Mindset
Don’t Burden Yourself with Unrealistic Expectations In Weight Loss
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Shakespeare once said, “Expectation is the root of all heartache.”
You may not give two hoots about Shakespeare. You just want to lose weight and your futile attempts are killing your motivation and making you depressed. You’re expecting results and you’re just not seeing them.
Maybe weight loss is just not on the cards for you. Or is it?
It is perfectly reasonable to expect positive results for your efforts. In fact, that is why you’re toiling and sweating for hours during your training sessions. However, having unrealistic expectations will set you up for failure.
Just like what Shakespeare said, when your expectations are not met, you will be unhappy, which will result in you losing motivation and ultimately, just giving up. This is the number one reason why most people abandon their weight loss goals. Everybody gets all excited when they start off but the excitement quickly wanes when the results do not come fast enough.
Most people have unrealistic weight loss expectations. They expect the fat to come off quickly and easily. Watching your diet and exercising regularly can be difficult and tiring to people who have been sedentary for most of their lives. It is hard work and there is no way to sugar coat it.
So, for all their hard work, they expect fast results. They think, “Oh man! That cardio session almost killed me. I bet I lost 3 pounds just from that!”
The next day, they weigh themselves and see that the numbers on the scale are the same or maybe they lost half a pound. This is enough to make them curse and say. “WHAAAT! Half a pound! This is never going to work. You know what! I’m just going to go eat some pizza.”
The next day they weigh themselves again and they’ve gained 1 pound. More cursing and they accept their fate that they’re born to be fat. That’s just the way it is. Or is it?
What most weight loss commercials and pills don’t tell you is that weight loss is a slow process. Weight gain is a much faster process. Both do take time but weight gain is faster. So, you’re fighting an uphill battle to begin with. You should always bear this in mind.
Another thing worth remembering is that we live in an age where everything is done fast. We have text messaging, emails, microwaves, etc. Everybody is in a rush. They expect results fast and give no thought as to the actual process involved.
Your body is not concerned about speed or results. It will do whatever it takes to protect you. As long as you stay at a daily caloric deficit and exercise regularly, it will burn the fat off at its own pace. You can try to rush the pace by working out harder or eating less, but your body will reach a plateau to compensate for the stresses and shock you have placed on it. So, your results will stagnate.
The key to successful weight loss is to be satisfied with small, incremental progress. Stay the course and be happy for little achievement. You lost half a pound this week? That’s excellent. Keep up the good work and keep going forward.
You will be surprised at how much progress you will make over time. Time is your ally when it comes to weight loss. If you do not expect too much too soon, you will not be disappointed. You will still be motivated and keep going.
Rome was not built in a day. Be patient and persevere through the long, hard yards. You will emerge on the other end having truly accomplished your weight loss goals. It was hard but you did it hard. That is an outstanding achievement!
What is The “Big Why” You Are Exercising For?
Sometimes the simplest questions reveal the most powerful answers.
Accordingly, you need to understand your “Big Why” that is motivating you to return to regular exercise. And that brings us onto another tip for getting back into exercise when you’ve had a break. Maybe you are just sick and tired of being sick and tired. Perhaps you are finally fed up with buying bigger and “fatter” clothes every year.
It could be that you are frustrated with not having enough energy to play with your children or grandchildren. You might want to shut up that loudmouth at work that teases you about your figure, and when you look healthier and better than he does, that feeling will be worth all the exercise and physical work in the world.
The hundreds, if not thousands, of conscious and subconscious decisions you make each and every day all originate from some source of motivation. What is the one big motivation that led you to return to exercise after such a long absence?
Place yourself in a calm, quiet environment away from others and spend some time really being honest about your answer to that question. Don’t settle for simple answers. “To lose weight” is not a “Big Why”. “To lose weight so I look better in a swimsuit than I ever have in my entire life, and members of the opposite sex begin to notice me again” is a true “Big Why”.
You have heard stories of incredible personal accomplishment against impossible odds. Discover your “Big Why” for returning to exercise, and your efforts will be successful as well.