The Word on Weightloss

I’m sure there are a handful of you out there who can’t wait until you’ve met your weight loss goal – that means you can go back to eating anything you want and not have to worry about it right?

Wrong! Even though we’ve been calling your weight loss program a goal – it’s really a lifestyle change and unless you think of it that way, you’re doomed to gain your weight back (again and again and again).

Take it from me. I didn’t realize this until the fifth or sixth time around the weight loss circle. I was sick of losing the weight and feeling amazing about myself, then to gain half (if not all) the weight back after I “let myself go” when my weight loss program was over. Today, I can firmly say that I’ve kept the weight off for over three years because I turned my weight loss plan into a lifestyle change.

I think it’s important to share my thoughts and ideas on overall wellness in order to help prepare you for the lifestyle changes on the road ahead of you. You’ve started a weight loss plan to get you on the fast track to losing excess weight, but once you hit your goal – then what? It’s important to start thinking about your weight loss plan as a lifestyle change now – otherwise you’ll fall into the same trap that I did over and over again and I don’t want what happened to me to happen to you.

So now you’re probably thinking that you won’t have a life if you stay on the same track. Your weight loss plan is hard enough to follow – giving up potato chips, that extra glass of wine with the girls or beer with the guys. I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to be the sad, sulking hermit to be healthy. You simply need to be conscious of your choices – be more mindful. Enjoy the feeling of your healthy new body and protect it with all your might.

The greatest tip I can give you is to surround yourself with wellness every day. This could mean making more active friends, maybe new friends at the gym you attend. Start a subscription to a magazine that focuses on health, wellness, or fitness (or all three!). Set a goal of making a healthy dinner every week or better yet on the weekends too.  When you start to incorporate these lifestyle changes you may only see limitations and the restrictions that come with them; but, I promise you (I really really do) that once you switch from mindless eating to moving your body and staying fit and fabulous you’ll have the opportunity to do much more than you used to do.

No matter if you’re at the beginning of your weight loss plan, the middle or the end; take my advice and start thinking about how you might begin to incorporate some of the things you learn about healthy eating and fitness into an overall lifestyle change. Keep a journal and keep track of your ideas. When you’re done with your weight loss plan and you’ve finally reached your goal you’ll look at your journal for inspiration. You’ll have all kinds of tips and reminders about how to stay healthy.

Surround yourself with wellness, power and the drive to live the healthiest life that you deserve.