Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Weight Loss Wake Up Call

Weight Loss Wake Up Call
By Carmen Honacker
Get With the Program and Get Healthy!

We live in a society that condemns and discriminates against being overweight. It’s instilled early on that being thin means being successful and attractive. Yet what’s sold as attractive is so far off the grid that a mere 1% of the population actually meets the requirements. Having said that, though, there’s the other extreme, where all health issues and good advice are completely ignored, and gluttony rules above all.

I have been on both sides of the fence. There was a time when I was really skinny and a time when I was pretty overweight; although I stopped myself before I crossed the line to obesity. This “line” is different for everyone. I found it to be not too different from being a drug addict when it comes to the vicious cycle it creates and overcoming the hard-wiring that keeps you from doing the right thing. So what exactly got me to turn it all around? Well, I had reached my own personal “maximum density” at a size 14. I was also diagnosed with high blood pressure and high cholesterol, I had no energy, my back always hurt and I simply felt like crap.

I started my journey to health almost two years ago, and here’s what I found…

1. It’s All In Your Head!

If you cannot fix your head, you won’t fix your body. It’s as simple as that. Your brain, specifically your reward center, craves carbs and sugars. You are addicted to both of them, and getting rid of the cravings and addiction is quite difficult and, in some cases, impossible to do on your own. Also, any and all negative thoughts you have about yourself, i.e. “I can’t do it,” “I won’t lose the weight,” “This is too difficult,” etc., reside in your unconscious; which is the driving force to create your reality in your conscious mind! Hence, I started with the head and went to hypnotherapy for weight loss. The image my hypnotherapist instilled in my unconscious about how I wanted to look and feel is always present and dictates my behaviors and choices in the now. Not treating the head will only end up in failure, once the initial excitement has worn off and the real work begins.

2. There’s Nothing Quick About It

Oh, how I hate the fads and quick weight loss diets all kinds of infomercials and “experts” promise to you. It’s all a lie! Losing weight permanently and efficiently requires lasting and consistent changes to one’s diet and lifestyle! Diets fail, because once we start eating “normal” again, we pack the weight back on and then some. Also, no diet works without exercise! In two years I have gone down to a size 6/8 and have lost about 12% body fat. Anyone who promises you to lose 10% or more body fat in three months is full of crap; unless you have no job, go to the gym seven days a week (for about three hours) and restrict yourself to a 1,000 calorie diet. Good luck with that!

3. Diets

By “diet” one should consider permanent changes to what one eats. I did it by keeping a food log. Everything I ate, no matter how small, was logged and accounted for. It’s quite a wake-up call when you see how much you thought you ate, versus what you actually consume! Then one can go about eliminating or cutting down on certain things. For me that meant sugars and white flower/processed foods and fast food.

4. Exercise

Turns out you have to work out if you want to lose weight, period! Not only does regular exercise speed up your metabolism, but it also creates endorphins, responsible for one’s feelings of well-being and happiness. I knew that I needed help here, too, so I opted for personal trainers, and I’m still with mine! Why? Because a trainer holds me accountable when I don’t feel like going to the gym and when it’s “too hard.” Plus, he will make sure that I progress, that I don’t injure myself, and that I reach my goals. He will push me when I think I can’t go on, or can’t do better. My trainer motivates and encourages me and keeps track of how far I have come; which is an excellent tool when it comes to staying with the program. You should see how amped up you are once you lose inches from your waist!

5. Genes

Here’s another thing no one talks about: your genes. There’s a reason that not all of us can be skinny and tall, for example. Fighting genes is the hardest thing in the equation, and there is only so far one can go when it comes to overcoming them! Not all of us are natural runners, sprinters, dancers or body builders. And sometimes you can only go so far before you hit the wall. This wall approaches quicker with passing age and is also determined by how long you have been inactive.

There comes a time in our life when we either become complacent and make excuses, or we, literally, get with the program. Guess which one holds the higher reward?

No comments:

Post a Comment

Welcome to Weight Loss Coach Sherrie's Blog!

WELCOME EVERYONE. It is time to learn a "NEW WAY OF BEING IN THE WORLD."
I am currently trying a new way of eating (forget about that nasty "D" word!). I am following the "Schwarzbein Principle" and learning ways to focus on creativity and taking care of ME. I am currently in Body Blissmas, a program started by Jill Badonsky. As I learn to focus on healthy eating and being happy and creative, I would like to help you do the same.

Are you currently trying to lose weight?

Labels