Don’t get caught up in misconceptions or unrealistic expectations. Losing weight isn’t easy – nothing worth while ever is. But understanding why it takes so much hard work can help you reach your goals and keep yourself healthy long after. Here are our top 4 truths about weight loss.
1. Slower is Better. The safe and effective way to lose weight is through healthy changes at a healthy pace. As much as you want to see a change over night, quick fixes and fad diets won’t help and aren’t healthy. Studies show that people who rapidly lose weight are more likely to gain it back, so give yourself time to make the healthy changes stick. You’re not just eating right and working out – you’re fighting cravings, battling bad habits, trying new things and making major adjustments. Your mind is going through just as much change and hard work as your body. Have the patience to succeed.
2. Everyone is Different. Some people see dramatic weight loss in the first few weeks, while others may not see a change for what feels like a long time. This is just another reason to have patience. Just because you aren’t experiencing the weight loss you want yet, that doesn’t mean you are doing something wrong. Everyone is unique – what works for your mother, sister, friend and co-worker might just not work for you the same way. Again, you have to have patience. But there are so many benefits to getting healthy that you will experience whether the number on the scale changes or not (less body fat, more energy, less stress, better sleep, lowered risk of a number of disease – just to name a few).
3. Don’t Worry About Consistency. Rarely will you lose the same amount of weight each week, even when you are perfectly on program. Typically you will see a big difference in your first week because you are making such healthy changes, but as you go on in your weight loss the progress slows. It is completely normal to experience fluctuating weight loss from week to week. Your weight will even change day-to-day for reasons such as food and water intake – these are not permanent changes. Think of it this way – if you were to drink a gallon of water and then step on the scale that would increase your weight, right? But it’s not permanent. Don’t get caught up in the small fluctuations – focus on the big picture.
4. Don’t seek perfection. No one is perfect. Setbacks are normal and you may experience them more than once. The ways or the reasons you get off track aren’t as important as your ability to bounce back and move past them. Making mistakes and learning from them are part of life, don’t let them stop you in your tracks. True Success is when You have the strength to lift yourself up, brush yourself off and get back on your path.
~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick
Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018
