Make Your Weight Loss Goals Your Reality
My Grandma once told me that, “A goal without a plan is just a wish...” When it comes to optimizing your health we often make wishes for what we want, but rarely commit to a true goal. If you are reading this because you would really like to lose weight then the first step is changing your mindset to a positive one. Make a commitment to yourself with a detailed action plan of how you will reach your goals.
Make a plan and stick to it.
There are so many ways to lose weight and you have heard them all before… KETO, calorie deficit, cutting sugar, dairy and carbs, intermittent fasting and the list goes on and on. Truly, the #1 thing that you need to do in order to be successful is to… MAKE A CHOICE of what works for you and STICK TO THE PLAN with a little something called WILL POWER. That’s it, that is all you need to do. The concept is simple, but it is not easy. Just as it is for an alcoholic to quit drinking… the act is simple, but to actually quit is not easy.
One notion that really helped me was acknowledging that yes, losing weight is challenging and hard work, but so is waking up everyday and feeling low energy and tired. At the end of the day it comes down to making a personal choice for you. Only you can decide which route is harder. Determination and perseverance – these 2 words are used a lot for losing weight. They may sound cliche, but this is the absolute key.
I am now going to jump back to the quotation above and explain why I put this as the focal point of this blog article… In 2015 is when I gave birth to my 3rd and I spent 4 and 1/2 years “wishing” to lose weight and get healthy. I didn’t realize why I kept failing. I told myself I wanted to lose weight, but then it just didn’t happen. I was blind to the fact that I was not actually setting proper goals and a plan. I had no commitment to myself. My mindset was wishy washy. I would have bursts of “I am going to lose weight now” but there was no plan. Then suddenly I would say to myself, “I am going to work out everyday.” OK great, but when will I make this happen? And what work out am I going to do? At what time in the day? If this is going to actually happen, I needed a regular time, or at least find a work out that works for me. I need to at least look at my schedule and figure out if I need to wake up 20 min earlier or do something to change my schedule so I can actually commit and stick to the goal. Looking back now it is not hard to see why I was not succeeding.
So what changed? How did I finally lose 20+ lbs?
In September of 2019 is when I was sitting there with a dear friend for my birthday dinner and that is when I made up my mind that this is it, I am losing the weight and I figured out what I needed to do in order to stick to the plan. The first step was that I told her I was going to do it. Do not keep your decision a secret, because when you tell someone you are going to do something, you are more likely to hold yourself accountable; your intention becomes in motion. Ask that person that you trust to also check in with you and they too can also help you be accountable.
Again, the most important thing was to make a plan for myself. I used to think that I would be successful if I took the next “magic pill” or the “latest fad” or the “quick new diet my friend was doing.”
BUT no, the most important thing was about being CONSISTENT and making whatever it is that I decided to do a priority. By priority I mean, I work out and eat right everyday. I find the time and make it happen. For me, I started out by taking classes. This way, I was paying money to be somewhere and I had to be there at a certain time. Also I asked my friends to join me so it also had a social aspect to it. I do not like to bail on friends, so this made me more accountable. I realize that with COVID things are trickier, but ask around in your community if there are ZOOM work outs or something happening where there is a specific time for you to commit to.
I have 3 kids and a husband and I work, BUT I make sure that my works outs happen. Unless the house is burning down or someone is truly ill, I will work out. And guess what, the more you do it the more you enjoy it. It actually becomes fun because you are not out of breath, you are feeling your muscles work, but you are not in agony! You also are surrounded by like minded people as well as supportive people. There becomes a social aspect as well. You want to show up because it also helps others show up and it all feels very positive.
It didn’t always feel this certain and easy… so when doubt creeps up in your head, you have to dig deep and believe you are worth it… stay the course and if you fall off the horse, get back on.
