Weight Loss - Beyond Wishful Thinking
Getting in shape, losing weight and living healthier is a goal that nearly every one of us has. There is always something we would like to change about ourselves and becoming healthier is usually it. Wanting to live a healthier life and actually doing it aren’t exactly the same thing and they aren’t easy to accomplish if you are severely out of shape.
Getting in shape and working out gives you more energy. Unfortunately, we need energy in the first place to work out and get in shape. Herein lies the problem. How can we get the energy to go to the gym and workout or to go to the store and buy and prepare healthy meals? There isn’t a magic pill that can do it but there is something else that can help give you all the energy and motivation you need. What is it? It is your mind.
Mind Over Matter
Mind over matter isn’t just a catch phrase used by coaches and motivational speakers. It really is a part of you that can help you achieve anything if you believe in yourself. Look at all of the weight loss transformations on YouTube. Many of them were just like you. They were out of shape and they wanted to live healthier. They believed in themselves and they did it. They really aren’t any different than you or I. You can do the very same thing they did if you believe in yourself and your ability to do anything you want.
What are some ways that you can make mind over matter even more effective and get in the mind-set to lead a healthier life? Forget the old mind-set that got you in the shape you are today. No more “I deserve a treat for working so hard” or “I am too busy to get in shape, or to work out or to cook a healthy meal” These excuses are part of the old mind-set and you don’t have room for them anymore.
Another key thought to avoid is “The damage is already done, why bother?” These won’t help you get in shape and they won’t help you live a healthier lifestyle. Getting in the right mind-set to live a healthier life means to avoid the negativity and surround yourself with positive thoughts and images of your goal. To eat healthier, watch some online cooking videos that offer healthy recipes. To lose weight and get in shape, watch diet and exercise videos that give you some useful tips and advice that will help you achieve your goal. Most of all, the key to getting in the right mind-set to live healthy, is to believe in yourself and your abilities to do it.
Get Ready for a Fight!
If you're struggling, remember you are not alone. 'I’m struggling to lose weight’ is the most common message I receive. I’ve said many times, losing weight may be simple but not easy. You are not being paranoid or unrealistic; the ‘system’ is rigged against you. Whether it be the media, the supermarkets or the food industry, the temptations are rife and making healthy choices consistently is near impossible.
Furthermore, your biology is not designed to give up excess weight without a fight. The natural way is to conserve reserve energy for a rainy day. This is evolutionary and biological. Losing weight will be a struggle. And you will have to muster up your inner strength to achieve your goals. Nothing worthwhile is achieved without a fight.
The most important thing is not to let the initial struggle become permanent. The only way to do this is to adopt new habits and behaviours which serve you rather than sabotage you. Once it becomes habit to lace up at 7am and run, the struggle ends. Change the way you shop, the way you entertain or the way you spend your Saturday afternoons. Seek out choices which enhances your wellbeing.
Develop Self-Belief
The biggest obstacle you face is self-belief. There isn’t a reputable diet or program which doesn’t work. It’s about following through with your chosen program. Showing up for that personal trainer appointment or making that weight watchers meeting in the evening is a priority.
There are many demands on your time – work, kids, family and the list is endless. There are never enough hours in the day or enough days in the week. You must prioritise yourself and your health. Most people treat their needs as secondary to every other demand. That appointment with yourself, for yourself, is just as important as any other commitment.
Self-belief and self-love must take centre stage for you to achieve your weight loss goals. Don’t postpone your wellbeing. The impending illnesses associated with excess weight will not postpone their arrival. The best day to start is today. Take one step, even a small one, towards your wellbeing and commit to it fully. It will serve you better to be consistent with small changes rather than be sporadic with big changes.
Find Your Motivation
The success or failure of any weight loss program begins with ourselves. In my experience, people who lose weight and manage to keep it off have personal motivation on their side.
So, what is motivation and where do I find it? Motivation is more than a reason and it is more than desire. Motivation is the thing that keeps us on course to succeed when the mountain seems too high to climb.
An upcoming family event is wonderful motivation in the short term, but any motivation based on external factors will eventually die away. What happens after the big day? What is it that will help you make better choices every day?
Self-care should be at the heart of any goal. You’ve got to do this for you. Every person is special and precious. We owe it to ourselves to bring forth our potential and you need a body capable of supporting you through all your endeavours.
I understand the pressures to 'look great' for an event or to fit into that beautiful dress. There is absolutely nothing wrong with those goals. I recently lost almost a stone to get myself to a college reunion function. But the reunion has passed and it will be another twenty odd years before I meet those friends again! But going to the park and playing with my kids is a weekly, if not more frequent, event. Perhaps keeping myself in shape for the weekly park games would serve me better.
At Medical Weight Loss, I always ask the question – why do you want to lose weight. The only answer that matters is the one that will keep you on track to achieving your weight reduction goals. Someone once said he wanted to lose weight because he didn't want to be the biggest man in the office. Being the largest person in the office was obviously important enough to him to come seek my help. Don’t allow anyone to judge your motivation or trivialise it. If it’s important to you, it’s important enough.
Losing 30lb in 30 Days?
Impossible I hear you say. It's not impossible, but highly improbable. I am going to share with you the number one reason why people are struggling to lose weight.
Every day we see or read some attention-grabbing headline of an obscene amount of weight loss being advertised. There are often little or no backing to these claims and some advertisers remain unabashed at what they are promising. Most people don’t have the level of commitment, time or resources to achieve a pound a day weight loss. Let’s illustrate this with some numbers.
If an average person reduces their calorie intake to 1800-2000 Cals per day, they will be weight neutral by the end of the month. If you decide to go on any diet and reduce your intake by 300 Cals a day (that is 1500 Cals per day), you will lose about 2-3 pounds in 30 days!
Some may exercise religiously as well. A one-hour session, three times a week will maybe add another 1-2 pounds weight loss in 30 days. That’s a total of 4 pounds a month. Losing weight is not quick, nor easy. This fact is preyed upon by the industry which promises some miraculous new way to lose weight each week.
So if you want to lose 30 lbs in 30 days, I say, go for it. But I encourage you to learn more about what needs to be done to achieve this feat and then, "JUST DO IT". But if you’re working, taking care of a home and kids, and your life is crowded with a whole lot on your plate, you will need to be satisfied with slow, steady but sustainable progress.
At MWL, I aim to help you achieve a modest but tangible loss of 2 pounds a week but this is achieved with the aid of medication. My aims are coupled with your goals. If you wish to lose weight faster, I can guide you on the right course of action, monitor your progress and make any necessary adjustments along the way. Why not book a no obligation consultation at my clinic in Solihull, and see what I can do to help?
Dr Zee
Medical Doctor and Weight Loss Consultant
Dr Zee is an anaesthetist working in the NHS since 2000. He works in intensive care, managing some of the sickest patients in hospital. He provides anaesthesia for general surgery, epidurals for labour and supports caesarean sections. All these roles are reactive by nature Dr Zee feels; not proactive nor preventative. Whilst working at the National Slimming Clinic (NSCC), De Zee helped people feel healthier and better by losing their excess weight. It felt very rewarding. Here, instead of fire-fighting problems, he had the chance to make a difference to people's health before they became seriously ill.
