Long term weight-loss is a combination of a stringent diet and regular exercise with a few other lifestyle changes. The hard truth is that whether you are dieting or trying to ace an exercise program – your commitment to long term weight-loss needs the mindset and the mental stamina of a champion. Your success is determined by how well you strategize and how well you play the game.
Also Read: Lose Weight By Altering Your Eating Schedule
Dance and fitness expert Charu Shankar shares some strategies to get you started on the road to shedding that extra weight.
1. Set small goals: Rather than focusing only on the ultimate weight-loss goal, which may be a large number; it is advisable to set small milestones on your weight-loss journey.
When we start off, we often want to do it all and do it at once. If you want to run 5 km a day, curl 10 KG dumbbells, include more veggies in your diet or get slimmer to fit into a small pair of jeans , the best approach is to tackle these goals at a time.
If you set too many harsh rules and regulations at the beginning, then you are likely to get overwhelmed, and either end up doing it or dropping out. So be sure that your weight loss rules (wake up early, 5km run every day, no carbs, only veggies, no junk food) include moderation and flexibility.
2. Publically stating your goals and achievements: This is a proven way to help people make steady progress. Everyone needs support and accountability, so it’s important to let people around you know that you are working on your fitness and weight-loss program.
Letting others in on your goals will make you feel like a champion and can help you take your game to the next level. If you truly want to succeed – make a habit of stepping out of your comfort zone and take up new challenges.
Another tip is to stay dynamic to avoid boredom setting in and derailing you from your fitness goals. Challenge creates change, so when your exercise sessions seem stale, your salads are in a slump, your treadmill stops calling your name – you know it’s time to mix things up.
Also Read: Don’t Just Make Right Food Choices, Exercise Too
3. Don’t forget to keep score: How would you know how well you’re doing if you’re not keeping score. It is important to track your progress, but there’s no need to obsess about your progress.
Start recording each move in the right direction: how much water you drink each day; how many servings of veggies you eat in a week; how many minutes of exercise you log and more. Keeping track of more than just the numbers on the scale will help you realize progress when it happens, and this will motivate you to stay on course.
4. Be part of a larger team: Many others share in your same struggle – no dieter or fitness newbie should feel that they have to do it all alone. One winning strategy is to reach out to your office, to school, family, and community and get others to join you. The more team members you could recruit to join your weight-loss challenge – the more likely you and your team will rise to victory.
5. Winners Make It Fun: It is not about whether you win or lose. Just have fun playing the game! Worrying too much about the waistline can actually cause you to ‘stress eat’ or become too depressed to work out. When you’re trying hard to stick to your game plan, it’s easy to underestimate the joy of the progress. Do whatever you can to make healthy choices more fun. It’s also important to periodically take a step back, look at the big picture and remind yourself to enjoy the game and appreciate all the important lessons that you have learned along the way.