I've done it and I bet you have too. Maybe it was the New Year, maybe it was an invite to the class reunion, maybe it was a visit to the doctor's office. Something happened that made us decide "I've got to do something...anything to take off this weight now!"
That's when we do it. In one day we go from eating whatever we want to vowing we will never top 1000 calories again. Or we jump from being a total coach potato to swearing we'll do 30 hard minutes every single day on the elliptical. And we start our grand plan. And it works...for one day...maybe two days...maybe three. Then we find ourselves starving, craving for all the things we used to eat, and sore because our bodies simply aren't used to doing what we're asking of them now. So we give up and go back to our old ways. We gain back any weight we lost. And we feel guilty and defeated thinking getting into better shape is a hopeless cause.
Where do we go wrong? I'm convinced most of our plans to diet and exercise fail because we try to make too radical of changes to the way we eat and exercise too fast. It's like we're trying to take ourselves from 0 to 60 in a few seconds and our bodies are saying NO !!!!!
Now don't get me wrong. I know some people who have made radical changes to their diets and/or exercise routine quickly and have had great success. Some of my friends have. Some have joined great plans and have stuck with them. Their results are incredible and I am inspired and proud of them all.
But I tried radical changes for years and I just couldn't make them stick. For me, the secret to finally losing weight and getting into better shape five years ago was to make small, progressive changes in what I ate and how I exercised. I would make one small change and work on that for three days or so before I made another small change. I started making my changes with breakfast and worked myself through each meal down to dinner and after. Each success I had with a baby step gave me confidence to move on. And within a matter of four weeks or so I had transformed my eating habits from "not good at all" to "pretty good". I went from "not working out at all" to a decent workout 4-5 times a week. I developed habits in a way that wasn't painful and they were habits I could stick with. I weaned myself off sugar and fat, and in the coming months, developed some muscle tone, and lost 40 pounds.
Unfortunately, a couple of years ago, I started on a "slippery slope" of indulgences that have moved me away from healthier habits rather than closer to them. My diet is far from great. I don't work out regularly. I've gained some of the weight back, lost energy, and have felt crappy about the whole thing. I've decided it's time to turn this thing around.
So my plan this go around is to do what worked for me before...to make small, progressive changes in what I eat and in how I work out. Step one for me was to remind myself of 10 reasons why I wanted to get into better shape (see my other post). Step two is for me to take an honest look at breakfast...breakfast only (remember, one step at a time) ...and evaluate what I eat now to see where I need to modify. What small change can I make today that will move me towards a healthier breakfast? Only after I get breakfast whipped into shape will I move on to mid-morning snack and work my way down the day. And I am going back to the gym today. Am I going to try the 45 minute ellipticle and weight workout that I used to do? No. I'm starting with a slow 30 minute walk.
Slow and steady...that's my motto. I want to make changes that will last. I'd love to have you join me during my journey towards better health. I've set up a Facebook group for others wanting to take Steps Towards Better Health. We're not selling any products or programs. We are there to encourage, support, and help each other in our efforts to get healthier in 2011 !
That's when we do it. In one day we go from eating whatever we want to vowing we will never top 1000 calories again. Or we jump from being a total coach potato to swearing we'll do 30 hard minutes every single day on the elliptical. And we start our grand plan. And it works...for one day...maybe two days...maybe three. Then we find ourselves starving, craving for all the things we used to eat, and sore because our bodies simply aren't used to doing what we're asking of them now. So we give up and go back to our old ways. We gain back any weight we lost. And we feel guilty and defeated thinking getting into better shape is a hopeless cause.
Where do we go wrong? I'm convinced most of our plans to diet and exercise fail because we try to make too radical of changes to the way we eat and exercise too fast. It's like we're trying to take ourselves from 0 to 60 in a few seconds and our bodies are saying NO !!!!!
Now don't get me wrong. I know some people who have made radical changes to their diets and/or exercise routine quickly and have had great success. Some of my friends have. Some have joined great plans and have stuck with them. Their results are incredible and I am inspired and proud of them all.
But I tried radical changes for years and I just couldn't make them stick. For me, the secret to finally losing weight and getting into better shape five years ago was to make small, progressive changes in what I ate and how I exercised. I would make one small change and work on that for three days or so before I made another small change. I started making my changes with breakfast and worked myself through each meal down to dinner and after. Each success I had with a baby step gave me confidence to move on. And within a matter of four weeks or so I had transformed my eating habits from "not good at all" to "pretty good". I went from "not working out at all" to a decent workout 4-5 times a week. I developed habits in a way that wasn't painful and they were habits I could stick with. I weaned myself off sugar and fat, and in the coming months, developed some muscle tone, and lost 40 pounds.
Unfortunately, a couple of years ago, I started on a "slippery slope" of indulgences that have moved me away from healthier habits rather than closer to them. My diet is far from great. I don't work out regularly. I've gained some of the weight back, lost energy, and have felt crappy about the whole thing. I've decided it's time to turn this thing around.
So my plan this go around is to do what worked for me before...to make small, progressive changes in what I eat and in how I work out. Step one for me was to remind myself of 10 reasons why I wanted to get into better shape (see my other post). Step two is for me to take an honest look at breakfast...breakfast only (remember, one step at a time) ...and evaluate what I eat now to see where I need to modify. What small change can I make today that will move me towards a healthier breakfast? Only after I get breakfast whipped into shape will I move on to mid-morning snack and work my way down the day. And I am going back to the gym today. Am I going to try the 45 minute ellipticle and weight workout that I used to do? No. I'm starting with a slow 30 minute walk.
Slow and steady...that's my motto. I want to make changes that will last. I'd love to have you join me during my journey towards better health. I've set up a Facebook group for others wanting to take Steps Towards Better Health. We're not selling any products or programs. We are there to encourage, support, and help each other in our efforts to get healthier in 2011 !
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