Starting a weight loss journey can be hard! Let’s get this out there now and challenge any views of those who think losing weight is easy. Lowering the amount of food we eat sounds simple, but it is so much more complicated than that. Food is often connected with years of emotions, behaviours and habits that have been ingrained into our lives since we were young. Expecting us to ‘get over it and eat less’ is unfair and in some instances nothing short of ignorance.
As a man who used to be 32 stone, I understand this challenge and even today still sometimes struggle with my eating habits. My years of experience and training means I now have a unique view on weight loss.
In today’s blog, I will share my 5 top tips to start your weight loss journey!
Be clear on WHY you want to start your weight loss journey
Sounds so simple, doesn’t it? Why do you want to lose weight? The most common reasons I often hear are:
- To be healthier
- The GP has told me that I need to
- I had a recent health scare, so I need to make a change
- Would like to fit into my old clothes
All very legitimate and reasonable reasons to lose weight? Well, they are a great start but are they enough? In my experience, the less time you put into why you want to lose weight, the less you will stick to them. Be very clear on why you want to lose weight. Be precise and to the point. Connect it to a personal reason and not because you think it is what others what you to do.
For me, I started my journey because I was faced with the thought that I would die young without ever achieving anything meaningful. I was plagued with a nightmare that my gravestone would say “Dave was here and played games”. I wanted to be someone and do something more than play games, so this became my why.
Be realistic with your weight loss journey
Most people when they set their weight loss goal it often is summed up in “I want to lose weight”. This needs to be much more precise but also realistic. Be mindful of the SMART Goal setting technique and make it specific. Start your goal using the NHS guidance of an lb a week. Be aware of setting your time frame as well so you can keep a closer eye on your progress.
A good tip is to change that open-ended goal of “Lose Weight” to “I would like to lose 1lb a week for the next six months so that by the end I lose 24 lbs (Or around 1.7 Stone)”. This is more realistic for most people and much easier to achieve.
Be loud about it your weight loss journey
Shout it out to the world! Share your goal with your family, friends and colleagues. I understand you might be scared to share it because you worry others will judge us. If they are good people, they will support you in what you are trying to achieve. If not then we may have found one of the reasons why you’re eating habits have got to the way they have. We must talk openly about our goals in life with those around us because it means they can help hold us to account. It also means we are more likely to achieve them because we have shared our intentions with the world.
Be mindful why you eat
Spend time thinking about why you eat. When I ask people in my healthy eating courses, the common reasons are:
- I like food, and it tastes good
- It makes me feel better
- Because we have too
There is only one reason why we eat, and that is simply energy. We need food to fuel our bodies and keep us healthy. Sadly, with the increased access to food these days that is often forgotten.
Still, despite this, you must be mindful why you eat and when. One of the best ways to achieve that is with a food diary. Keep a week or twos record of what you eat, when you eat and remember to leave comments about how you were feeling at the time.
By doing this, you can gain valuable insight into your eating habits and notice patterns of behaviour.
Be prepared to prepare
Sounds so simple, doesn’t it? Prepare! To make this work, you need to be prepared to put the work in and prepare how you’re going to lose weight. There is no such thing as a magic wand fix to weight loss, and even Gastric Surgery requires hard work and preparation.
A massive impact on your weight loss journey will be planning and preparing your meals for the week. Yes, I know it takes time, but it’s not as difficult a task as you think. Not only that it can save you money so what’s to lose?
Every journey begins with a single step
Things take time, of course, they do, and anything meaningful in life requires hard work and determination. It may seem like a big task to achieve, but the only way you can start is by taking a single step at a time.
Who am I?
I am passionate about supporting others to focus on their passions and regain their purpose in life again. I love spending my time educating and promoting a healthy lifestyle within the community. My purpose now is to use my experience of once being an unemployed man, extreme gaming addict and weighing 32 stone to inspire others to make positive changes in their lives.
If you feel you want help with your Weight Loss Journey please feel free to contact me.
