Most people have tried to lose weight more than once in their lives. You, too, may have some experience with this. You pick up on a particular diet or exercise regimen that is showing great results only to give it up after a short time. During this time, you may or may not have actually lost any weight.
Well, fortunately for you, you don’t have to be doomed to failure. Many people face obstacles on their journey to shedding pounds and getting fit – after all, it is hardly easy. The key here is to be able to identify what these hurdles are and to figure out how to overcome them.
In this article, you will discover the most common issues you could face andhow to solve them.
You Lack Motivation
Do you find it really difficult to get yourself off the couch and into a workout? Or, perhaps, you just can’t seem to stick to your healthy diet no matter how hard you try. If this is something you are experiencing, it is time to ask yourself – what is your motivation?
Sure, you want to lose ten pounds, look great in a swimsuit, or be in good shape for an important event like a wedding. While these may seem like good motivations, they actually aren’t. This is why you are more likely to give up on them and go back to your old, unhealthy ways.
So, the first thing you will need to do is to set a better goal for yourself. So, focus on getting fit and being healthier rather than watching the pounds melt off. Also, create short-term and long-term objectives for yourself so that you will find your eventual goal easier to achieve. Last but not least, don’t let setbacks get in your way – just keep going even when you do feel like you are failing.
You Keep Getting Distracted
Let’s face it, there are a lot more fun things to do than exercise and eat right. As you have probably realized, it is actually really easy to get distracted by all these activities. This is why, a few weeks into your ‘new’ healthy lifestyle, you grasp just how much you have been slipping.
Maybe you have been substituting exercising with hanging out with friends. Or, you have replaced your healthy meals with dinners out with your family. How can you stop all of this and stick to your original plan?
In this case, it is all about holding yourself accountable for your actions. This is why it is a good idea to try and lose weight in tandem with other people. So, find a group of like-minded individuals – if this isn’t possible, at least attach yourself to one friend with lots of willpower. Now, it is time to start together. This way, you will encourage each other to workout, eat right, and most important of all: stay honest.
No Time to Exercise
This is one of the most common complaints among those that want to lose weight. Well, here’s some news for you: that’s just not true. Even with a fully booked day, you can still find some time to work out.
If you are looking to create a calorie deficit – then you need to work out around an hour a day, at least three to five times a week. Sure, when you think about this as a whole, it can seem highly improbable that you can eke out this much exercise time.
Well, if you can’t manage a solid hour, can you find 15 minutes, four times a day? The answer to this is probably yes. So, at four different points during your day, work out for about fifteen minutes. Just make sure that you engage in an exercise of moderate intensity for best results.
If your issue is that you don’t have enough time to get to the gym, then bring the gym home to you. There are lots of cardio-based exercise machines that you can buy for your home. If you get one that offers a full-body workout, you will be able to work out at home.
Your Exercises are Boring
You may be feeling unmotivated to exercise because you are incredibly bored by the workouts you are doing. You aren’t alone – a lot of people give up because they find their workout regimen just a little too tedious.
The thing is, there are so many different ways to exercise. So, it is all about finding an option that suits you best. Remember, you can get a full workout from activities like dancing and swimming. You can also choose to park your car at home, get yourself a bicycle and cycle everywhere.
It is all about doing something that you find fun and interesting. Also, don’t be afraid to mix it up. Try to switch your workouts every month or two. This way, it will always seem fresh and exciting and you will be more likely to power through them.
You Get Incredibly Sore After a Workout
Everyone has gone through this experience: you go pedal to the metal on your first workout and thenfeel so sore, that you give up exercising entirely. When you can barely hobble down the stairs after a workout, it doesn’t seem unreasonable for you to quit completely.
You need to keep in mind that regardless of how fit you are, sore muscles are part of the package. Every time you push your body a little further, it will protest. There are, however, a few things that you can do to ease the soreness.
The first is to warm up before each workout and then to cool down afterward. This means stretching your muscles both prior to and after completing your exercises. This improves blood circulation to your muscles and prevents the buildup of lactic acid.
Believe it or not, drinking adequate amounts of water can work in your favor as well. So make sure that you drink up before, during, and after your workout. You can also use either ice or heat to ease some of your soreness both after you have exercised and during the recovery process.
Most important of all, though, is to keep using your sore muscles throughout, regardless of the discomfort. So, try to switch to swimming or something low impact, until your pain is gone.
You Are Always Hungry While Counting Calories
The best and quickest way to lose weight is to count calories (or create a calorie deficit) while also exercising. Of course, when you begin to cut down on your portions, you are immediately going to get hungry. This is only compounded if you are working out as well.
This is why you may find yourself ditching your diet and eating more then you did initially. Fortunately, there is a solution. What you need to do is to start including more low-calorie foods in your diet. This includes celery, watercress, zucchini, turkey, cucumber, strawberries, grapefruit, plums, spinach, and broccoli. You can then eat these foods in larger quantities so that you don’t feel as hungry. Make sure to season your food well with healthy, low-calorieherbs and spices for added taste.
You Give up Your Diet and Binge on Unhealthy Food
If this has happened to you, then there is a good chance that your diet is just a little too restrictive. While you should eat healthy meals, you don’t have to deprive yourself of some of your favorite foods and desserts. It is all about creating a balance between one that helps you lose weight and one that you can live with.
So, give yourself a few passes each week but make sure that they stay within your calorie allowance for the day. Some people like to eat healthy all week and then allow themselves a dessert or two on the weekends. Others prefer to give themselves three or four meals throughout the week where they can eat less than healthy items. If you let yourself indulge, particularly when you are having an off day, then you may feel more motivated to stick your original diet.
There is no denying that there are a plenty of obstacles to weight loss. At the same time, there are several tips and tools that you can use to overcome them. If you give these suggestions a try, you are sure to end up getting rid of those last few pounds.
