It’s starting to get warmer, and it may be finally sinking in that your new years resolutions from the year gone aren’t as achievable as once thought. It’s easy to stress and to jump at fitness fads, trends and the “easiest” way to lose weight fast, but you’re really doing yourself a disservice in the short and long-term. Let’s get into it.
Fundamentals Of Fat Loss
Always remember, the goal is fat loss, not weight loss. When you do quick-fix weight loss fads, like water fasting, keto etc. it’s very easy to “lose weight” quickly. You’ll see that reflected in the scales, but what you can’t see is your body’s composition changing. For example, your body’s water that you consume and hold, naturally is going to hold onto and stick around when you ingest carbs. Remove those carbs out of your diet, the water goes with it. This is what’s happening when you hear the term waterweight.
That quick kg loss isn’t fat, it’s more commonly water, and the minerals that come with it. Fat loss is always going to be a gradual process, one with a lot of consistent work and positive choices. That’s the fundamental principle of losing fat, small sustainable steps over time. It’s a battle against your motivation and temptations. That’s not to say you can’t enjoy the process however, let’s go over some of the key reminders of the journey.
Reminders To Keep
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Consistency Over Motivation.
When you’re a few weeks into a fat loss phase, your motivation will eventually drop out, work-outs feel harder, meal prep tastes worse and overall the monotony of the process starts to rear its head. As long as you’re consistently hitting your checks and goals throughout the day, there can be room for rewards. Consider including a sweet treat in your calories at the end of the day, maybe enjoy your favourite dinner spot at the 4, 8 or 12 week mark.
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It’s A Jog Not A Sprint.
Like we mentioned before, it’s easy to freak out once reality hits around this time of year. When you partake in the trends and fads, your chances of bouncing back as quick as you started, go up exponentially. Set habits at the beginning, and trust the process.
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You Can’t Change The Past.
It’s easy to feel low or disappointed in yourself for either not sticking to your goals through the year, or that you’re in the same place you were the year prior. You can’t change what happened, and now it’s apart of your story. Take it with stride, because most people don’t even start.
Wrapping Up
Losing weight and keeping it off can be a scary thing, especially if you’ve never undertaken a journey like it. The only time frame you give yourself for weight loss, should be one that works the best for you, one that you know you can stick to. You get to learn more about yourself in the process, and grow in the fitness space, one step at a time.