not everyone is going to succeed on their own. Achieving one’s weight loss goals can take years of efforts to re-wire and undo everything that got one to the undesired outcome in the first place. So why do some people succeed, and some, no matter how excited and enthusiastic they are in the beginning, fail repeatedly? What is the secret to success?
The secret, my friends, boils down to three things (at least in my humble opinion).
1. Always Have a Plan
2. Stay on Track
3. Stay Motivated
Sounds easy enough, right? Buzzzz, wrrroonnng! If it was EASY then everyone would be their ideal weight, walking around in swimsuits snapping selfies all day. Let’s break it down to see why something so elementary can be so difficult…
Always have a plan.
Seems logical, how can you get from A to B without knowing the path to get there? You can’t. You need a plan. But creating a plan (that works) for weight loss is confusing especially with so much conflicting information out there. That’s why there are (ahem) professionals to help you build these plans. But you don’t HAVE to hire a professional, there are a bajillion FREE workout and nutrition plans on the interwebs and if you’re patient and willing to put in the effort/time to research which plans are not bull-hockey then you can set up your own plan for free. The point is you need a plan.
You need to know what you will do every day to eventually reach your goal. Otherwise, you will squander your time away, pushing your goals further out of reach, because you can’t take action (which is what is required to achieve your goals) until you know what you’re supposed to be doing!
A good weight loss plan should include movement (fitness), nutrition (calorie-deficit focused), and stress maintenance (mindset, recovery, sleep). Your plan should have a REALISTIC time frame. Losing 20lbs in 1 month is NOT realistic.
Remember those hills and valleys we talked about? It’s important to be OK with adapting your plan. Life will ALWAYS get in the way, life is going to happen, and there will ALWAYS be a reason to push off your goals. You can’t let life be the reason you stop your plan; assess, adjust, move through it.
Stay on track.
“Yea, thanks for pointing out the obvious, Rach.” Yes, I know, it’s obvious. But how many of you reading this have unfinished projects laying around? Hopes and dreams that have dissolved into the background of your daily routine? The only way you can achieve any goal is to stay on track, making focused steps towards that goal every day. Staying on track is easier when you (refer to step 1) have a plan.
Set your goals, both short term and long term. Break your plan down into segments so that it is easier to make progress.
Visualize your goals every day. This could mean posting pictures of you when you were your ideal weight, imagining how being in your ideal body would FEEL, or simply daydreaming about what life will be like once you reach your goal. Our brains are a powerful tool and if you stay focused on your goals by visualizing, you will stay on track.
And finally, in order to stay on track you must be willing to take the right steps over and over, every day, way longer than anyone else is willing to take them.
Staying motivated (for the long haul).
Staying motivated is a true key to success in any aspect. You may find motivation internally or externally; either way without the coal of motivation your caboose isn’t going anywhere.
Figuring out what really motivates you to lose weight could take a little digging, but I bet you it’s deeper than you just want to look good! You can find this out with one simple exercise; continuously ask yourself, “why?” until you’ve found your deep motivator.
Once you find it, post it everywhere! Read it daily to remind yourself why you REALLY want to and HAVE to lose the weight.
Learn to enjoy the process of getting healthy. Focus on the feeling you have AFTER the workout, rather than the early morning alarm. Start to enjoy how eating healthier gives you more energy, rather missing out on that 5 o’clock bottle of wine.
Build a support network for yourself. Tell EVERYONE about your goals, be honest about your “why” and let these people be an external motivation AND accountability for you.
Measure your success in different ways during your journey. Not every victory is a scale victory. Acknowledge and celebrate the little changes you make every day that get you closer to your goal.
And mostly, be gentle with yourself, you are human, so WHEN you have an off day don’t give up. Don’t call yourself mean names and say you’re never going to make it. Speak kind, motivating, and graceful words to yourself, be your biggest cheerleader, and start the next day with fresh motivation.
There you have it, the “secrets” to losing weight. I know that anyone, including you, can do this if you just put your mind to it. If you feel overwhelmed by this, if you feel defeated by your previous attempts, then reach out to me. The most convenient way to get to your goals is to get professional help. I’m here for you when you’re ready!
Love,
Rachel
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