Slow is Good

When it comes to weight loss, we want things to be immediate. We want to see results right away, and we want them to be drastic, and we want them to stick. But when we are working towards a goal – whether it is eating healthy, losing weight, exercising or any self improvement – slower is always better. Yes, slow is hard. Slow progress can drive us crazy and make us feel lost or disappointed. But we have to remember that progress, no matter how slow or how small, is still progress. If we are doing the right things, day in and day out, we will reach success. Just because it sometimes takes us longer to achieve something compared to someone else, that doesn’t mean we failed. Everyone goes at their own pace and we should all embrace our journey.

Think of it this way – when you take the time to lay a strong foundation, it will last longer and be more effective. If you are trying to change too much all at once, you can’t focus on doing it right. Putting too much pressure on ourselves will just pile on the stress and anxiety and put us in a negative place. We make changes because we want to be better, healthier, happier. It’s not about punishing ourselves for the way we are or what we have done in the past. It’s about taking the steps to improve and be the best we can be.

We don’t live in a world where we can snap our fingers and get what we wish for. As much as we want this to be true, we should embrace the challenges that that come when we make a change. The things we choose to do and choose to fight for define us. We all have our reasons – we want to get healthy so we can feel comfortable in our skin, get down to our goal weight, get active and feel good inside and out. All reasons are valid, and we wouldn’t earn them or own them if they happened overnight.

The good news is that it does get easier. That doesn’t mean that there won’t be ups and downs, but soon you will get into a rhythm where you are in control and you feel light and fit. Working towards a goal is an exercise in self control and willpower. No one is perfect, it still takes work and determination every day, but you will learn so much about your body and the strength of your mind. Setting a goal and reaching it is important for us, and also for the people in our lives who want to see us succeed and for those who look up to us.

The best part of reaching a hard fought goal is enjoying the reward. When you get to put on that t-shirt, that dress or that bathing suit, or when you run that marathon, or when you step on the scale and see that magic number, it feels that much better knowing all that you did has paid off. If we blinked and got our wish immediately, we wouldn’t know all that we are capable of. We wouldn’t feel that amazing sense of accomplishment and pride that we deserve.

So when you are feeling lost and like you are drifting, think about that moment. Think about how amazing it will feel when you can say that you reached your goal, and maybe even that you went above and beyond. Think about how good it feels to indulge when you have been on track, compared to when you constantly over do it. The longer you work towards something, the less likely you are to backtrack. You can get there and you can stay there.

Each small step will move you forward, until one day you look back a realize how far you have gone.

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018