You’re Not Ready for Swimsuit Season? Part 1
Now that New Year’s Resolutions are over and people are waking up to see that they may be short of their goals, the second wave of desperation has begun. Popping up all over television, radio, and social media are advertisements and articles shared on the latest quick weight loss system to help those most frantic lose 10,20, 30+ pounds by bikini season which is NOW! Making promises if you cut out entire food groups, stick to just a small list of allowed foods, replace meals with non-food items, or fasting you’ll be successful on their plan. The only promise I can give you is you won’t stick to it. You know it, I know it. I can’t tell you how many times I hear people say, I lost weight when I ‘did this diet, that plan, took this pill’ but end up right back where they started or worse. Nearly 65 percent of dieters return to their pre-dieting weight within three years, according to Gary Foster, Ph.D., clinical director of the Weight and Eating Disorders Program at the University of Pennsylvania. What’s worse is only 5 percent of people who lose weight on a crash diet will keep the weight off according to Wellsphere, a website sponsored by Stanford University. The thing is, I’ve been there and I finally learned the secret, that missing element to substantial fat loss success.
I’m going to go ahead and give it to you here. No 45 minute videos to watch where at the end you must buy their plan to get what they promised in the first place, no signing up for spammy email lists, or hoops to jump through to get the information you so badly need to get your health back into check. That’s all fat loss is, is getting your health back into check. You may say, well I’m 50 lbs overweight and technically in the obese range, but my blood pressure and blood sugar levels are always great! I’m a healthy fat! There is no such thing people. Carrying fat in excess on the outside, means there is excess on the inside as well, putting constant strain on joints, organs, all the way down to the cellular level. Over time, chronic, obesity-related diseases develop. Let’s minimize their impact before they do lasting damage to your body that can’t be reversed, giving you less time here on this earth with your family and friends, cutting short your time to keep doing great things for others.
The key to any fat loss plan is not motivation to get started or keep going, it’s discipline. What do we do when we don’t feel motivated one meal, one day worth of meals, one week worth of meals? Oh heck, let’s just give up, because we’ve lost our motivation! This is too hard! Right? Discipline is what is going to get you past all your plateaus when your will and drive runs out, because it will run out. For some it runs out before you even get good and started, or runs out when you have quick initial weight loss (which is mostly water I might add, not true fat loss), but stalls out because you’ve damaged your metabolism at the cellular level.
Our mind is our greatest weakness. You say, it’s such hard work measuring food, weighing it, counting calories, planning meals, avoiding fast food when you’re tired and hungry and the kids are screaming! But putting in the work is EXACTLY what you need to do if you are in an overweight situation because, most-likely, not putting in the work and not being disciplined, is what got you into this position of needing fat loss now anyway.
2 Timothy 1:7 ESV — For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
I know it’s tempting to take the easy way out, to chase promises of a quick fix, to give up when you think it’s too hard. Losing weight quickly can be very motivating but it’s not healthy nor sustainable. Fat loss is a roller coaster, not a linear progression. There’s ups and downs, good days and bad days, but as long as you are patient, look at the long-term realities, not just the short-term fantasies, and keep working, you will succeed.
In Part 2 we’ll discuss 6 ways to re-train your brain to bring you lasting fat loss and get you back to health. If you already know you need personal guidance on how to have a healthy relationship with food checkout my Lifestyle and Weight Management program. In this program, you’ll have:
· One-on-one weekly meetings in person or online
· In-home pantry assessment
· Grocery outing
· Prep coaching
· Meal planning
· Time management
· Stress eating management
· Personal Growth and Development
· FREE 3 month audible.com membership with 12-week program
You may be on the big thriller roller coaster right now, going back and forth in extremes, but I’m here to show you the way off this ride.
Love,
Amber — Fatfightingmom
