Weightloss — No Right Way to do it
All we need is the right motivation.
The number of blogs, articles, books and videos I see all around circle around one fundamental, Weightloss. It seems that even though there is so much material, so many experts, the motivation to endure through the rough periods seems to be non-existent in most of us.
Let’s first look at Weightloss
No wonder everyday a new formula for improving your metabolism emerges from the dead. Yet another delicious healthy recipe recreates itself. An instant fat burning workout surfaces from hiding. And we try it all out. That is all we do, try. Is that enough? Trying out a new recipe, workout and then going back to your old habits is pretty much common to all of us. There’s only one problem with all of this. The lack of motivation.
I understand that fat shaming is bad and you need to be happy with who you are and how you look. But why not strive for excellence? Both physically and mentally! The single biggest thing that evolution has taught us is “Survival of the Fittest” and we are bound by this rule.
My Story of Weightloss
So, let’s move on to how I motivated myself to remove the excess flab from my body, get on a regular workout schedule and manufacture the perfect diet for me. A little background here, I have been an athlete all through college, so it was easy for me to get back to the physical stress. However, I have never done any kind of strict dieting and once college was over, it started showing around my body.
I always knew that getting back in shape is easy for me due to my background, but the fear of keep it off tingled in the back of my mind. Now, I knew that it is hard to resist a beautiful dessert or the pizza with a bubbling cheese topping. So, I told myself, “All in good time!” I reiterated this statement everyday and noted a calendar date when I will enjoy my guilty pleasures. Every fortnight, I would submit to the forces and accept that I am human. But wait, I didn’t do this the moment I started out.
The Week After the Fortnight
For most people, a fortnight of rigorous dieting and workout can be easily accomplished. So, it did for me. The next 7 days I faced were the toughest. Always remember the 21st day on your timeline of doing something new. This is where your new thing becomes a habit. However, the last 7 days to this milestone is nothing less than climbing Mt. Everest without the oxygen cylinder. I had gone two weeks of workout and dieting and haven’t touched any of my vulnerabilities. It was time to endure this pain one day at a time. I made sure I don’t glance at my favorite restaurants on my way home. I tried not to hang out with your friends who would force me into submission. I even kept those restaurant menus lying around the house hidden as remotely as possible.
Voila! Once I crossed this landmark, you are set for the long run. A sense of accomplishment creeps in and a physical transformation is evident when you look at the mirror. This is where things get easier. You feel much better about enduring through your human tendencies and making a leap into a habit forming activity.
Now, endure another week with this mentality and let it seed into your heard making strong neural connections. Once you get past the one month mark, it is time for your first guilty pleasure.
I lost 7 pounds at the end of the first month.
Even though I had a few fatigued muscles and a desperate stomach, it all felt worth it. It sparked a never ending flame for excellence and brought me at the cusp of achieving my goal.
I know 7 pounds is not big and others would lose more. It all depends on where you are in terms of fitness and body type. I had a history with athletics as well as maintained my body well enough that people didn’t call me overweight. However, others could lose a lot more in that first month.
I hogged like a pig on the very next day to satisfy the fire burning inside of me with a sumptuous pizza and a chocolate brownie. The deserving feeling made the experience even more exemplary. And the next day I could happily get up and start my workout and dieting sessions waiting for the next fortnight.
I suggest that your “Treat yourself” moments shouldn’t be less than a week and it definitely shouldn’t be more than a fortnight. Short term milestones are vital for long term results. But you can’t indulge yourself so regularly that your hard work is being balanced out by the excess carbs.
Pick your own routine
I haven’t mentioned any of the exercise routines I followed or the diet. Everyone has their own pace and preferences and it’s better that you personalize the experience that suits you. You will find a plethora of articles on how to do so. What I covered was that vital part where your desire of losing weight becomes a long lasting habit. It will propel you towards more joy, adventure and satisfaction.
Remember your happy place
Last but not the least, it is very important to go to your happy place whenever you can’t take another step on the treadmill or can’t eat a dull salad. Just close your eyes at that moment, and imagine you happy place.
My happy place is a exquisite place I saw during my trek in the Himalayas. Here is a picture of it. You can use my happy place if you don’t have one. Just don’t move anything! :P
I will write more about my trekking experience in another post.
