5 Tips to Begin your Successful Weight Loss Journey

Posted by Scott - 07/28/08 at 03:07:46 pm

 Chances are if you need to lose some weight, you’ve probably tried (unsuccessfully) before. The #1 factor that will position yourself to overcome the many hurdles you will face trying to lose a significant amount of weight is your mental state. Here are a few tips to help get you in the right frame of mind.

1. Consult your physician. This sounds like the textbook cookie cutter line, but it’s the truth. Your family physician probably knows you pretty well. From your past weight fluctuations to your weekly alcohol consumption (assuming you were honest). Your physician will be able to tell you the right combination of exercise and diet that will work for YOU.
2. Believe that your weight is the result of your current lifestyle (true medical conditions aside). Once you convince yourself of this, the excuses you find yourself inventing to justify your weight will stop. Ceasing the excuses is half the battle, the other half is recognizing what you have to change to do better. The final half is following through and sticking with it. Yes, that’s 150% - losing weight is hard work!
3. Find a new activity or sport that you enjoy, and do it at least twice a week. Whether it’s golf (no cart, cheater), walking, biking, whatever. Finding an exercise laden activity that you enjoy can do wonders for burning extra calories during the week. If you enjoy it, it doesn’t seem like exercise, making you much more likely to continue doing it.
4. It takes two to tango. In this case, the two is both diet and exercise. You can work out 30 minutes every day, but if you’re eating at the Chinese buffet every night, you’re not going to get to your target weight that way. If you agreed that your weight is the result of your current lifestyle, then you would probably agree that your diet needs some tweaking. Get to know the daily calories your body would need to maintain your current weight. To lose a pound, you need to cut out and/or burn ~3,500 calories. So for a pound a week, cutting out 500 calories a day should get you there (other factors could come in, but this basic formula will get you started).
5. Track your results. There are numerous ways to do this, online (*cough* gyminee *cough*), in print (BodyMinder is a great journal that I use on a daily basis), or just in a spreadsheet on your computer. Results mean both diet and exercise though.  Tracking diet and exercise will give you the data needed to either help motivate yourself more (best case, as you see results) or make adjustments as necessary if you aren’t seeing the results you desire (worst case). Be sure to track your body fat % from the start, not just your weight; especially if you’re doing any kind of strength training.

These are just a few tips to get you started on this SLOW, but highly rewarding journey.

-Scott

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