motivation

The truth is this: In order to lose weight you need to have the conviction, motivation, drive and desire to be successful. There is no magic pill or easy diet...it takes hard work and dedication to your weight loss plan, fitness regime and a change in lifestyle.

Start your weight loss program with a journal and dedicate the first four pages to these four words as they relate to your goals for losing weight and becoming healthier:

First things first: we ALL have food cravings. Even though some studies report that women have food cravings more often than men, cravings are normal! Accepting food cravings and keeping them in check is an important component of weight management. Most people feel really guilty about having food cravings, but they are so incredibly commonl that nobody needs to feel they are unusual.

I know what you’re thinking, and no, the answer is not coffee (although, admittedly, I am more coherent after I've had my morning coffee). The best way to jumpstart your day is to begin with a workout - it gets your blood flowing, oxygen to your brain and gives you energy for the day!

So you’ve been working it hard at the gym, you’ve been eating well and you haven’t seen any change in that number on the scale. I can’t think of anything more discouraging when focusing so hard on your weight loss goal.  Anyone who’s working toward a weight loss goal should know that a plateau is inevitable, especially if you don’t switch it up! You can only eat so many veggies or hit the gym so many times before you become complacent.

We're just about done with winter and let’s be honest, we've all lost our motivation at one point or another during the winter. Even the most dedicated workout champs find themselves in a slump from time to time—especially when factors in our personal lives become a priority, like a career change or an unexpected crisis at home.

Getting motivated enough to hit the gym several times a week is a constant struggle for many who want to loose weight and stick to their plan. Especially if you’re new to the gym routine, it may be even extra overwhelming getting to know the different machines and the proper way to use them. In addition, it’s important that any fitness regimen incorporate a variety of strength training as well as stretching and cardiovascular workouts in order to really make an impact on your weight loss plan.

Some people train for competition or an event like a 10K or a marathon better when they can concentrate and listen to their bodies. For others, working out is a meditation and they don’t need to distract their minds with outside stimulus - like TVs or music. For many of us, exercise can be more fun and motivating when we listen to an interesting podcast or groove to music favorites.