The ability to lose weight is in your control
The New Year is here and for many it brings with it a fresh outlook. The majority of people start the year with a resolution, with the most popular being to lose weight.
If you find yourself in this group, your success will depend on many things — all of which you control.
As you set out to become healthier this year, keep the following tips in mind. They are not your typical “must do,” but play a big role in losing weight and keeping it off.
Take responsibility. If you're not happy with your weight or current state of health, take responsibility and admit that you have not been doing your part. Don't blame lack of time, the abundance of junk food, or depleted motivation. No one has more control over your actions than you do. Take responsibility for the poor choices you've made in the past that got you to your current state of health and then work to fix those problems.
Think before you act. Before you make a big decision in life, you probably take time to think it over, right? Now, try to follow that same philosophy with food choices. Rather than just grabbing something and devouring it, think about how it may affect your health, mood, and energy. Will you be proud of yourself in 30 minutes or ashamed? Become involved in the decision-making aspect of eating, rather than just doing what you want to do in that moment, but then regretting your decision afterward.
Focus on your health. It's great to set a goal, but many people become so focused on the prize that they lose sight of the best way to get there. Many diets and exercise protocols are just plain unhealthy. A good rule is to focus first on becoming healthy, and the rest will follow. For example, if you want to lose 20 pounds to fit into that smaller swimsuit, focus on getting your body healthy through minimizing stress, improving your sleep, cleaning up your diet, and exercising. As your health improves, your body fat will drop as you gain muscle, endurance, and confidence. In time, you'll look phenomenal in that new swimsuit.
Respect yourself. The human body is an amazing machine and it tolerates a lot of abuse. Show some respect by taking care of it. The body is built to move, so treat it well with smart exercise choices and a clean, well-balanced diet. The more respect you give, the more progress you'll see in return.
Enjoy your new lifestyle. What good are all these new changes if they are only temporary? Learn to make exercise and nutrition a part of your life. You may have to get up early to go to the gym or skip on dessert, but make no mistake — as challenging as a healthy lifestyle may be, it is definitely worth the rewards.
For more tips on taking control of your health, visit our blog at PushFitnessTraining.com or find Push Fitness Schaumburg on Facebook.
• Joshua Steckler is the owner of Push Fitness, a personal training studio located in Schaumburg specializing in weight loss, muscle toning, and nutrition. Contact him at PushFitnessTraining.com.