Are you wrestling with your weight ladies? And does it feel like you’re fighting a losing battle? So many of us are keen to shed a few pounds but no matter how hard we try, that extra baggage just refuses to come off. I hate to say it, girls, but nine times out of ten this is down to inefficient weight-loss strategies, poor discipline and a tendency to look for short cuts and easy-fixes. It’s important to recognises that losing weight isn’t easy; it takes a lot of hard work, dedication and staying power. In order to help you do the job properly I’ve put together a list of seven common reasons that we struggle to slim down …
Ladies, so many of us desperately want to shed a couple of pound, but when it comes down to it, we’re just not prepared to put in the work. Unfortunately, thinking about weight-loss doesn’t help those inches to come off, unless your musings are accompanied by regular exercise and a regimented eating routine. Unfortunately, girls, getting into shape is hard; it requires a major lifestyle change and there really is no getting around that. If you’re not prepared to ditch those cheeseburgers and forego the fries, then, sorry ladies, but that flab isn’t going anywhere!
Do you work out like a crazy person for a couple of days and then lapse back into vegging out on the couch? Real weight loss takes a sustained diet and exercise plan and its results probably won’t start to show until a few weeks after you’ve kicked off your fitness regime. You need to find a way to stay motivated during the first phases of your healthier lifestyle; after a little while, exercise and eating right will start to become habit – only at this point should you relax and congratulate yourself a little.
I don’t mean this in a creepy way, ladies, but probably all of you have experienced someone in the role of feeder during your lives. Basically, this is the person who insists you have a huge slice of cake, even after you’ve explained you’re on diet, and demands that you gulp down platefuls of buttery mashed potato. It could be your mother, a friend or even a boyfriend. If you’re going to be successful in your weight-loss, girls, you need to resist the urge to give in to this kind of treatment. Stay strong; don’t cave and soon you’ll be so used to saying no to fat-filled treats, the feeding behaviour won’t work any more.
So you’ve been really good, eating right and exercising every day, but suddenly, the weight has just stopped coming off. Ladies, congratulations on getting started with your healthy lifestyle; you’ve managed to build your level of fitness up so much that your initial work out plan has become too easy. In order to keep shedding the pounds, your exercise routine needs to grow with you as you shrink. Make that run an extra mile, add another couple of pounds to your dumbbells: you’ll be slimming down again in no time.
While it is important to allow yourself some a couple of treats every now and then, binging is never a good idea. A lot of us relax the rules at the weekend and allow ourselves a little something extra for sticking to our diet during the week. That’s fine, girls; rewards are a great motivation. Letting yourself go completely, on the other hand, is not. A weekend binge will leave your system sluggish and struggling to digest at the beginning of the week and this will get in the way of your regime.
While we’re all perfectly capable of doing things independently pretty much all of the time, occasionally we need a little extra support when a work out turns out to be particularly tough. Having a weight loss partner or team to keep you on track is a real help. Slimming and fitness clubs provide you with a support network to help you up if you have a bad day and urge on to success. As I’ve said, weight loss is tough, and going it totally alone is even tougher!
There’s just so much material out there dedicated to weight loss, girls, trying to take it all in can be completely paralysing. Instead of reading up on every different diet and fitness routine around, take a trip to your gym and talk to a lifestyle consultant. The plan they give you can act as a blue print; follow it carefully and don’t let yourself get distracted by the myriad other options available.
What do you think, girls? Can you think of anything else that makes it difficult to lose weight? Let me know; I’d love to hear your thoughts on this one!
Top Photo Credit: House Of Sims