Signs it’s time to CHANGE!
It’s easy to say that you want to lose weight. It’s also easy to find the motivation to hit the gym regularly and choose the right foods in the beginning. After a few weeks, our motivation seems to wane and those old, unhealthy habits of yours start to creep back in. What seemed so easy at first is now difficult. You have cravings. You’re tired. You miss those social dinners with your friends and doughnuts at the office.
So many of us have fallen into this yo-yo diet and exercise trap over the years. You decide you want to lose weight, start a program, and even start to see some results and then…life gets in the way. Before you know it, you’re off your healthy living plan again. You have to choose to change your life, both when life is breezy and when things aren’t going your way.
5 Signs It’s Time to Get Serious about Weight Loss
First Sign : You keep waiting to start.
There is never a perfect time to lose weight; you’ll always have to deal with stress and work and life, and there’s no better way to get started than to jump right in today. Right this second you can start improving your health by doing something as simple as shutting down this computer and going for a short walk(but of course, read this entire article first!), choosing the stairs over the elevator or even looking up the online menu of the restaurant you’re going to tonight and ordering a healthy dish.
Take Charge:
Write down three simple things that you can do TODAY to be healthier, whether it be changing your food and choosing to drink water from now on, walking around the block once or eating two fewer bites than you normally would. You might even want to tell a friend or family member about your new goals, by sharing your goals, you’ll stay accountable and by starting small, you’ll build momentum to make more changes.
Second Sign : You can’t do the things you want to do.
Has it become impossible keeping up with your dog at the park? Can you no longer run around with your children? Does dancing with your friends or walking up a flight of stairs leave you winded? If you can no longer do what you need to do or want to do, then clearly it’s time to get serious about your health.
Focus on functionality:
Make a list of the things you want to do but can’t do comfortably right now. Weight loss isn’t just about wearing smaller pants size; it will help you live the life you want. Attend the gym or go for regular walks to improve your cardiovascular fitness, and try these exercises to help make your everyday activities easier to do. Before you know it, the pounds will drop, but more importantly, you’ll be able to do all the things you love to do.
Third Sign: Health Issues.
Being overweight or obese puts a huge strain on your body and increases your risk for many chronic health problems, including type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke, metabolic syndrome, certain types of cancers, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, gallbladder disease, fatty liver disease, pregnancy complications and premature death. You can no longer treat weight-loss as an option if you’re suffering from these conditions and especially if it possibly runs in the family. It’s a necessity for you to save your own life.
Live longer and healthier:
If you do have any health issues, seek treatment and ask the doctor what types of physical activity you can do and if there are any dietary restrictions.
Fourth Sign: You give up easily.
Do you throw in the weight-loss towel after you eat a cookie or miss a single workout? Health and weight issues don’t result from one small mistake during a 24-hour period; it’s what you do day after day, time after time that really counts. You don’t have to be perfect, but you do have to be consistent.
Get back on track:
Promise that you’ll be kind to yourself when you do slip up, and create a get-back-on-track plan. Leave smiley post it notes around your house to find and motivate you. Maybe hide a do 5 press up in your cookie cupboard so once you’ve opened it, you’ll realize you’ve been cheeky and must now face the consequences of them 5 press ups.
Fifth Sign: Comparing yourself to others.
If you feel self-conscious about your body and size around others or feel extremely jealous of other people who have lost weight, then it’s time for you to focus your energies on your own self-improvement. As you might guess, weight-loss isn’t just about choosing to eat right and exercise. Many times, it’s also about having the self-worth to make a change and believing that you deserve to do something positive for yourself!
Make yourself a priority:
Stop comparing yourself to others. Everyone’s journey and circumstances are different. The next time you become envious or self-conscious, remind yourself that you deserve good things in life too. Weight loss isn’t a weakness, a desire to conform, or a sign that you’re not awesome just the way you are. Every person is worthy of love, respect and self-care—and maintaining a healthy weight is part of that.