As a former athletic trainer and fitness instructor, I often hear from colleagues, friends, or even strangers passing by how much they would love to shed a few pounds. But, what really cracks me up (literally) is when some of them call and ask me, “what’s the quickest way to lose weight?” And I often wonder how should I answer that question.
We have all heard of the Santa Claus Cookie diet, Cabbage Soup diet, and worst of them all the Tapeworm diet in recent years as remedies for losing weight. However, each of these fad diets are all unhealthy ways of shedding extra pounds. Using weight loss remedies such as the ones I’ve listed above will let you lose weight rapidly, but you are almost guaranteed to gain the weight back just as fast or faster than you lost it. Not to mention, you may also gain more pounds than you initially lost in the first place.
Losing weight is not an easy thing to do, believe me I know. However, going about it the wrong way is not healthy and could result in long-term health issues. Now some of you reading this article may be thinking celebrities do it all the time. Yes. This is true, but we have to realize a few things:
- We are not celebrities.
- We do not have celebrity money.
- Celebrities usually do it for a part in a movie or a concert tour
- Most celebrities are still health conscious, because they have full-time trainers, nutritionists, and chefs who work around the clock at these celebrities beck and call.
- Regardless of what some celebrities say, their workouts are intense and with the proper diet it all aids in their rapid weight lost.
But for people like you and me, losing weight takes time, dedication, knowledge, and inspiration. You have to be willing to sacrifice the amount of consumption of your favorite drinks, foods, and sweets. Losing weight at a rapid pace is not the right thing to do if you plan on keeping the pounds off for good. Now, don’t get me wrong, you can indulge in your favorite foods and drinks but only in moderation. So, the next time you think about losing weight like the stars so you can look more like Demi Moore, Beyonce, or Halle Berry. Stop to think about the sacrifices they had to make and the sacrifices that you will have to make in order to successfully lose weight. You have to be dedicated to a healthier lifestyle of eating right and exercising regularly, so you can shed those extra pounds at steady pace for long-term weight loss. Here are a few tips to help you get started on the right path:
Tips:
- Check with you doctor first about your plan to lose weight. Contacting your doctor for a physical is a great idea, especially if you are going from having never exercised in the past or in a very long time to a rigorous workout schedule. The body needs time to adjust and you don’t want to overexert yourself by doing heavy workout routines and not knowing if your body is physically able to do so.
- Finding and picking the right gym that you are most comfortable with is key. Some gyms have alternating days and/or times for men and women to workout. Find a local gym in your area. Here are a few suggestions: Bally’s, Powerhouse Gym, YMCA.
- Get inspired! Cut out pictures from a few fitness magazines and tape them to the most visited areas in your house, office or the dashboard of your car. Doing this will keep you focused and motivated.
- Set realistic goals. Setting goals to high will only cause disappointment in the end and possibly ruin your focus.
- Buy a pair of running shoes with good support. Spend the extra money it costs for running shoes made for intense workouts. For example, Asics has good performance shoes.
- Wear a sports bra and the right workout gear, so you aren’t inhibited by your clothes while working out.
- Get help with weights and exercise equipment before using. To prevent injuries, ask for assistance from gym staff if you are using equipment for the first time or unsure whether you are using the equipment correctly.
Now that I have given you the steps to begin your journey to a healthier lifestyle, drop the excuses!!!
