If you want to lose weight but just can’t seem to find the motivation to get up and moving I recommend trying something different. Look through your CD’s and find music that literally moves you. Put on a CD, close your eyes and flow to the beat or your own rhythm. Before you know it you’ll work up a sweat and you’ll release built up stress and tension in your body.
If you’re trying to lose weight pay attention to your eating habits. Do you snack when you’re bored? If so you’re probably not really hungry, just doing something to keep your hands busy. Unfortunately boredom results in weight gain. Start keeping a journal to find out whether you’re snacking out of boredom. When you catch yourself reaching for a snack ask yourself, “Am I REALLY hungry?” If you’re not really hungry, do something to snap out of boredom. Go for a walk (extra bonus=burns calories), search the net, call a good friend…do anything but reach for a snack.
If you listen to your body it will tell you exactly what you need. The problem is we often wait until we’re so hungry that we chose foods that add weight vs. fuel. If you’re craving quick foods such as chips or crackers, you’ve likely waited too long to eat and just want to have something to eat fast. Learn to listen to your body’s hunger cues and you’ll be more likely to chose foods that will give you fuel vs. fat.
Have you cut back on calories with the attempt to lose weight but found that you are hungry? If so it’s time to listen to your body, because if you don’t you’ll end up putting back on the weight plus more. If you’re hungry and ignoring it because you want to lose weight you’ll notice that it will effect everything, including your mood and energy level. The key to losing weight is to listen to your body and eat when you’re hungry, and chose foods that will keep you going. Once you listen to your body and eat when you’re hungry you’ll likely eat smaller portions which will result in weight loss. On the other hand, if you’re ignoring your hunger cues in an effort to lose weight, you won’t be able to do it for long and this will result in gaining the weight back plus more.
My housekeeper told me that she had lost 10 lbs in a month by drinking a weight loss drink and one meal a day, but was really frustrated with the extra body fat around her middle. She wondered where she was going wrong since none of the weight was coming off the areas that she wanted to lose. I let her know that her body was being deprived and holding onto body fat. I told her she needed to eat small meals more often. She smiled and said, “That’s what I hear from all you fit people!” I gave her examples of what I ate which are 3 meals- my largest at breakfast and my smallest at dinner and in between I eat healthy snacks such as nuts and fruit. She was surprised by how often I ate, but I assured her that by eating more often she’ll keep her metabolism going which will result in more weight loss. I also gave her a couple of my postnatal DVD’s and recommended she workout at least 3 X per week for 30-45 min. She promised to get in a few workouts before her next visit–update to follow.
Did you think it would be a great idea to go to the gym? Did your husband even buy you a membership as a gift? But when you set foot to take a peak you immediately felt anxious about working out amongst a bunch of fit people. If you did, you’re not alone, gyms can be intimidating even to those who are fit. Don’t let your absence from going to the gym deter you from getting fit. There’s so much you can do that won’t cost a buck. Start off slowly with walking 10 min. a day, then 15 min., then 20 min., etc.. If you’re consistent you’ll soon see that you’ll feel better mentally and physically. At the end of your workout really focus on how good you feel after exercise and congratulate yourself for making your health a priority!