An exercise in visualization can certainly help your motivation to lose weight this New Year. The first step in sticking to your resolution is to visualize how you want to look when you finally reach your goal and then work backwards to create your plan. As many of you who read my articles already know, I once weighed 340 lbs. Having lost nearly 200 pounds, I have also kept my weight off for nearly a decade. However, I did not do it alone and I of course ran into numerous obstacles. I did keep one thing in mind the entire time and that was how I wanted to look and feel. Nothing feels better than being fit and fitting into your clothes. But perhaps the true benefits are sleeping better, having more energy and having an overall better outlook on life.
Planning and packing are key when it comes to weight loss and eating healthy. Each night before you go to bed, make sure you review your food plan for the next day. Throughout my weight loss, I always had my meals packed the night before and ready to go in a small cooler in the fridge. That way I did not have to fumble around the next morning trying to get it together. This is important, because when you have all of your healthy meals and snacks with you, you’re less tempted to hit the drive-thru or vending machine.
Take your measurements in the beginning every four weeks. This will help you measure your progress. Sometimes, the scale may not budge because you are putting on muscle, but your clothes may seem a little bit bigger. There are many ways to monitor and measure your progress throughout your weight loss journey. You should also celebrate each milestone with a non-food reward, such as a new outfit or earrings. It is also important to forgive yourself and keep working toward your goal if you fall off the wagon.
Commit to your goal and write it down. You will also want to role play in your mind, how you are going to react to tempting situations. Be strong when a friend tries to sabotage you by saying something like, “But it is only one cookie.” Save that cookie for your cheat meal on a designated day. Develop a playback in your mind or mantra that will help you stick to your plan. My mantra has always been, “Exercise can make a good day better and a bad day good.”
Joanne Sgro is a Television Fitness Expert, Certified Personal Trainer and Sport Nutritionist. She is Certified in Pilates, Pre-natal/Post-Partum, Yoga and Senior Fitness. She specializes in Weight Loss, Post-Rehab and Post Cancer Training. Joanne's fitness plans and recipes are available globally on her website www.fitnessanswer.com. She resides in the Phoenix, AZ area where she runs her personal training business, Fitness Answer, LLC.