Are You Ready To Lose Weight? Here’s How To Get Started

“Let’s get it started, ha! Let’s get in started in here. Let’s get it started, ha!” ~Black Eyed Peas

Starting anything is hard. Starting with weight loss and getting into better shape is even harder. There are things you can do, though, to make the journey towards a better and healthier body easier. The trick is to think small—not big—and live for today, not for a tomorrow that might never come. And of course…let go of fear.

Are you ready?

1. Take control of your mind. The one key thing—the one secret—to changing your body is to get your mind ready. Your mind wants your body to store fat (for the famine it thinks is coming), so it will sabotage you at every turn. You need to outsmart it. Pretend you are someone who is already in the shape you want to be in. What habits do they have that you can adopt? Would they choose the donut over the apple? Would they drive instead of walk? Probably not. Pretend, pretend, pretend. Then make it real.

2. Start small. We all hear about people who lose 8 pounds a week, or exercise 2 hours of day, or eat nothing but seaweed. That’s not reasonable for most of us. Take baby steps. Start walking instead of driving whenever you can (think like a European). Get up from your desk or the television at 30-minute intervals and just move your body. Cut your portion sizes in half. Eat all of your vegetables before the rest of your meal, and down them with a tall of water (no, not a tall latte). It doesn’t matter how long it takes you to get there as long as you get there. Better to go slow than not get there at all.

3. Think of food as fuel, not entertainment. Would you put bargain basement gas in an expensive performance car? Nope. Your body is a machine, and needs to run on good, clean fuel. This doesn’t mean there’s no room for an occasional fun lap. There is! Life is too short to not enjoy yourself. But mostly, feed your body good stuff. My rule of thumb is 80% healthy eating, 20% fun eating, and it works every time (though if you have a lot of weight to lose, think 90/10 until you get closer to your goal weight.)

4. Strength train. Strength training is the magic behind the best bodies. When you strength train, you not only rev your metabolism (yay) but you also change your body’s shape. Curves and beautiful lines can only be built through pushing muscles against resistance. Hard.

5. Take your life seriously. We only have one life and one chance. Don’t wait until tomorrow to make a change, because some day you might run out of tomorrows. Do it now. Do it for you.

6. Most important: know that you can truly do it. Adrian did it. I did it (I lost 80 pounds while raising two small children). Anything truly is possible if you really want it. But you’ve “gotta want it.”

As I say on my own blog, “Onward.”

—

Helen M. Ryan is the author of “21 Days to Change Your Body (and Your Life) – A Weight Loss Guide For the Rest of Us.” She became a certified trainer, Spinning instructor, and fitness writer after losing 80 pounds and changing her life. In her free time Helen interviews rock stars and shoots concerts. Oh, and she eats chocolate, too. It makes her happy.

Book web site: www.21daystochangeyourbody.com

Blog: www.realworldweightloss.com

Twitter: aspinchick

*If you’re interested in snagging a spot for a guest post, please e-mail me at crouch.adrian@yahoo.com. I’d be more than happy to discuss details! Topics can be success stories, tips, recipes, etc. as long as it’s related to healthy living.

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    Hey, guys!! You should check this out. My mom wrote this guest post, about her new weight loss book. My mom’s really...

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