Starting a weight loss program can be challenging, especially if it has been a long term problem.

Firstly, ask yourself why you want to lose weight. Is it for yourself or is someone else putting pressure on you to slim down? It is really important for you to focus on your weight loss for the right reasons. You are more likely to be successful if your motivation is an internal and not an external one.

Start off the right way and begin with a plan.  Plan everything, food, exercise, even social activities.  Think about every obstacle that may get in your way.  You know yourself the best so if it’s snacking on biscuits and sweets then get them out of the house.  If you can’t get motivated to exercise then ask some friends to join you or book an extra session with your personal trainer. If you can’t control yourself when eating out with friends, eat a huge salad before you go, then just order an entrée.  It’s hard to over eat if you’re already full!

Find your determination, a positive attitude and set some realistic goals.  Starting an exercise program and a healthy eating regime with these attributes will definitely put you on the right road to losing weight and gaining a lot more energy.

Your goals need to be realistic or you may become frustrated and disheartened when you think you aren’t achieving anything.

A lot of people take the all or nothing approach to weight loss or the black or white as I like to call it.  They are either absolutely perfect (white) or go completely off the rails (black).  I try to encourage people to find the grey area in between.  That means if you have a treat or eat something naughty (however you look at it), just enjoy it then move on.  Pick up right where you left off.  It is thought that the guilt associated with ‘treats’ is actually worse for you than the treat itself!  I don’t know any human being that can be focused for 100% of the time.  Sometimes it is better to plan your treats, maybe to coincide with a social event.  I try to encourage my clients to control all the meals they can - which are usually the ones at home.  Then they have the flexibility to go into the ‘grey area’ when they are at a friend’s house and can’t really pick and choose what they eat.  You must be realistic.  If it has taken you a while to put on weight then it is going to take a little hard work to get it off.  But the good news is, if you follow the rules—it works!

© Kylie Pogson 2005

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