My clients always ask me on the most effective approach to weight loss, as fitness professional, I must confess to my bias, I will always advocate exercise over diet; by diet I mean fad diets like the Atkins, and cabbage soup diets etc. However, I do understand that a sensible nutritional approach is essential to meaningful and sustainable weight loss.
The first step in my view is to set S.M.A.R.T objectives I am sure you are all familiar with this acronym. Most people do not do so and is the biggest reason for people's failure to achieve weight loss. You must be specific, know exactly what you want to achieve and when you want to achieve it is mandatory, saying you want to lose weight is not specific. You need to include figures like one stone in three months.
Next you have to focus on how you will measure your progress. Using a fat loss device or calipers is the most effective way of monitoring your progress. A fat loss device or calipers will tell you your percentage of fat weight in relation to your total body weight. From the percentage of fat we can easily work out your total fat weight and your lean weight. The aim of any effective weight loss or fitness programme is to reduce your percentage of fat and increase your lean weight. Using bathroom scales on its own will not give you a true picture of what is going on. Using a tape measure is very useful in capturing the inches lost.
How will you go about achieving your goal? Nutrition will play an important role; by some people's estimation nutrition is 60% of the work, so it follows that you can not succeed in weight loss without a knowledge and application of sound nutritional principles. But this is not the same as embarking on a fad diet. Exercise will also feature prominently in your programme; the right type of exercise is essential. What is the right type of exercise? Exercise will differ according to an individual's fitness level and medical disposition. If you concentrated on only exercise paying no attention to nutrition, you may not lose weight. In a nut shell sound nutrition coupled with exercise is the way to achieve your weight loss goal.
How realistic are your goals? I have had some one tell me that they intended to lose two stones in a month. Does that sound realistic? That is a classic example of setting yourself up for failure. Losing a pound of fat a week is challenging and also realistic. It is advisable not to aim to lose too much too soon.
The next step in tackling your weight loss goal is to focus on your mind. Your mind and body work together. You can not achieve any goal if you are not tuned in. Your sub conscience mind will help you achieve any goal you set. When you set out your goal as illustrated above, it is not a dream. It is reality.
You will need to use imagery, Can you see yourself being slimmer? If you can see yourself in your mind's eye then you will succeed. You also have to believe in yourself that you can do it. The power of the mind should not be neglected; we all have it within us to achieve weight loss, when your plan is not going well it is will power that enables you to continue. You do not give up on minor setbacks; you engage your mind, mentally regroup, review your plan and then continue.
Learning how to break your goals into smaller units may make a big task seem easier to achieve. It is easier to exercise three times a week than every day. It is easier to gradually cut out unhealthy foods than cutting it out all at once. To lose weight successfully is all about gradually acquiring good habits and dropping your bad habits. There are many approaches to weight loss, you have to find a strategy that works for you and stick with it. You also have to believe that it will work.
Francis is the owner of Fat2fitness Health and fitness consultancy. He is a weight loss coach, personal trainer, motivator, writer with a passion for fitness and helping individuals achieve fitness and weight loss.
You can find me on facebook, twitter, and my blog, http://www.fattwofitness.wordpress.com Follow me on any of these platforms so that you do not miss out on the secrets of weight loss that I will reveal.
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