Be Realistic

I have a pet peeve and some people might call it a rather obnoxious pet peeve, but it's a pet peeve nonetheless; I hate impatience where losing weight is concerned. People always seem to forget getting fit and losing weight is a process, and look opt for the easy way out; but that's the worst approach to fitness you can take because fit takes time.

While I continually strive for my own version of a goddess body, I have never in my life ingested a supplement (outside of vitamins) or subscribed to a fad diet—no Atkins, no Grapefruit Diet, no South Beach, no Zone...nothing, Nathan, nada—I simply don't believe in any of that stuff.

Now, I know what some of you might be saying, "good for you, but you've probably never lived outside of a size six in your life"; not true.

Despite maintaining an exercise regimen and a fairly decent diet, I still managed to gain better than 40lbs with my first child. And after he was born, I did not dive back into my routine right away  because I was too busy and overjoyed being a new mommy. I didn't have the time or the motivation to do anything more than a little yoga—and not even that was on a regular basis.

That said, once I finally did find the motivation to get things going again, I knew I had my work cut out for me because not only had I gained weight, but I'd lost muscle tone and definition. All the hours spent in gyms and on great eating habits officially went down the drain between my son's birth and the birth of our second child—a span of roughly 2 1/2 years.

However, once I got going again, I did so with one very important fact in mind: it took you three-years to get here, it'll take you at least that long to get back. And trust me, that wasn't an easy fact to accept. I certainly wanted to reach for that quick fix—I won't lie, it crossed my mind for a nano—but I knew that would be temporary and, as you know, my personal philosophy is "fit is forever". So I started slow and set realistic goals along the way and now, three-years removed from that personal pep talk, I am further along than if I'd never started.

You cannot be discouraged about what you're not losing. You have to be real with yourself and set reachable goals. That's the only way you'll stick with it.

And remember...take your time.

 

Two Steps Forward, Three Steps Back

Plateau. That's a kind way of saying your body has reached the point where you are no longer able to make any changes to it physically. You try in vain to lose that last five or ten pounds and you consider looking into that fad diet you keep hearing about because you're desperate to lose one last inch or two off your waistline.

It's a cruel joke, really. You push yourself and remain dedicated to the cause of being and living healthy and your body, inexplicably, decides that what you're doing is good, but not good enough. So, what can you do about it? How do you reach that next level of fit without driving yourself absolutely bonkers?

Well, one way is to change your regimen. This is something that I have suggested before and feel very confident is a great way to get over that proverbial hump. But, more than that, you have to get over the drama of the new attitude you've acquired from becoming so fit—your ego changed right along with your body. Trust me.

You have to reconfigure your goals once you hit that plateau (or wall as some say) and ask yourself what you want for yourself and your body now? Are you still simply trying to live a healthier life or are you looking for the physical manifestation of all your efforts—fitting into that size "whatever you want" pair of jeans or cocktail dress? It's an important question to ask because, quite honestly, the vast majority of us can always be fitter and eat healthier—these are things that are rarely overdone in today's fast food society.

So you have to look at yourself in the mirror and ask what's next? If you want to get over the plateau, that's easily done, change your workout and/or add something more to it that will challenge you and re-energize your bored body.

On the other hand, if you are looking for something deeper—perhaps an answer to why you are so obsessed with looking perfect or losing that last few pounds—then that journey will take a much more introspective approach and you will need to tap into the side of you that isn't satisfied with being what you are right now.

The only way to do that is to meditate, relax, journal, and seek out the memories that scare you to death. Find out where it was in your life that you first began to feel those inadequacies and make it your mission to correct the negative thoughts so that you can finally focus on the present.

In the meantime, expect setbacks as you tackle new obstacles and try not to get frustrated by the process of making adjustments to what was working so well before now—if you can. Being fit is only half the battle, the bigger challenge is in staying fit and being aware enough of your inner self to understand why that matters so much to you.

Related articles

• The Dreaded Plateau! (hethercrawford.wordpress.com)

Being Healthy Isn't The Same Thing As Being "On A Diet"

I cannot tell you the number of times I have made this statement since I embarked on my quest to become healthier.

People often misinterpret my decision to not partake in the potato salad at a barbeque, or eat a slice of pizza at a party, as a sign that I am "on a diet". So, when I respond that I've simply made a decision to not allow those foods into my body on a regular basis—if it can be helped—they respond in a perplexed manner.

Some say, "good for you, but there's no way I could do it", or the more flattering version, "if I had you're figure, I wouldn't worry about a slice or two of this or that". Well, as nice as the latter statement is to hear,  it belies a common misconception about living a healthy lifestyle—that it's a temporary fad, and not a life decision.

It's easy to latch on to a fad diet, a miracle pill, or a detoxification program and say that you're making a move towards losing weight, but being healthy is not about weight-loss, it's about choosing to make your body into something more sustainable over the long haul.

Personally, I stay away from red meat, eschew caffeine and coffee, and eat a diet that is as plant-based as possible (meaning lots of fruits and veggies, and very little—if any—processed foods). That's how I've chosen to live my life at this point—that works for me.

Is that a diet? No...it's my lifestyle choice.

The one thing I always hope to do when someone honors me with a question about what I do to stay fit is try to educate them with the things I've learned along the way first. And while I am by no means an expert, I try to give the most accurate information I can.  In the end, however, it's about what works for you.

My family isn't forced to eat what I eat—mostly because they still don't dig soy as a substitute for chicken or almond milk as a better option than a cow's—but I do make sure they get the best of my world and theirs by offering them whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies, and the healthiest snack options available—with a few treats here and there.

In time, as they are introduced to more and more of the foods that pepper and sustain me, they come to enjoy them as much as I do—albeit accompanied by what they call "real food" as well.

It all goes back to making choices.

Diets are temporary. They're great for looking good at your class reunion or fitting into a great outfit for a special occasion but, in the end, to live healthy you have to be committed to something bigger. And once you are, your life will change—hopefully for the better.

Related articles

• How to Eat Healthy and Lose Weight (womenandweight.com)
• 500 Calories a Day? The 3 Worst Fad Diets of 2011 (fitsugar.com)
• The Common Sense Diet (millenniallemons.com)
• The Weight Loss Myth of Fad Diets (webmd.com)