Before I made this decision, I used every excuse. “It is too early.” Or, “I will work out later.” Well when is later and believe me, tomorrow never comes. When there wasn’t a plan I would not follow through. I would somehow convince myself that my kids need me at all times of the day, which is silly. If you think about it, yes they need us, but 20 minutes or 30 minutes to do a work out is not too much time to take for YOU. Also, take your kids with you to work out when you can. If they are still babies, make them part of your work out and your weights haha! If they are a bit older, they can sometimes participate, and also try to find outdoor exercises to do as a family like:
- Paddle boarding
- Biking
- Kayaking
- Badminton
- Walking
- Hiking
Lastly, the above solutions are not meant to make you feel guilty. It is OK to be tired. It is OK to have an off day. It is OK to take a break or just not be ready. This post is meant to inspire, it will always be here for you to read or reread for when you are ready to dive in. I never want it to come off as “look at what you should be doing.” Take the word should out of your vocabulary. You will be ready when YOU are ready. Remember, I wasn’t ready for 4 years… we all have our own journey.
My key tips (Warning they are not earth shattering, but they work):
- Find a time you will work out and stick to it.
- Don’t give up, if you miss a work out or eat lots of sugar one day, don’t say “Oh well I failed might as well just forget the whole thing.” Say, “Well that was a treat and that’s why we have the 80/20 rule!” Then keep staying the course.
- If possible find a group that you can do work outs with, because that is when it becomes FUN! There are ZOOM work outs and local places that have a lot to offer despite COVID
- As my friend Juliana Vallee would say: “Be bigger than your excuses.”
- Try Peloton classes because if you have kids, working out at home is key. Denis Morton is my favourite instructor. I like his cycling classes and yoga.
- Check out Angela Sasso on Youtube, she has excellent work outs and she is a personal trainer that really knows proper form.
- Whatever you choose, do not yo-yo around. Pick something and stick to it. This is a great strategy for a number of reasons. Once you get good at something and there is a sense of accomplishment. When you have mastered proper form and you feel like you need a challenge, then you can change it up… but until that point, don’t switch things around too much because you will not see results.
- Do a cleanse and adjust some eating habits that are not working for you.
- Take supplements – this will expedite your results BUT again stick to something for over 6 months. Do not switch or quite taking something after a few weeks or a month.
Next let’s talk supplements and consistency…
Also, for the supplements I take, it is also about CONSISTENCY. While there is no magic pill, I do have a successful vitamin regime and why it works is because I do not go with the flavour of the month. Supplements are just like brushing your teeth. You have to do it everyday and guess what you do not get gum disease. The same goes for your supplements, follow the label and stick to something and guess what you will see results.
Supplement Starter Bundle
New to supplements? This is for you…
- Wild Rose Cleanse
- Renew Life Probiotics
- Prairie Naturals Lean Whey Protein
- Progressive VegeGreens
- Alive Vitamins AminoSlim – Burns Fat
- Platinum Naturals Activ X Multivitamin
- Extra’s depending on if you have Osteoporosis or low iron or stress: Calcium, Iron, Vit D, B-Complex
- Email me for your situation and I would love to help: shannon@shopalive.ca
Why listen to me?
I simply know how it feels to have the desire to lose weight and to not be able to follow through. I know what it feels like to be able to commit to everyone else and everything else, but not myself. I am a mom of 3 and it seems impossible, but it is not if you believe in you and if you find the right support.
Lastly, as a small Canadian business, online sales have helped us keep going. Did you know that a percentage of our online sales go towards the Food banks of greater Vancouver? You are not only supporting us, but we are also working together to help support those in need.
While we practice social distancing we hope you will visit us online at:
www.shopalive.ca
If you have any questions email me at: shannon@shopalive.ca
Do not sit in silence; there are so many things you can do to better your health! Get excited and take charge of your health. Let’s work together, along with your doctor/health care professional to ensure you are doing all you can to lead a happy and healthy life. Our team looks forward to helping you with whatever your health concerns are.