Be a Star and Lose the Weight

So you are committed to losing 10 pounds plus the additional 5 pounds you gained since the last time you went on a diet.  I think the question we need to now ask is not what is the next step, but what is the right step?  I think it to easy to just say I need to eat better and exercise more…I mean we all do. So what gets in our way of success?  Our Emotions!!!  If we can address our emotions and not only what triggers our eating, but prevents us from exercising, we will never be successful in the weight loss process.

I believe there are 4 keys to our success in anything, especially weight loss.  I like to look at the four keys to weight loss success as the cornerstones for our foundation.  So how do you build that foundation? It begins with four cornerstones: Honesty, responsibility, commitment and inner strength. Take this self-exam and see if any of these are standing in your way of success.

Honesty

You are only hurting yourself if you lie.  You need to be honest with yourself and your trainer (if you have one) about past and present failures in trying to achieve

Self-exam

Are you always looking for the easy way out?

Do you always have a "reason" for not making good on your commitments?

Do setbacks routinely knock you off course?

Are you impatient if you don't see results right away?

Do you always find someone or something else to blame for your actions?

Do you procrastinate?

Do you blame your current life on something that happened a long time ago?

The point of this exercise is not to beat yourself up about your shortcomings, but to learn something you didn't know about yourself -- or to finally admit it. When you make these discoveries, don't just gloss over them. For instance, if you can't stick to a fitness plan, try to figure out why.

Accountabilty

Successful people take responsibility for their past actions. They vow to change and make good on that promise. To begin, stop pointing the blame elsewhere for being overweight.

Self-exam

Do you avoid making healthy dinners because your spouse won't like it?

Do you fault your kids' hectic after-school schedules for not being able to get to the gym?

Do you feel work stress is the culprit for your unhealthy cravings?

Remember the responsibility to succeed is yours alone. Own up to your failings and then you can move past them.

Commitment

People who struggle with weight loss are good about keeping commitments to other people -- just not to themselves. Your commitment to yourself needs to be just as sacred.

Self-exam

Have you set a specific and realistic goal for yourself?

Does your goal go beyond simply reaching a number on the scale?

Have you written down your goal(s)?

Make a firm, unbreakable commitment and write it down so it serves as a powerful reminder. And make sure it's a realistic goal. If you're looking to drop a lot of weight, for instance, set smaller, interim goals, such as increasing your workouts by one day a week or losing 5 percent of your weight.

Determination

Inner strength is often what tilts the scale from failure to success. It's all about making conscious healthy decisions and not giving into temptation.

Self-exam

Do you struggle with willpower?

Do you give into temptation?

Are you easily persuaded by others to do something that's not in line with your goals?

Try the "10-second delay" talk: Take 10 seconds to reflect on your choices when unhealthy desires or excuses whisper in your ear. During those 10 seconds, you'll have a chance to weigh your options, and hopefully you'll opt to do what's going to get you to your goal.

Honesty

Accountability

Commitment

Determination

Motivation