So many women over 50 have lost the same 20 (or 50) pounds over and over. Is that you? Do you want to lose weight one LAST time?
Does the thought of losing weight bring back memories of past failures? Are you wondering how this time will be any different?
Undeniably, getting started can be the hardest part. It’s even harder if you’ve lost weight before and then gained it all back. The roller coaster cycle is good for one thing – creating self-doubt. With the right plan, process, tools, and coach, you can break through that self-doubt, lose weight and love how you look in the mirror again.
In this blog, I share some tips for getting started and losing weight for good. I hope you find these helpful.
For additional info, grab Your Key to Unlocking Weight Loss Secrets. This free document is packed with information to help with your weight loss journey.
If you’re new to my blog, Welcome! I’m so glad you’re here. My goal is to provide you with tips that help you get off the weight-loss roller coaster, have more energy and love how you look in the mirror again.
Here are some of my other blogs to check out after you read this one.
- 4 easy changes to get you eating healthier
- Sarah’s journey from pain to her dream job
- Boost immunity naturally with top superfoods
- Easy steps for starting your fitness routine
- Secrets to removing mental blocks to losing weight
- Secrets to a strong, healthy female body
- 5 Harmful effects of eating too much sugar
If you’re like me, when you’re feeling stuck and nothing seems to be working, you drift into a state of self-doubt, unhappiness, sadness, frustration, disappointment and fear, which often lead to feeling hopeless. When we feel hopeless, it’s easy to give up and accept this is just the way it is.
If you’re reading this post, you want to lose weight. I’m going out on a limb here, but I’m betting there is way more to it than just wanting to lose weight. You may be:
- tired of being exhausted all the time
- fed up with the pain in your knees, hip or back after walking through the grocery store
- disappointed with yourself every time you look in the mirror
- scared about what your life will be like in 10 years if something doesn’t change
Hear me when I say “No-one should ever have to feel this way”. I believe in you. I know you can lose weight and love how you look and feel. I’m here to help you take control of your journey, re-gain your hope for the future and lose weight for the LAST time.
Let’s get started.
Lose Weight for Good - Find your motivation
Why do you want to lose weight? What will be different in your life after you lose weight? When we set out on a new journey, we usually have some sort of expectation or purpose.
- What are you expecting to be different after you lose weight?
- Do you expect to have more energy to go hiking with your friends?
- Will you be able to get on the floor and play with your grandkids?
- What about the clothes you wear? Will you wear clothes and styles that you have never been able to fit into before?
- Will you have more intimacy with your partner?
Picture your life... after you've lost weight
Take a moment and picture what your life will look like after you lose weight. How is it different? How does it make you feel? Does it bring you joy and excitement of what can be? Can you picture it?
Picture your life... if you don't lose weight
Now, think about what your life will be like if you don’t lose weight. This is a reality check. If you’ve been burying your head in the sand or ignoring the problem (ie. your desire to lose weight), now’s the time to face it head-on.
I know it isn’t pleasant to think about. Our problems rarely are. You may even have 100 reasons running through your mind right now as to why you should stop reading and push the whole idea aside for later.
It’s important to realize that this is a normal response. Your mind likes the safety of what it knows. In order to make lasting changes that will help you reach your goal, taking a look at what happens if you do nothing is super important.
You can’t change what you don’t acknowledge, right?
Which do you choose?
How do the two scenarios make you feel? Which one do you want? My guess is you WANT the reality of the life you envisioned after you have lost weight.
You want:
- more energy
- to be more active
- to love how you look in the mirror.
Your vision of success can act as your motivation to get started and NOT give up.
Lose Weight for Good - Set realistic goals
You want to lose weight. You want success and you want it now.
However, you’ll want to make sure your weight loss goals are realistic. In general, a realistic goal would be to lose 1 -2 pounds per week. However, there will be weeks when the scale doesn’t move. I know you don’t want to hear that. It happens to all of us.
Another option for setting your goal is to set goals around the actions you’re committed to taking. For example, you may have goals around how many calories you will eat per day, how often you will exercise, how much water you’ll drink per day, etc.
These are more tangible goals you can control. Given that there are many factors controlling what the scale does on a daily/weekly basis, tangible goals are a more reliable indicator in the short term.
Lose Weight for Good - Have a plan
Just as you wouldn’t jump in your car and head to New York City from San Diego without a map and expect to arrive there on time, you won’t want to set out on your weight loss journey without a plan.
Having a plan can make the difference between hitting your goal and coming up short. Your plan should include the changes you will make, what you will start doing, what you will stop doing, and how you will handle obstacles and challenges along the way.
Lose Weight for Good - Track your progress
Having a plan is critical. It’s also critical that you aren’t too attached to the plan.
You’ll want to periodically evaluate how the plan is working. To know if it is working, you’ll need to track your progress.
If you’re consistently following your plan and not seeing results, then it’s time to re-evaluate the plan and make some changes.
So, what should you track? In an ideal world – Everything. The more you track the more you increase your odds of success. Track your starting point – weight, and measurements, the food you eat, and your exercise.
I know it’s extra work to track everything. Trust me, you are more likely to be successful if you track as much as possible. Think of it this way…
Would it be worth the extra effort if it helped you lose weight for good?
Lose Weight for Good - Get a Coach
Improve your odds of success and get a coach. If a world-class athlete still needs a coach, why wouldn’t you?
Are you thinking “I know what to do. I just need to do it”?
Losing weight is one of the hardest things to do. It’s harder for women and get’s even harder as we reach our 50’s.
It isn’t as simple as some lead us to believe. Although calories are a huge contributor to weight gain or weight loss, they aren’t the whole story.
If you’ve watched your calorie intake and still struggled to lose weight, you know what I mean. What about the emotional triggers, sugar addictions, and let’s not forget about our hormones?
Balancing it all gets complicated; however, the most difficult part of all is actually doing what you know you should do, getting started and not giving up. And that’s where having a coach is beneficial.
If you’re serious about reaching your goal and you want to reach it quickly and as painless as possible, a coach is your best bet.
What does a coach do?
Every coach will be different. First, you’ll want to decide what you’re looking for in a coach. If you’re not sure, a coach can provide suggestions.
How much support would you like? Are you looking for someone to check in on you occasionally and see how you’re doing? Do you want them to keep you honest and push you a little?
You’ll want them to be someone you trust and feel comfortable with so you can share your journey and struggles. The right coach can be your strongest support and ally and she:
- Helps you set a realistic goal and plan
- Helps keep you accountable to yourself
- Pushes you outside of your comfort zone
- Encourages you when you feel like giving up
- Cares about your success
- Offers guidance and tips
Lose Weight for Good - Enjoy the Journey
This was the hardest thing for me to get my arms around. It took me way too long to learn and I missed out on the joy of the journey. Hopefully, I can save you from this mistake.
This is a journey and depending on how much weight you want to lose, it can take a while. Take it one day at a time. Focus on what you can do today that will keep you headed in the right direction.
If you’re following my advice about tracking, this will be easier. Celebrate every win. Even the ones that seem small. Every action you take is important. None of them are too small.
- You walked an extra 100 steps today – WIN!
- You had more patience today – WIN!
- You said “no thank you” to the offer of ice cream – WIN!
- You went to bed 30 minutes early so you could get 8 hours of sleep- WIN!
- You lost .5 pounds – WIN!
- You lost 1/4 inch on your thigh – WIN!
- You grabbed the apple instead of the cookie – WIN!
I hope you found this helpful. If you’d like to learn more about how a coach can simplify and streamline your weight loss journey, schedule your free 20-minute consultation. I look forward to chatting!
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