Recently I overheard someone talking about their dieting track record. How they would start a program, do good for a few weeks and then quit. I could hear the confusion and frustration in their voice as to why they could not follow through on what they had started.
I could certainly feel their pain because I’ve been down that road a time or two or a thousand. I couldn’t help but wonder if I were the person they were sharing with, what would I say to them to help them to break the cycle?
What I would share for sure is that when you are embarking upon a weight loss journey you have got to embrace the process. The ups and downs. The victories and defeats. The rewards and the challenges. The process is not a straight path to the finish line. In fact the finish line is really the starting point because you will need to continue doing the same things you did to lose the weight in order to sustain the weight loss…follow me?
I also believe that you must do everything you can to make it an enjoyable experience because it’s highly unlikely that you will quit something you enjoy doing. When you begin to embrace the process and enjoy the experience, you’re more likely to commit to it 100%, which then makes quitting a non-issue. Makes sense right? Here are a few tips for how you can do just that!
Stop Trying To Do What Everyone Else Is Doing
The path to weight loss is not a one size fits all. What works for me may not work for you. The things I like to do may cause you to run and hide. Create your own program. Come up with your own rules. Remember, successful weight loss is all about creating a healthy lifestyle for yourself. Every person’s lifestyle is different. With that being the case, why would you try a cookie cutter approach to losing weight when the do’s and don’ts of said approach conflict with your lifestyle? That’s only setting yourself up for quitting. Step outside the box and do what’s doable and sustainable for you.
Change Your Approach
If you’ve always joined Weight Watchers and quit after a month, try a different approach. If you’ve always joined the gym on January 1st and not stepped foot in it until the following year, try working out at home. If you’ve always eaten salad and tuna or chicken breast and brown rice because those are your “go to diet meals”, try something new. If your approach is boring and robotic, try a different one. Clearly, doing what you’ve always done isn’t working for you, so do it differently this time.
Slow Down
What is your rush? You’ve been overweight for as long as you can remember and now you’re trying to kill yourself to lose it all in 6 months. That is down right crazy! Slow down. Ease into the changes you want to make. Change one thing at a time and build from there. Stop trying to do it all at once. Remember, Rome was not built in a day.
Stop Giving Yourself Options
Stop making promises to yourself and not keeping them. If you say you are going to your Zumba class at 7:00 on Monday, don’t then tell yourself, “oh maybe I’ll wait to go next week instead”. This may sound grim, but who’s to say that you’ll be around next week. Seize every opportunity to make it happen now. The more you put it off, the further off reaching your goal will be and the longer it will take. The last thing you want is to be here next year in the same boat.
Make It Exciting
Life is too short. Have fun people! There are so many ways and things to do to engage your body in movement. It doesn’t have to be painful to be effective. In fact that’s probably why you quit because you’re too sore to move or worse yet you’ve gone in too hard and now you’ve injured yourself. Dance, walk, stretch, play basketball, swim, run around with the kids, walk through the mall and window shop while you’re at it. The point is…just move! Technique and intensity will come later. But for now, especially in the beginning shoot for the fun factor.
The same holds true for your eating. If you are not going to drink a special potion for the rest of your life, why set yourself up for failure? As Elizabeth Benton from PrimalPotential.com always says, eat the foods you love that love you back…I just love that saying! If it’s pleasing to your palette, and it’s good for you and good to you, by all means get down. Food is meant to be enjoyed and it’s okay to enjoy your food even when you’re trying to lose weight! Off course portion control and moderation both come into play, but the point here is to stay away from depriving or punishing yourself because both will lead you down the quitters road once again.
Your Turn To Share
What have been your reasons for quitting your weight loss program in the past? What will be different for you this time?