Losing weight requires so much more than exercising daily and eating more fruits and vegetables. Of course that’s the simple formula, but the real deal to being successful at it and maintaining it for the long haul requires us to get our lives in order. Not parts of it, but our lives as a whole. The way we live our lives ultimately affects how healthy and how fit we can become.
Anyone can cut calories and hit the gym for a month, but what happens when you go back to your life or when life revs up and starts to happen to you? What then? Do you throw all that fit and healthy stuff out the window? The answer is yes, if you don’t work at making this a true lifestyle.
So how can you do that? How can you begin to build in the activities and foods and lifestyle changes that will add to your happiness and create a life of joy? Here are three simple ways to do just that!
Embrace It
Stop fighting it! The weight loss process is 90% mental. Fighting every step of the way will only make things worse. Because resistance is real, we have to get to a point where we begin to resist resistance. Make it a game. Every time you quiet the committee in your head that tells you to give up or give into the temptation, you win. Keep track of your wins and soon you’ll begin to see the resistance fade away. Anytime we begin to do something new, or step out of our comfort zone that’s when resistance creeps in. One way to start building in healthy lifestyle changes is to get comfortable with being uncomfortable with the knowledge and understanding that it’s only going to last for a short time.
Be Okay With Letting Stuff Go
The new you who you are working on becoming can’t afford to bring old baggage along on the journey. Limiting beliefs, let them go. Unsupportive friends and family members let them go. If you don’t tell them what street your parade is on they can’t rain on it. Keep it moving. Clutter; mental, emotional, environmental, etc., let it go. You need to clear the space for your new life. Let it go…let it go…(okay, okay I’ll spare you from my singing…LOL)
Follow Your Own Path To Fitness
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. This weight loss journey is not a one size fits all. With all the options, programs, activities, foods, recipes, etc., you have to find what works for YOU and work it! I love Zumba. Zumba may not be your thing. If it isn’t, find what is your thing and do it to death. Work on finding new and exciting things to add to your repertoire. The sky is the limit so don’t limit yourself to what everyone else is doing. If you don’t like it don’t do it. If it’s something that you can do but it doesn’t bring you joy in doing it…squash it and move on to the next thing. Part of the fun about this journey is learning new things and learning what you do like and enjoy.
Your Turn To Share
What are the things about your weight loss journey that you most enjoy?