Weight lose is a struggle that many people battle with each day. At least that is the way it seems. The truth, however, is that weight loss is rather simple. The issue is sticking with a new exercise or diet routine. You get bored and you go back to your old habits. weight lose is dependent upon you sticking with your diet and exercise routine. To help overcome the hurdles of staying motivated to lose weight.
Set Realistic Goals. It is perfectly natural to be gung-ho and jump into a new diet and exercise routine and set the goal of losing those 20 pounds, fitting into that size 8 when you are a size 16. While those goals are possible, you need to set "stepping stones" that will help you get to that big goal. Focus on losing 5 pounds, or swapping out 1 can of soda for a bottle of water each day. That way your goals are not overwhelming, it is going to take time to lose 20 pounds... 5 pounds will come off quicker than you think and the weight loss will happen quicker.
Keep a Food Diary. Try to write down everything you consume each day for a minimum of 2 weeks. This is an effective way to know exactly wh at you're eating and how many calories you're taking in. Sometimes you don't realize just how much you're eating until you think about it and write all of it down. You'll be able to see which foods you should start eliminating from your diet as well which will help you lose weight. Identifying the problem areas in your diet can you jump started on your weight loss goals.
Keep an Exercise Journal. You want to make sure you work out regularly by doing both cardiovascular and strength training workouts. Write down each exercise you do along with the number of reps performed and the amount of weight used. For cardio workouts take note of your total time, distance and the number of calories burned if you can. Exercise will accelerate your weight loss efforts and help you lose weight faster.
Don't Weigh Yourself Every Day. Weighing yourself everyday can be very discouraging because weight fluctuates a lot. Consider weighing yourself just once per week at most and you want to be sure you weigh yourself on the same day each week at around the same time. This will give you a true account into how your weight loss efforts are going. You could lose weight one day and gain weight the next if you were to weigh yourself daily so it's not recommended.
Take Measurements. Sometimes when you start to lose weight you won't notice a weight loss per se. It's much easier to notice the difference in the amount of inches lost. This is because strength training will help you build muscle mass and even though you may be losing fat you might not be achieving weight loss at all times. Weight isn't always the most important factor of being in shape, especially once you've started to lose weight a lot already.
Reward Yourself. Don't forget to reward yourself when you meet your goals. You should reward yourself each time you meet one of your smaller goals and reward yourself even more when you attain your main goal. So every time you achieve a weight loss of 5 pounds you could reward yourself for the hard work you've been putting in. Instead of rewarding yourself with food or snacks, consider buying yourself a new workout CD, download new songs to your iPod or invest in some new athletic apparel to workout in.
Weight loss isn't really what people struggle with it's more that they lack the motivation to stay on track to lose weight. It's easy when you first start out because everything feels new and fresh but once you start to become accustomed to your new lifestyle you may begin to get bored. If that's the case you'll want to switch up your workouts to stay motivated and keep your body well on its way to weight loss. You can lose weight if you're motivated to do so but it's up to you to be motivated.
Weight loss is an issue that many people struggle with. The issue though really isn't losing weight... losing weight is rather simple... the first few pounds that is. The problem comes with a person sticking their new exercise or diet routine, so they fall back into their old routine. When that happens, the weight creeps back on. The fact is that the only way to maximize your weight loss and keep it off is to stick to your diet and exercise routine. To help here are a few tips that you may find useful in helping you stick with your program.
Make Small Goals. When you're starting out, it's okay to have a large goal in mind, such as losing 50 pounds, but it's also important to make smaller goals. You will be able to attain these smaller goals much more quickly and each time you meet one it's going to keep you motivated to move forward. A goal of 50 pounds is a great one but it can feel overwhelming when you're getting started with weight loss. To help you lose weight successfully, set a few small goals for yourself.
Start a Food Journal. In order to change your dietary intake you need to know what you are eating. You may be surprised to find out what you eat, how much you eat and what you can easily stop eating. Its best to keep track of your food intake for at least two weeks. That will give you a pretty good idea of what your normal food intake is.
Start an Exercise Diary. If you are keeping track of the food you eat, it only makes sense that you keep track of the exercise you are doing. Make sure that your each journal entry includes the amount of weight you are using during strength training as well as how many reps you have done. For cardio exercise write down how long you worked out, what you did and if possible the number of calories you burned. Exercise is essential to any weight lose efforts you are making.
Skip the Scale. While it may seem like a good idea to stand on the scale each day to track your progress, it can actually be counterproductive. Body weight naturally fluctuates, daily... actually throughout the day. Seeing that your lost 3 pounds yesterday, but that you are up 4 pounds today can be self defeating. It is far better to pick one day a week, and a time on that day, that you will weigh yourself. Don't sabotage your efforts to lose weight by expecting to see drastic changes each day.
Take Measurements. Sometimes when you start to lose weight you won't notice a weight loss per se. It's much easier to notice the difference in the amount of inches lost. This is because strength training will help you build muscle mass and even though you may be losing fat you might not be achieving weight loss at all times. Weight isn't always the most important factor of being in shape, especially once you've started to lose weight a lot already.
Pat Yourself on the Back for a Job Well Done. Remember the small goals that you set, when you reach one, reward yourself. When you reach a main goal, really reward yourself. For example, you lost your first five pounds, get your nails done, buy a new CD or buy those new running shoes. Positive rewards for hard work will help maximize your weight loss efforts.
Weight loss isn't really what people struggle with it's more that they lack the motivation to stay on track to lose weight. It's easy when you first start out because everything feels new and fresh but once you start to become accustomed to your new lifestyle you may begin to get bored. If that's the case you'll want to switch up your workouts to stay motivated and keep your body well on its way to weight loss. You can lose weight if you're motivated to do so but it's up to you to be motivated.
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