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Sunday, September 28, 2014

Why You'll Fail At Weight Loss

   So as you guys probably know by now I'm currently working very hard on a fitness regime I have been given through a 12 week challenge from my gym and my personal trainer. I may not exactly be what most people would call "fat" or "unfit", but there are areas of my body that I would like to improve. That and I also just really like exercise!


  There are a few things I've learnt from my experience in this journey and I've come up with a list of reasons that you may not succeed in your weight loss and fitness goals. It's things that not only have I noticed have helped me this time but also things that I've heard from other people around me, so hopefully it can help you get motivated enough to begin and succeed in your fitness journey!



1) Unrealistic Expectations: Maybe you've got an idea in your head as to what you want to achieve on your journey, you might have an image of how you want to look, but be realistic! You can't strive for something unattainable and succeed. Chances are you'll loose motivation when it doesn't happen and end up falling right back to old patterns.

2) Gimmicky Weight Loss Diets/Pills/Scams: There are so many "quick fixes" out there, pills, potions, programs, teas, meal replacements, extreme diets; the list goes on! Most of these are nothing more than scams. They're often overpriced, contain possibly harmful ingredients, promote weight loss so rapid they're unsustainable, or simply don't work. Most of them can lead to loss of motivation and another failed attempt at weight loss.

3) Wanting to Loose Weight for the Wrong Reasons: We've probably all been there. We're unhappy with how we look or where we are in life and think that if we lost 10 kilos our life would improve. Maybe you'll end up getting that boy/girl, your dream job will hire you and you'll have heaps more friends! *pop* Sorry, I have to burst your bubble here guys. Although weight loss can help in a number of ways, you need to be real! 

4) Inconsistency: So, you're super motivated! Let's go to the gym every day this week! Next week, life gets in the way. Then you do 3 classes on one day, none for the rest of the week. Walk to work every day one week, not at all ever again. Super healthy food for a day, binge the next. Who are you really fooling? Of course if you can't stay consistent with your levels of activity or your meal plan, it's not going to work! Set goals you can consistently maintain. 

5) Poor Environment: Now I totally understand if you don't want to join a gym. It's entirely possible to achieve your goals without one. But have a serious look at your surroundings. Don't say you're going to walk to work if you're more than an hour away and the roads aren't safe for walking. Don't say you'll walk the dog if you live in a concrete jungle. Your environment impacts what you can and cannot do. This also extends to the people you surround yourself with. Find an environment that supports your goals, you're far more likely to succeed if you do!

6) Unsustainable Method: Now, I touched on this in point 4, but create your entire plan to be something you can maintain long term. Joining a 12 week challenge of sorts is great to supercharge your program, but make sure that for the most part, you can continue this for the rest of your life. Something you can increase intensity on as your fitness improves, and something you enjoy enough to maintain. 

7) Lacking Direction/Guidance: This one was major for me! For months I was going to the gym doing my own thing and feeling kinda clueless as to why I wasn't seeing results or even feeling much benefit from the exercises I created myself. I honestly thought I was eating super clean, even though I had no clue what kind of food my body actually needed. Getting a personal trainer has given me exactly what I needed, I've learnt heaps about the exercises I should be doing, what kind of foods my body require and how to actually feed my body so I can keep it up. You don't have to get a PT, but I definitely suggest finding someone to guide you in your journey.

8) Lacking the Right Tools: You can't get anything done without the right tools for the job. The same is true for weight loss and fitness. In most cases, you're going to need equipment. You may not need to buy yourself a treadmill or set of weights, but don't expect to be able to gain muscle or burn calories without something to do it with.

9) Being Unprepared: Finally, if you're not prepared for everything that you will need to put into your journey; like doing the groceries for good food or mentally prepping yourself and finding time to do the exercise necessary to loose weight, of course you're not going to succeed. Prepare yourself in a way that means you're ready to do this for the long haul and make sure everything is set up so you can succeed!


  If you can go through this list and safely say these barriers aren't stepping between YOU and YOUR GOALS, then get out there, kick some butt, and have fun :)

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