For those of you who are parents, how upset were you when your newborn couldn’t walk or talk right away? How frustrated were you when they were almost a year old and still couldn’t read or do simple arithmetic!!?? I mean, come on!! How hard can that be??
Dumb, right?
Of course you wouldn’t expect a newborn to walk or a toddler read. It’s not that we have low expectations for them, rather, we know it’s just part of the process. They have to grow and develop. They need to be shaped and taught. Little by little.
I see people start a new weight loss or exercise program much in the same fashion as the unrealistic parents above. “I’ve been on this diet for 2 days and sweated like a mad man {woman} during my buns of steel class! I should have reached my goal weight by now!” They step on the scale only to find they’re down a pound after all that hard work. The next thought is, “Why am I working so hard only to see these results?”
Seriously?
Two days! Two days (or whatever it is early on) are not enough to check, track and formulate good/bad ideas on how things are going. In fact, keeping your eye on the prize (and not the scale) will help you more. Focusing on where you want to go instead of where you are or were will help you in the long run. Neurotically stepping on the scale each time you enter the bathroom only sets you up for frustration.
I’m not telling you to lower your expectations, just to re-frame them. If you’ve got a lot of weight to lose, know that this is a process that will take time. Be realistic. Do the work. Gain the rewards.
Here’s a smart way of going about it:
Eat Paleo- Eat meat, fruits & veggies, nuts and seed along with other good fats.
Workout with intensity- Use a combo of weightlifting, interval training, bodyweight movements- (CrossFit 🙂 )
Sleep well- 8-9 hours are best for recovery (unless you just like to hurt). Make sure your room is cool and dark. Head to bed well before midnight.
Keep doing these things– You’ve got to fight the tendency to drop off. The only way to accomplish your goals is a long obedience is the same direction. Do the good things, keep doing them and they will add up in your favor.
Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase. -Martin Luther
You CAN reach your goals! Take the first step and keep climbing!