Posted by Steve in weight loss tips | 13 Comments
The real secret of weight loss
2008 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 
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Wonderful advice. I agree, too, that any plan will work if you follow it religiously and stick with it consistently.
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Thanks Lorelei,
How is your battle going?
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Now that I finally am working again, and my life is [hopefully?] more stable, I am able to re-start eating right. I started work Jan 2 so that’s when I started eating right too. (Nothing to do with a New Year’s resolution.) I’ve already lost over 5 lbs of water-weight. Being at home all the time and being under enormous stress made it almost impossible to eat right. Things will be better now. I hope…
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I couldn’t agree more about focus, which is sounds like you have in spades. Kudos for your plans.
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If only more people can be as focused as you are Lorelei. Funny too about the contradictory advice on carbs for weight loss. But then again any weight loss strategy would work on a case to case basis. What is necessary is not to get into crash dieting as that would only retard metabolism. Now that is not a sustainable way to weight loss. Good nutrition counts, as well as exercise. Dietary supplementation with flax seed and an herbal remedy would most likely provide a natural way to lose the excess pounds.
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Steve, where are you? We miss your words of wisdom!
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i remember years back in university when i was an active bodybuilder, i was so focused on growing huge muscles.
It required a lot of dedication in terms of time and sticking to the exercise plan..sadly after i left college the pressures of and routines of life made me quit the game.
Anyway at least i won a trophy for all my efforts.
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I’m back……
I won’t bore you with the details but I hate computers and we will leave it at that.
Lorelei,
)
I’m glad to hear that things are getting back on track for you. Stress can really derail your plans. Keep it up and keep me posted. (thanks again for checking on me
IAadmin,
Thank you for the complement. Focus is so important; I guess that’s why it isn’t easy!
Hey Gerald,
I’ve found that happens to a lot of people. They’re focused while there is an active goal in site (like a competition). It gives you a purpose and adds the “why” to your workout and eating plans.
Once you lose that, it’s hard to find the motivation to keep up the routine.
That’s why I like road races. There is always another race and always room for improvement.
Thanks for the comment and congrats on the Trophy
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Indeed, to have a really successful diet and weight loss goal is to stick to whatever program you might be into. Be consistent and focus on the program in order to see positive results.
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Good post, but not all carbs are bad.
Carbs with a high glycemic index can hurt your weight loss results if your eat them to much. Alot of carbohydrates are very important to eat. They help energize you for your workout it all depends on what type of carbs your eating and when you eat them.
For example your not going to want to eat a high carbohydrate meal later in the evening. Eating some carbs pre workout can help energize your workout and build muscle, and important factor in raising your metabolism.
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Ernesto I couldn’t agree with you more.
Justin thanks for the comment,
I agree that not all carbs are created equally. Lower GI carbs in whole grains and most veggies are great for lasting energy. I also think that post workout carbs are just as important as the pre workout ones.
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Hello,
Good post. Thanks for the post.
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Wow, it sounds very cool about loseing weight… I had to do nothing to lose weight, i was sick with thyroid problem’s and had to correct my thyroid… In 6 months i got to a size 8 then to a size 7… Now i’m good i got my weight to where i want… I work out eat right healthy… Cuz i want to be healthy, not sick… I’m doing good i’m healthy i meditate every day i’m happy and my plan is to keep it up, and i have a good job to…. Life is wonderfull Thank God !
I wish you all, lot’s of light and happiness God bless you all ! 4/27/09
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