Bodyweight management does not to be too hard, it takes patience and the right approach.
So, you have tried almost everything to get you weight down and finally fit into those jeans. For some of you a dress you have been holding onto from the day you bought it with the hope of fitting into them once you dieted down. So, what went wrong? Maybe it’s not as simple as reducing calories, exercising more and bang It’s all gone. Neither was that magical secret “weigh loss pill” or “exclusive to you today supplement” that the current batch of celebrities endorse on television. Or maybe it the way you actually approach your weight loss plan. An effective bodyweight management strategy takes, commitment planning and consistency in order to achieve results.
Firstly, do you have a plan? or simply doing your own thing and everything will be alright. Over the years I have found individuals who do their own thing basically stay the same. For example, take a group fitness individual. I have often seen this over the years. They do the usual 3-5 group classes a week and the extra pump session once in a while. Some even have a PT session once a week while continuing to eat the same way (when the calorie consumption is greater than the calorie expenditure. I’m sorry but no changes in body composition will happen. The body is a complicated vessel that basically survives and adjust to how you treat it.
Feed it well and it will react accordingly, feed it low quality food and you know the rest.
Successful weight management in dropping weight takes the right mental approach.
You already know how to lose weight. At its simplest, you need to burn more calories than you eat, right? And exercising and eating healthy is the healthiest way to do that. But successful weight loss doesn’t start with your body it starts with your mind. As we’ve all discovered, the mind is a powerful thing. It can take you to success or failure depending on your attitude and drive. What you think about yourself can make the difference between reaching your goals and quitting before you even get started.
So how do you get your mind right to make exercise and healthy eating a part of your life? As an experienced personal trainer, I have outlined some key elements you can apply in achieving your bodyweight management goals.
Commitment
The best way to lose weight and to keep it off is to make lifelong lifestyle changes and incorporate good habits. You already know you have to commit to being healthy, but what does that actually involve? Being committed means you have to wake up every day and decide you’re going to make healthy choices. Something you have to reinforce each day. So how do you do that?
Above all, you have to ensure that you are ready to make the effort and how much do you want to change? Once you decide you have to have the inner belief that you can do it. No one can make you lose weight. You need to make those changes in making good food choices and being active. Deciding to make the commitment starts your journey to better bodyweight management.
Plan and prepare your meals making it a habit.
The night before, plan your workout and meals for the next day and get all your gear (gym bag, clothes, etc.) ready to go. Decide what and when you’ll eat and get your meals ready. Make it as easy as possible to follow through with your nutritional plans. I’m not talking about the person who lives at home, has the time to plan 4 meals a day. I’m talking about adults with real jobs and possibly have kids. Take the time out and prepare your lunch. Make sure you eat breakfast, preferably sitting down at home and not on the run. Make this process a habit. It ensures you get the quality nutrients in, stay satiated and don’t make poor choices when hungry.
For the more organised (and it will come over time) also include a late afternoon snack/pre workout meal. The rest is really making sure you don’t get home post gym/activity starving, don’t have control of food and gorge yourself silly. Once you are consistent with this new change and are eating well. You will get home, not overly hungry and be content with the evening meal eliminating the late-night snack.
Keeping yourself accountable plays a big part in successfully reaching you bodyweight management target.
What will happen if you skip that workout, missed a regular meal or ate poorly? You need to have consequences so that missing out isn’t an option, maybe you can’t watch your favourite TV show until you exercise. Record it for later. On the other side, you can also reward yourself for working out. Just make sure you don’t reward yourself with food. A big mistake people do is reward themselves with a treat. I see it often with new people who do and amazing job with an exercise routine or event and then wreck it with eating poorly. Think of the bigger picture here and stay consistent. And no, you will not make it up later either as it all adds up. Be honest with yourself and keep to the plan. Keep a food record and write it down.
Motivating Yourself.
Remind yourself throughout the day of your workout/meal plans—set yourself a reminder or have a friend to call on you break and chat about your future game or workout and how well organised you both are, so it’s always in the front of your mind. True motivation comes from within so get used to being self-driven or practice on getting better. This will make a big difference when it’s cold, dark and you are too tired to bother. Who wants to run or eat well when you can’t be bothered? We are all in the same boat on this one. Creating good habits and being consistent produces results. Nothing motivates people more than results.
Stay positive and remember your goals. Bodyweight management should be a habit.
In summary, it’s not easy with all the information floating around the web these days and with a million items on offer. Do what you can and make small incremental changes at a time and incorporate these into your lifestyle. Once you make a change and it became a habit then seek out another way you can improve. Too many changes in too short a time frame is asking for it. Past experience shows me that people don’t react well with a long hit list on how they should improve their food intake/water. Be patient and take control of your new habits and you will eventually reap the benefits. No one said it was easy, however the benefits certainly outweigh the costs.
As you’re getting ready for the day, remember what your goals are. Weight loss? More energy? Whatever it is, that workout is an important step in reaching it. Remind yourself of the big picture what you do today counts. Remind yourself who you are doing it for. Yourself? Your kids? or simply to lead a more comfortable/active life. Be an action taker and not just a spectator. These are just some of the small steps in ultimately reaching your bodyweight management goals. Small changes add up. Make them about you.
