There are so many quick fixes out there. Why aren’t more people addressing the root of the problems rather than the symptoms. When it comes to weight loss, the issue is often times not the extra weight someone has, but the psychological reasons behind it. If I meet someone that has weight to lose, I don’t judge them because of the way they look. I realize that deep inside there are things they are struggling with that keeps them from obtaining the goals they desire. Are there times that it’s physical? Sure, in cases like thyroid, being on a steroid type medication for a period of time, and even old injuries can contribute in some way. But often there are other things as well. Here are a few things that I see people struggle with.
- Self esteem – Do you really believe you deserve to lose weight? You have to understand that you have every right to be healthy. I have met women that were weeping because they felt like it was their responsibility to take care of everyone else first. It was breaking them down mentally and emotionally and it was heartbreaking. The truth is that you will take care of others better when you take care of yourself. This is obviously just a tip of the iceberg, but it’s a reality that many of you are dealing with.
- Confidence – Do you really believe that you can lose weight? So many people struggle committing to a plan because they don’t really believe it will work anyway. So instead they jump from one plan to another, without ever giving the plan a chance to work.
- Hating Exercise – I am going to share a little secret with you. I’m not sure I know more than a handful of people that love exercise every time they do it. Even the elite athletes sometimes hate exercise, maybe even often. I don’t always love it, but I do it. Do not set your goals on just accomplishing an exercise session. Your goals won’t last, which brings me to my next point.
- Setting the wrong goals – Whether it’s weight loss, exercising 5 days a week, or following a particular diet, if you don’t start focusing on something else, you won’t keep the weight off. Sure, it will help you get results for the short term, but not for the long term. 5 or 10 years down the road, you still want to be healthy, right? I have clients that I’ve trained for over 5 years, and the reason they continue to stick with it is due to all of the activities they are in. Many times our workouts are cut because they are off doing some other kind of physical activity/event instead. Runners stay lean because they keep entering races every month. They enjoy the races, not always the exercise. But the great thing about this, when you start doing all of these different events you begin to enjoy exercise. You didn’t go to college because you just like to stay up late and study. You may like to learn, but you liked what the knowledge did for you. You knew a degree waited at the end that you would help you with other aspects of life. You have to look at the right goals if you want to be successful in getting in shape.
Weight loss isn’t instant, no matter how much you want it to be. Yes, I know you were able to find that so-and-so diet helped you lose a lot of weight, but how long did it stay off? Did it change your life forever, or just for a short time? Start looking beyond the mirror and begin making lasting changes. Are there side effects of this? Sure! You will have more confidence, feel more secure about yourself, be happier, less stressed, and never have to do another last minute diet again. Sounds like a win-win to me.