BY MONIQUE BARTLETT
Losing weight isn’t easy. You watch what you eat and you work out regularly yet you still haven’t quite received the results you were looking for. If it was easy, everyone would be thin and the weight loss industry wouldn’t exist. If you go to the gym to workout, you’ve probably heard fellow exercisers exchange tips about what helped them shape up and slim down. Some may sound good but maybe they sound too good. Then there are other tips that are just out there. It’s hard to decide who to trust and figure out what is right for you.
The good news is that there are many experts who can help you reach and maintain your goals. You have the choice of reaching out to a dietician, nutritionist, naturopath, personal trainer, family doctor and more. They can help you with the right food and supplements for you, to help you get to your goal weight. They can also recommend how much or how little you need to exercise, in order not to sabotage the efforts you have put in with your food.
Everyone is different and what may work for your friends and family may not be the things to work for you. Genetics may play a role in how much and how fast you lose weight due to your metabolism and lifestyle. Your friend may be able to eat as much as they want and they can’t seem to gain a pound but you just look at a cookie and you gain a pound! I’m exaggerating but you get the point. Stop worrying about what others do or achieve and just focus on yourself and your goals. Comparing yourself to others will only cause you to experience self doubt and lack of confidence, both of which will sabotage your efforts.
Take heart in knowing that you’re not alone. Once you make the decision to take care of yourself and put yourself first everything else will fall into place. This is a journey and not a sprint. If you don’t lose eight pounds in a month, that’s ok. Any loss, is a loss and should be celebrated. The most important thing is for you to feel good in your own skin. If it takes you a year instead of six months to lose the weight you want, that’s ok as well. Losing even ten percent of your body weight will have major health benefits for you.
Your goal should be to look great and feel great. If you are losing inches and the numbers on the scale aren’t going down as quickly, just remember that you are still being successful. Set your intention and get to work!
