It is that time of year again. Too many mince pies, lots of chocolate and Christmas puddings have left their mark on your waistline and you feel sluggish, lazy and very unhealthy. Time to get into shape! Sign up to local gym - check! Buy new trainers - check! Motivation - uh oh...How do we keep ourselves motivated to lose the pounds when embarking on a brand new exercise regime?
*Little and Often:
Whatever you do, don't push yourself to the point where you feel as though you are struggling to lose weight. If you approach this as though it is a constant battle, you will inevitably find that you are expending more energy through the mental struggle to get yourself to the gym rather than channeling it into beneficial exercise instead. If you take it slowly and work at a pace that suits your personal ability and capacity, you will do much better in the long-term and you will find that the pounds magically disappear!
*Don't Punish Yourself:
The secret to losing weight is in the size of your portions. I had a friend who lost two and a half stone not so long ago and all she did was reduce the amount of food she was eating during the day. She also exercised as and when she could. The results were amazing. Don't deny yourself a tasty treat or a snack though. It is absolutely fine to have a chocolate bar or a packet of crisps now and again! Tell yourself that you are going to have your favourite snack at the weekend as a reward for all the hard work you've put in. That way, you'll have something to look forward to after a gruelling week at the gym!
*Discipline is the Key:
Developing a disciplined attitude to losing weight is essential as it will help to keep you on the right track. There will always be days where we just don't feel like it. If that is the case, do something else that will help you keep active in the privacy of your own home (housekeeping comes into mind or perhaps go for a walk in the park.) Staying active is important and it doesn't necessarily mean that you have to pound the treadmill relentlessly. Do whatever works for you. Focus on improving your general health gradually. It is a long-term process and results will not be instantly apparent. Don't let this put you off though. Eventually, you will see the results.
*Forget the Word 'Diet':
The concept of starting a 'diet' can actually cause pressure without us knowing it. Pressure to lose weight, pressure to stick to a fitness regime, pressure to keep it off once you've got it off and so on. There are no rules you need to adhere to apart from the ones that work really well for you. Get to know yourself and how your body works so you can begin to lose weight in a way that is ideal for who you are. Whatever you choose to do, it should naturally become a part of your everyday health/fitness regime and there is no need to get hung up on a word. Work towards changing your eating and exercising habits in the long-term so the word 'diet' is no longer a scary word where we break out in a sweat at the anticipation of a huge mountain to climb!
Good luck and good health!
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