Losing weight is on the minds of many people these days, but unfortunately just a few actually accomplish this goal. Since the process of losing weight is a task that is dependent on each individual, the success one has will be determined on how motivated they are to take the necessary steps that will improve the health of their bodies.
One of the main reasons why motivation is crucial is because the overweight or obese individual will have to make some changes how they live their day to day lives. Some habits will have to be kicked, eating tendencies will have to be altered, and a revamped menu will have to become part of the daily routine.
Essentially, when striving to tackle the process of losing weight there are two areas a person needs to address - the food eaten every day and the exercise a person gets on a regular basis. When both of these areas are carefully monitored and maintained, you will lose the weight you are trying to get rid of PERIOD.
This process will take time and commitment, but in the end you will emerge a completely different person, healthy and in shape feeling great about yourself. The only downside is that you will most likely have to buy new clothes since the old ones will be too big for you afterwards, but is that really a bad thing?
Address the food aspect first when starting out since 75% of the weight loss process comes down to nutrition. Since most people usually eat three times per day along with snacks thrown in here and there, grasping a firm handle on everything put in the mouth is crucial. Think about it this way, even if you run five miles a day, but continue to eat greasy, fried food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you will still gain weight because you are taking in far too many calories regardless of the exercise.
Take the time to go through your kitchen and get rid of all the unhealthy options you find. If you don't want to throw away any food, be sure the next time you go shopping for groceries those detrimental choices don't make it into your shopping cart. When choices such as chips, cookies, crackers, sodas, cakes, and pies aren't right there at your fingertips, then you will not be able to toss them haphazardly into your mouth.
These are wasted calories that do not belong in a healthy and balanced life anyways.
Replace snack options with those that are low in calories, sugar, but more importantly that you enjoy to eat. You want this healthy transition to be appealing, not where you despise every bit of the food you put in your mouth. That's no fun and more than likely your efforts will be short-lived.
Eating healthy does not mean having a salad everyday for lunch and dinner, nor does it mean starving your body by not giving it enough food. Developing a healthy life means you eat foods that are beneficial to your body in appropriate portion sizes. Since this is a complete menu makeover, experiment with different options until you find 10-20 meals that can serve as a your foundation.
Take time to plan out your meals for the day. It's best if you can do this either the night before, or in the morning so you know exactly what you will be eating for the entire day ahead. There will be no doubt as to what's on the menu, therefore you won't have to resort to going to buy cafeteria or fast food.
Research the Internet and within an hour you will have tons of ideas that not only sound and look appealing, but will be healthy building blocks to get you started.
You can probably see why tackling the food issue first is most important to do first. It's a bit more complex and time consuming, but it is the KEY to a successful healthy transition since food rules our lives. We can essentially live without exercise but in no way can we live without food.
While starting out on this new health journey, really analyze your eating habits and identify the trouble areas that you may need to adjust or get rid of:
- snacking on the couch while watching tv
- eating in the car on the way to work
- munching on "stuff" while at your work desk
- getting seconds and thirds after your first plate of food
- drinking soda or other sugary drinks
- eating chips/cookies/cakes/pies/donuts (have you ever stopped to look at the nutritional content of these items per serving size!?!? - ridiculous)
- eating in the car on the way to work
- munching on "stuff" while at your work desk
- getting seconds and thirds after your first plate of food
- drinking soda or other sugary drinks
- eating chips/cookies/cakes/pies/donuts (have you ever stopped to look at the nutritional content of these items per serving size!?!? - ridiculous)
These are all examples of habits that need to be changed or tossed out of the regular happenings. When you are truly committed to the fact of improving your health and losing weight, these are the types of choices and decisions you will have to make on a DAILY basis. Naturally the temptation will be there along with that little voice telling you to just fall back into the regular routine, but it will have to be your firm resounding voice that decides that things are going to change. You are no longer going to be a slave to food and scared to step on the scale. Once you have this type of mindset, you will be well on your way to making an actual difference and accomplish your overall goal.
Gregory L. Gomez, M. Ed, has been teaching 5th grade in the LAUSD for 12 years and has recently embarked on a journey to lose weight, eat healthier, and finally get in shape! Follow his progress on http://HealthyChoicesInLife.com as he strives to lose 60 pounds through dedicated exercise and eating healthy. From healthy eating guides, to a step-by-step manual tackling the process of losing weight, to free weight loss videos, get the latest information to combat the rising obesity epidemic and start improving your health today at http://healthychoicesinlife.com/how-to-lose-weight-in-a-week.
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