I never was asked WHY I was doing this. But I was asked how I did it. I think the answers to "why" is pretty obvious. I was overweight, unhealthy, unfit, and unhappy with my physical appearance. Being a yo-yo dieter in the past, I knew this time was for good and the weight was never going to creep back on, or at least that's my lifetime goal and always a work in progress.
But I lost track of "So how did I do this?", "What was your plan?" and most especially, "Tell me your secret."
My answer is this... there is not secret. I busted my ass to get to where I am. No, seriously. It's not a joke. There is absolutely no pill, fad diet or special drink. Eat healthy & exercise. It's as simple as that.
Here are some tips that helped me along the 80 lb. journey.
Set a goal!
I set goals and made a plan of how I was going to achieve the goals. I started in January 2011. My first goal was to lost 40lbs by my 30th birthday. The reason for 40lbs was that I would have been less than 200 lbs and the lowest weight since my adult life began. So I had five full months to lose 40lbs. With a combination of at home workouts, spinning, kickboxing and running, I was determined to hit this goal. When I weighed in the week of my birthday, I lost 41 lbs. That feeling and sense of accomplishment left me wanting to achieve more so I set out to lose another 20 lbs for our family vacation.
Goals are really important because it gives you something to work towards. It gives you the motivation, a reason, a purpose to continue this healthy lifestyle and feel awesome about yourself. Reevaluate your goals if needed. Don't feel like a failure. Life can be tough, but it's figuring out how to overcome those obstacles that can get in the way. Some people do well with a large goal and feel quite motivated, while others need smaller increments. The same goes with rewards for hitting those goals. Some people don't need rewards and see the weight loss as a reward in itself, while others like to buy an item or pamper themselves with a pedicure.
Put a plan in place.
Whether it's meal planning or working out, it has to be planned. I have been meal planning for just about the last two years. It helps to keep focused in the food store and not buy junk food at the store. I didn't go down the candy/cookie aisles for at least the first nine months.
Do what you love, but vary workouts
If you don't like to dance, Zumba probably isn't for you. If you do not like to run, you probably won't be doing Couch 2 5k or any races. But there is a workout for everyone and you need to find what you enjoy. Working out should be a stress reliever, not cause anxiety before you begin. And your preferences for workouts may change over time especially as you grow stronger and things don't look as daunting. It's important to vary your workouts especially during a plateau in weight loss. This will help send your muscles into a frenzy and get them moving in new ways.
As I said above, I run, spin, kick box, and do at home workouts.
My favorite at home workouts are
- Brooke Burke's Transform Your Body: Tone & Tighten and Strengthen & Condition,
- Biggest Loser Boot Camp
- Biggest Loser Weight Loss Yoga,
- Blogilates challenges
- Blogilates Bikini Series
Have a cheat day!
Once in awhile, it's okay. You can have that juicy cheeseburger or ice cream sundae. I believe that we don't need to give everything up in order to achieve great success, however, eating junk food all the time isn't going to achieve the same results. Figuring out how to have the foods we love and still be successful is key.
Be Selfish.
I lost this weight for me. I wanted to be happy in my appearance and accomplish goals that I set forth. This lifestyle is yours. Take the time you need to plan meals, get a workout in, or just take a moment for yourself. You will be a happier person in the end.
Remember this.
This is your journey. No two people will have the same journey with the same results. Do this for yourself and no one else.
No comments:
Post a Comment