My #1 Secret to Losing Weight...

Have fun while trying to get to your goal.  People constantly tell themselves they will be happy once they reach their goal.  But first always remember there is no guarantee.  It’s in our nature to always want more.  Many of us will reach our goal and then still want more.  Maybe it won’t be more weight loss but maybe we get to our goal weight than want more muscle.  It is natural.  But beyond that, we are more likely able to stick with a plan we when we are happy and when we enjoy doing it.  We are more likely to continue working on ourselves if we are having fun in the process.

Alright, sorry for the cheesy blog entry title but it holds true.  It is one thing if you push yourself through grueling workouts if you get satisfaction upon completion but it’s another thing to hate every minute of it.  You are more likely to commit and continue doing something if you are having fun in the process.  Buy an exercise tape that you find fun.  Love the outdoors?  Find an activity outside where you can surround yourself with a location that will make you happy. 

Maybe it’s you don’t have enough time with your partner, sibling, friend or spouse.  Find something you can do together.  Are you someone with a short attention span?  Commit to trying a new activity once a week.  Find something that excites you, it doesn’t have to be staring at a wall on a treadmill at the local gym, unless you are someone who gets the runner’s high (or likes staring glancing at the sexy guy in front of you). 

The same applies to the food we eat.  Just because you are not a diet doesn’t mean food has to taste as if we are on a diet.  We are lucky to live in an age where we have more recipes that we can possibly think of at our disposal.  We have a plethora of healthy substitutions to foods we love.  We don’t need fat and a salt shaker to make food taste delicious. 

Variety is the spice of life.  Sometimes making an ultra healthy version of your favorite foods just doesn’t cut it.  Instead, try finding new favorite foods.  Be daring, go in recipe hunting with an open mind. Try recipes you are not sure you will like, maybe your taste buds will surprise you.

We can put off happiness until we reach our goal, but I assure you, having fun now won’t make reaching your goal any less enjoyable. 

Today I stand before you as a 5’4 155.8 pounds female.  My initial (and all time high) was 173.3 pound on June 10^th, 2011.  I decided instead of being embarrassed about being overweight I’m going to be proud of my 17.5 pound weight loss in 6 ½ weeks.