By Sally Symonds
Anyone who has been in the weight loss game for a while will begin to notice that a lot of 'tips' are the same information rehashed over and over again. Eat less, exercise more, avoid salt, drink water... yada, yada. But real people need real tips, unique ones that, though odd at first, actually work to push them forward on their weight loss journeys.
Tip #1: Weight Loss Is Not a Rewards-Based System
If you want to lose weight, seeing it as a goal with a 'reward' at the end is counterproductive. The 'reward' is losing weight and regaining control over your life. What is better than that?
Furthermore, studies have shown that extrinsic rewards, things such as, 'If I lose 5 kilos I will go get a nice massage,' actually serve the opposite of their intended purpose and demotivate us to work. How? By focusing on extrinsic rewards, we take our eye off the prize and concentrate instead on short term results. Weight loss, lasting weight loss that is, is a long-term, eye on the prize process.
Tip #2: Give Yourself Some Space
Strict regulation and an unwillingness to compromise on 'rules' are the hallmarks of most traditional weight loss programs. It is also the reason they don't work. You need to give yourself some space to mess up and avoid the 'what the hell' effect whereby after being so strict for so long, once you fall off the wagon you literally go bouncing down the road rather than softly land.
It is human nature to seek freedom within boundaries and the more we put up in our own paths, the more we will (eventually) rebel against them all. If we take care not to over regulate ourselves in the first place we will naturally achieve balance and avoid such violent swings to the contrary.
Tip #3: Be Prepared
Planning and preparation is the only way to ensure that you keep yourself on track without making yourself crazy. People eat fast food for two reasons: it tastes good and it is convenient. A little bit of planning and preparation can make healthy food both those things as well. However, planning is not limited to food, you need to prepare and insulate yourself on a psychological level as well. I call this developing a 'motivational toolkit'.
Tip #4: Your Will Power Is a Muscle
People, especially people without weight problems, make the mistake of thinking that weight regulation is all about willpower. But, if it was, we would not have an obesity epidemic. There is not an overweight person out there who wants to be overweight and it's a lot more than his or her willpower that is keeping it that way. In fact, your willpower is a lot like a battery. It only has so much strength before it is depleted so you need to carefully pick when you use that power and conserve it for times of 'need'.
This does not mean that you should constantly give in to temptation, however-quite the opposite! Your willpower is just like a muscle and by exercising it, you increase its strength and endurance. Just don't overdo it.
Tip #5: Find YOUR Motivation
Listen, we all know why we need to remain fit and healthy. We want to live full lives, avoid illness and chronic pain, etc., etc. However, absent of a doctor telling you that you have six months to live unless you lose 15 kilos, those universal reasons are not enough to actually get us up and moving.
Instead, you need to find your motivation. That special reason given to you that gets you into the gym and making the right decisions in the kitchen. Also, you need to recognise that 80% of the decisions you make are based on emotion rather than reason. Use this to your advantage and look for emotional motivations to keep going on your weight loss journey. You need to figure out what motivates you early and focus on that motivation throughout your journey if you are to succeed.
These tips are only the beginning of the help you will receive if you join me and Love Your Weight Loss over at http://www.sallysymonds.com.au. Take your weight loss journey into your own hands and into the real world.
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