Here's a good article from the MOTIVATIONSTATION website that I'd like to post as part of today's TUESDAY TIPS
The Cold Hard Facts about Weight Loss
by Joanne Bednar
I wish there were a pill you could take. I wish there were a machine that would just rub it all away. But if there were, I’d be out of a job because there would be no personal trainers. Still, I wish there were a miracle answer to losing weight the easy way. So many people would be so happy if they could just drop pounds with just the snap of their fingers. But unfortunately there is no easy way to shed pounds. In fact, it is very hard to lose weight and keep it off permanently.
The odds are against you from the start: 95% of all people who lose weight gain it back. Looking in the face of that mountain can be pretty intimidating! So maybe it’s just easier to stay overweight? That is up to you to decide. However, if you can know up front what losing weight is really like, you can better arm yourself for the roller coaster ride that is ahead.
Anything over a 2-pound weight loss per week (after the first week) is not fat loss. It is water, lean muscle, or both. If that disappoints you, then you will really be disappointed to find out that a 2-pound weight loss on any particular week is excellent! Throughout the journey you will find that there are some weeks you will beg for a half-pound loss, because if you are losing the healthy way it is a long slow process. If you can manage to lose 1-2 pounds per week you are on the right track!
You have to exercise. There is no way around it. You must make exercise a part of your life if you expect to lose weight and keep it off forever. Don’t think for one moment that you can exercise to lose weight and then stop. Get used to the idea now of incorporating exercise into your way of life forever. Not only will you lose weight and keep it off, but you will also live longer and fight off many life-threatening diseases!
You have to exercise a lot. Most people who successfully lose weight and keep it off exercise almost every single day. They make it a part of their daily routine just like brushing their teeth. I’m sure you know of skinny people who never exercise, and you don’t think it’s fair. Well, it’s not fair. But those people have a high metabolism, and they are not as healthy as those who do exercise on a regular basis are.
Take the amount of weight you want to lose, and divide it by 2. That is how many weeks it would take you to lose it, if you were lucky enough to lose 2 pounds per week EVERY week. Now take that number of weeks and triple it. It will take you about one and a half times the number of weeks that you think it will to reach your goal weight. Plateaus are inevitable, and you need to prepare for them. Weight loss plateaus can last anywhere from 2 weeks to several months. It takes every bit of patience you can muster up to stick with your way of life during a plateau. To break a plateau you will need to change things around in your fitness regimen and in your daily diet as well. This is when a certified personal trainer is handy!
These cold hard facts may sound harsh, but they are the truth. There is no easy way around it, even though I really wish there was! It is very possible to lose weight the healthy and permanent way. You have to be patient and diligent in your efforts, but you can shed those unwanted pounds and keep them off. The process is long, slow and daunting, but remember that when it comes to weight loss, slow and steady wins the race!