4 Keys To Lasting Weight Loss : Your Keys To Results

If lasting weight loss is your goal, you're not alone. It's estimated that about one in three American adults is trying to lose weight at any given time. Unfortunately, most are not all that successful.

Lasting weight loss is a goal many pursue but few achieve. There are many reasons for this, but I've outlined 4 major key steps that are critical to your weight loss success. Maintaining your motivation to lose weight is difficult, but if you're inspired to get in shape, you can make it happen just as I did.

After losing about 25 percent of my body weight without surgery, and without sacrificing myself to the weight loss gods, I know a little bit about losing weight. I've managed to keep the excess weight off for over 3 years, and also get in better shape than I have been in years. I didn't join a gym, or go to a weight loss clinic, or pay any organization to assist me. I did it on my own and you can too.

There are a number of factors that need to come together, however, in order for you to have successful and sustainable fat loss. I've boiled them down to the 4 major key areas for you here.

1. Motivation - Motivation is born out of inspiration, so be sure you know what it is that inspires you to lose the weight. Take advantage of inspirational and motivational tools. Beyond that, there are several things that you need to be motivated to do. You have to be motivated enough to be ready; ready to prepare, ready to plan, ready to commit, ready to be disciplined, ready to follow through, ready to be critical of yourself, and perhaps most of all, ready to accept the new you. Are you motivated to do all of these things? Great!

2. Planning - Beyond motivation, you need a plan. If you don't have a plan, you'll never get started. Your plan must include not only choosing your diet and exercise routine, but a number of other steps as well. You have to re-plan your life, not totally, but enough so that you create a supportive environment for weight loss. Get rid of both the habits and the things that don't support weight loss; out with the bad, and in with the good. Your plan needs to include others, so tell your friends and family what you're doing. You need to restructure your days to make it easy to meet your weight loss goals. Remember, all things being equal, the simpler the plan, the better.

3. Execution - All the planning in the world means nothing without execution. You have to carry out your plan. Execution also means keeping your commitment, and facing challenges and setbacks with an open mind and positive attitude. Execution may involve adjustments to your original plan, so be prepared for that.

4. Tracking - During execution, you'll need to monitor your progress and analyze the results. When you do, give an honest evaluation. Ask yourself some hard questions. Am I really sticking to the plan, or am I cheating? What could I do more of or less of? Is the plan I chose right for me? Do I need to up my exercise level? Do I need a stricter diet? Should I change diets all together? Most of us have experienced setbacks on the road to weight loss, and sometimes this derails our efforts. Don't let that happen. Instead, if needed, adjust your plan, re-commit, and let your motivation take you through that tough time.

So gather your thoughts and your things and get inspired to lose weight again. With some motivation, good planning, proper execution, and honest tracking of your progress, you can take the weight off. If you continue tracking, although not as vigorously, you'll keep the weight off long after your so called diet period has ended. Lasting weight loss can and will be yours, it's all up to you.

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