I saw an infomercial the other for losing weight fast. “Are you tired of diets?” It asked. “Are you done with sweaty gym equipment and early mornings?”
Of course, you are. Use this (*insert formula and picture of a ripped couple walking along the beach in swimsuits). Hmmm, this makes me scratch my head. I wish to ask the so-called people who tried diet and exercise, a few more questions such as:
“How long did you stick to your eating routine?” Or “How hard did you work at the gym? Did you go once a week and walk slowly on the treadmill?” And “What did your diet look like and how many cheat days did you manage to fit into the 3 days you kept at it.”
Here is the fact of the matter, diet and exercise don’t fail, it just takes time for you to get better at the discipline and for the results to show.
Plain and simple. End of story. The question is not if diet and exercise have failed you but rather why you didn’t stick to the routine you were working on?
How to stick to a diet plan?
Listen, there is no easy option, all body transformation results require hard work and a lifestyle change. It’s 100 percent worth it though. Why are some people able to do and others aren’t?
Here are some tips to help you with your long haul exercise and diet challenge:
Don’t create limiting pictures of yourself in your head
It’s easy for all of us to stare at the mirror and talk a whole lot of disgust to ourselves. We often see ourselves a certain way and it is difficult for us to imagine that we may be any other way. Change is always possible. There is always a way to become a new, fitter and healthier version of you. I promise!
Don’t casually date the picture you have of a new you, rather commit to it and give it your all. Go all in! Once you start to feel the results you will shock yourself and everyone around you. Your clothes will feel looser, your face will look more defined and your self-confidence will soar. #worthit
Keep it as simple as possible
There is no need for crazy exercise plans, expensive fat burning active wear or diets which you can’t find in your local store. Join a gym class where you have accountability and start by cutting out the bad stuff. Once you have reached your first goal then you can make the next adjustment.
It really shouldn’t be complicated. It should be simple, clear and rewarding.
Plan for the tough days
Your boyfriend dumps you, your colleague says something horrible or you don’t get the opportunity you wanted – usually when these challenges come up all our discipline goes flying out the window. Don’t give in and don’t give up. Rather use these challenges as fuel instead of an excuse to get out of it.
The first 3 weeks are always the most difficult. Resistance will come in the form of lazy friends, sore muscles, lack of sleep, and waning motivation. Plan for these upfront so that when they happen you are prepared instead of swept up.
500ml of water usually solve most of your craving problems so make sure you always have enough liquid in hand.
Build in accountability
This is the most important step in your fitness journey. When you have someone invested in your journey you automatically do better. A friend, a coach or someone else who is further along the fitness journey will help you to stay in your program.
Celebrate the progress
Anything worth having takes a long time and a lot of hard work – this is life. Celebrate the wins and keep going. You are more than capable of making a change in this part of your life.