Overcome Common Weight-Loss Obstacles
At one point or another, every dieter will come up against some form of roadblock that threatens to throw them off track. And while the types of challenges that each individual will face are as different and varied as the dieters themselves, there are a few common hurdles that most people will deal with. For example, most dieters will hit a weight plateau at some point, while others will struggle with a family that's just not as supportive as they'd like. Knowing which hurdles are ahead and how to get around them are key to staying the course and reaching your goal. Check out some of the weight-loss obstacles you might face on your journey to living your best life:
Hitting a plateau
It can be extremely frustrating when your weight loss slows or comes to a stop. In fact, many people end up giving up on their healthy-eating and fitness plan as a result. But remember, plateaus are very common. Hitting one doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong; it's simply an indication that your calorie intake is equal to your calorie expenditure. The solution: You'll have to either increase your exercise or reduce your calories to get the scale moving again. Most often, stepping up your activity, generally by increasing the intensity of your workouts, will do the trick. If not, it may be that you're not being as careful about what you're eating. That's why keeping a food and activity log can be helpful. If you've been keeping one, take a look back to see where you can do some fine-tuning.
Also, make sure that you have realistic expectations when it comes to weight loss. A loss of one to two pounds per week is what's considered healthy. This gives you a realistic goal to shoot for, which will help keep you encouraged. Plus, it allows the body a chance to slowly and gradually adjust to its new weight. Make sure your weight-loss goal is one you can achieve (check out Finding Your Perfect Goal Weight for more info). And try to look at other measures of your success besides weight. For example, do you have more energy? Do your clothes fit better? Focusing on these things can help you stay positive.
Dealing with an unsupportive family member
If you're lucky, your spouse, children and other family members will be completely supportive of your efforts to get healthy. But many times, this isn't the case. After all, your actions will likely affect them in some way. For example, if you're taking extra time to go to the gym, they might make you feel guilty that you're not spending enough time with them. Or, they might feel hurt when you turn down a second helping of a meal they prepared especially for you.
No matter what they say or do, don't let anyone stand in the way of your success. Remind yourself that only when you take care of yourself can you be of real value to those around you. Whenever you start to feel guilt or fear, just ask yourself, 'how could anyone who truly cares about me not want me to be happy and healthy?'
Recovering from a lapse
Here's a simple fact: Slip-ups are part of the game. The sooner you accept this, the quicker you'll be able to get back on track when one happens to you. Too often, I see people beat themselves up over a lapse, or worse, use it as an excuse to quit their diet or fitness plan. Whenever you experience a setback, take a minute to think about how far you've come and why you joined this program to begin with. That should give you the motivation to pick back up right where you left off. And don't forget, healthy eating and exercising regularly will be a life-long process. So be patient, and cut yourself some slack whenever you do veer off your plan. For more tips on how to get back on track, read Your Slip-Up Survival Guide.
Losing the last 10 pounds
First, try to take a second to appreciate all the hard work that has gotten you this far. You'll need that positive energy to keep you going because the last 10 pounds are always the hardest to lose. Your body will actually fight you for them; fat is your emergency energy storage and when the supply gets low, your body defends those final pounds of emergency fat.
Next, figure out how important it really is to lose those last 10 pounds. Many people will have to work extremely hard to reach this goal--that includes spending more time in the gym and being slightly more restrictive and selective when it comes to diet. So decide if you are willing to do this. I find that many people say they want to lose those last few pounds, but they're just not willing to make the necessary sacrifices. Remember, there are no shortcuts.
Ultimately, I recommend doing what makes you happy. If you have to sacrifice the things that bring you joy--for example, you don't hang out with friends because you spend any free time at the gym--then it may be that those last 10 pounds just aren't worth it. Your happiness is important because it is out of joy that you often find strength to do good things for yourself. So, celebrate how far you've come and remember to enjoy all the health rewards that your hard work has brought you.
http://www.thebestlife.com
Hitting a plateau
It can be extremely frustrating when your weight loss slows or comes to a stop. In fact, many people end up giving up on their healthy-eating and fitness plan as a result. But remember, plateaus are very common. Hitting one doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong; it's simply an indication that your calorie intake is equal to your calorie expenditure. The solution: You'll have to either increase your exercise or reduce your calories to get the scale moving again. Most often, stepping up your activity, generally by increasing the intensity of your workouts, will do the trick. If not, it may be that you're not being as careful about what you're eating. That's why keeping a food and activity log can be helpful. If you've been keeping one, take a look back to see where you can do some fine-tuning.
Also, make sure that you have realistic expectations when it comes to weight loss. A loss of one to two pounds per week is what's considered healthy. This gives you a realistic goal to shoot for, which will help keep you encouraged. Plus, it allows the body a chance to slowly and gradually adjust to its new weight. Make sure your weight-loss goal is one you can achieve (check out Finding Your Perfect Goal Weight for more info). And try to look at other measures of your success besides weight. For example, do you have more energy? Do your clothes fit better? Focusing on these things can help you stay positive.
Dealing with an unsupportive family member
If you're lucky, your spouse, children and other family members will be completely supportive of your efforts to get healthy. But many times, this isn't the case. After all, your actions will likely affect them in some way. For example, if you're taking extra time to go to the gym, they might make you feel guilty that you're not spending enough time with them. Or, they might feel hurt when you turn down a second helping of a meal they prepared especially for you.
No matter what they say or do, don't let anyone stand in the way of your success. Remind yourself that only when you take care of yourself can you be of real value to those around you. Whenever you start to feel guilt or fear, just ask yourself, 'how could anyone who truly cares about me not want me to be happy and healthy?'
Recovering from a lapse
Here's a simple fact: Slip-ups are part of the game. The sooner you accept this, the quicker you'll be able to get back on track when one happens to you. Too often, I see people beat themselves up over a lapse, or worse, use it as an excuse to quit their diet or fitness plan. Whenever you experience a setback, take a minute to think about how far you've come and why you joined this program to begin with. That should give you the motivation to pick back up right where you left off. And don't forget, healthy eating and exercising regularly will be a life-long process. So be patient, and cut yourself some slack whenever you do veer off your plan. For more tips on how to get back on track, read Your Slip-Up Survival Guide.
Losing the last 10 pounds
First, try to take a second to appreciate all the hard work that has gotten you this far. You'll need that positive energy to keep you going because the last 10 pounds are always the hardest to lose. Your body will actually fight you for them; fat is your emergency energy storage and when the supply gets low, your body defends those final pounds of emergency fat.
Next, figure out how important it really is to lose those last 10 pounds. Many people will have to work extremely hard to reach this goal--that includes spending more time in the gym and being slightly more restrictive and selective when it comes to diet. So decide if you are willing to do this. I find that many people say they want to lose those last few pounds, but they're just not willing to make the necessary sacrifices. Remember, there are no shortcuts.
Ultimately, I recommend doing what makes you happy. If you have to sacrifice the things that bring you joy--for example, you don't hang out with friends because you spend any free time at the gym--then it may be that those last 10 pounds just aren't worth it. Your happiness is important because it is out of joy that you often find strength to do good things for yourself. So, celebrate how far you've come and remember to enjoy all the health rewards that your hard work has brought you.
http://www.thebestlife.com
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