The real secret of weight loss
January 3, 2008 weight loss tips 12 Comments2008 is finally here and with the start of a new year comes tons of weight loss tips. This is the time of year when every weight loss related site posts their advice, tips and programs that promise to help you finally lose the weight for good this time.
My inbox has been flooded with this stuff over the past week or so. I think it’s funny and frustrating to see all of the contradictory advice from various sites out there. For example one email said “if you really want to lose weight this year cut out the carbs” and just 2 days later I had another newsletter telling me to “increase my carbs to shed the fat”.
To the average person trying to really make a conscious effort to lose the weight that has been holding them back for so long, all this advice can be confusing. If the so called experts can’t agree then what advice should you follow?
The real secret of successful weight loss
I honestly believe that almost any diet or weight loss plan will work for anyone as long as you can stick to it. The real key for any of them to work can be summed up in one small word: FOCUS
You need to be focused in changing your habits, focused in changing your diet and focused in your workouts. See, the biggest reason that people will give up on their new lifestyle changes over the next few weeks is because they will lose their focus.
I know this from experience. I have always been a “new year dieter”. First day of the New Year it’s all “no more junk food for me” and armed with the new gym membership, I’m motivated and focused. Hell bent on losing weight and getting in shape for good.
Come February 1st I’m back on the couch eating crap food and haven’t been to the gym in a week. I’ve lost my focus. Suddenly all of the reasons that were motivating me to lose weight in the first place aren’t as compelling 4 weeks later.
How to stay focused on weight loss
So now you’re wondering how exactly do you stay focused? What keeps you motivated? Well what I do is something simple that takes no more than 10-15 minutes a day, everyday. It keeps me motivated and encouraged to keep moving forward with my plans and achieve the goals I’ve set for myself.
I take 10 minutes in the morning and plan out my day. I go over everything from what I’m going to be eating, to what obstacles I’ll be facing that day. (I.e. potluck lunch, packed scheduled etc…). If I know that my day is packed and I won’t have time to get in a full workout. I’ll take 15 minutes off my lunch and go for a fast walk or something.
Too often we get caught up in the rush of everyday life and end up making poor quick decisions that can ruin our whole day or week. Plan the day out as best you can in advance, that way you are ready to handle anything that comes your way.
Before I go to bed at night I take 5 minutes to review my day. I focus on the good things that I accomplished that day. I’m not perfect most days but there are little things that I have done perfectly. I also review my goals. The reasons why I want to lose weight in the first place and what I am doing to achieve them.
I’m not a very religious man but the final thing I do before bed to help me stay focused, is pray. It helps me rid the stress; I can go to bed happy and not focus on the negative while I sleep. Let me tell you, I sleep like a baby now



