By The road to weight loss success contains many potholes, and the climb is long and hard.
I believe almost everyone I know has tried some diet during their lifetime. Sometimes I hear funny stories; then, some startle me out of my mind. A friend used fat burners so much that she developed a chronic liver condition. Don’t mess with your liver guys! Then another friend had his partner lock up the junk food in the house within an esky outside. She was to hide the key from him at all times. The problem was that he would get to it when she was asleep and eat the entire contents of the esky! (this is an entirely true story, by the way!). I could go on and on about the extent to in order to stop eating or eat and not have an ounce of fat on their bodies. It’s quite a sad path, but I shouldn’t talk as my approach was similar. Thankfully my way produced a lot of knowledge, although a few knocks on the head were spread throughout. I came out strong, though! Here are some truths about weight loss that everyone should hear.
One: During your lifetime, weight loss strategies may stop working & need to change
I came about this one after I finished my competitive stint as a 30 something-year-old. I got fat after this phase from all the excessive dieting and resorted to my tried and trusted bodybuilder diet. The problem was, it stopped working as it once did!So you might say, “I’ve been eating five meals a day, and it’s worked like a charm forever”. Well, for me in particular, the strategy didn’t work anymore. I tried for years with no luck and developed a lot of gastrointestinal problems in the process. I don’t know why it didn’t work for me, but what does work is not eating a lot — in other words, fasting for long periods. I suspect I overfed my body and developed some food intolerances, leading to inflammation. What I did was abolish the old technique and stick with the one that did work. Yes, it was a shock to the system, but as with anything, we get over it and do what we need to.
Two: You need to work extra hard as you get older
Sad but true. You will have to pay closer attention to your nutrition, exercise and, of course, STRESS LEVELS. That’s a big one because we oldies tend to have a more challenging time with stress eating. Since our metabolisms diminish as we age, it’s pretty easy to add a KG or two to our frame. If we aren’t careful, that can lead to more. Hormonal changes don’t help this matter. Menopause does a few crazy things to us women. But if we keep our eyes and ears open — adjusting accordingly, we won’t have an issue.
Three: Obsessing junk food can turn us into a basket case.
That’s right, obsessing and thinking about food will keep you chained to the fridge. Food is a means for giving us energy and allowing our bodies to function correctly. Although some people relish eating junk food, it’s not good for you.Eat to experience and sustain a healthy mind, body and lifestyle. Eating for just pleasure alone will produce many unpleasant health problems. It’s OK to indulge once sometimes, but making it a habit is not suitable for you at all. I wanted to remind you that those healthy choices you make are tickets to staying out of the hospital, away from medication and not needing a walking stick when you age.
Four: Weight loss and maintenance is for life.
I was over trying the latest fad diets out there, with all their unique recipes. Nothing beats your healthy carbs, fats and protein sources — none of these fancy fit or weight loss meals for me.I like to good old fashioned way we eat food. Buying the produce and making the meals myself is always so rewarding. Doing this helps you build your cooking muscles and set you high above the many with weight loss and maintenance for life. That’s what this goal is all about. Three months won’t do it — but 30 + years may. So stick with it for life, and keep your eyes on the lifestyle prize.