Core Differences between Weight Loss Success and Failure

Let’s face it, losing weight isn’t easy. It requires focus, discipline and incorporating new lifestyle habits into your daily routine. For many of us that have tried and failed to keep the weight off, giving it another go might seem like a lost cause. But it doesn’t have to be.

By being knowledgeable about the factors that lead to success, and avoiding the common pitfalls that lead to failure, you can set yourself up to lose weight in a fun, healthy and positive way. A way that sticks with you, and helps you maintain a healthy and active lifestyle for years to come.

Measures of success

Focusing solely on the numbers on your scale may end up doing more harm than good. The main reason for trying to lose weight isn’t just about making the number on the scale smaller. Ultimately, you’re losing weight to be healthier, be more confident, feel more satisfied with your physical appearance, and to feel better about yourself overall. There isn’t one definitive tool that can measure all of these positive changes in your life.

Another reason for not placing too much emphasis on numbers is that once you reach your goal weight, you will no longer have a motivating factor to continue to be healthy. And what about if you have yet to reach your goal weight, but you’re finding that no matter what you do, the number on the scale just won’t go down? You will find yourself becoming frustrated and you may even be tempted to give up. In order for weight loss to be successful, your motivation should primarily be internal; it should come from within you.

And if all that wasn’t enough to sway you, keep in mind that the time of day, amount of food you’ve eaten or drank, and hormonal fluctuations can all throw off that number on the scale. Further, as you exercise, even aerobically, you’re going to “tone up”, building muscle (which weighs more than fat). So while you may have lost fat, you may have gained just enough muscle to counterbalance the actual number on the scale.

In short, don’t allow the scale to define your level of success or determine how you feel about yourself. Instead, focus on as many other measures of success as you can to improve your odds of sticking with it and achieving success.

Remember your “why”

Do you remember the moment when you decided it was time to lose weight? What was it at that time that motivated you to want to make some changes in your life? At the start of working on a goal, we feel fired up and energized. It is this motivation that allows us to believe that we can do it and that we can accomplish our goal no matter how grand or challenging it may be. That personal motivation is precious; it helps to keep the fire burning.

One way of remembering your “why”, is to keep an image or quote handy that will remind you of your motivation. For example, if you want to lose weight so that you can spend more time playing with your children, keep a nice picture of them running around outside as your phone’s wallpaper. You can write your motivating factors down on paper and keep it on your refrigerator or you can write in in washable marker on your bathroom mirror. Surround yourself with these reminders so that you will see them every day. It’s really difficult to forget about something that’s staring you in the face.

Keep it interesting

Many people avoid healthy activities because they think that it will be boring. Since one of the keys to losing weight is being consistent in your routine, it can be easy to become complacent or get stuck in a rut.

To avoid getting bored, switch it up. If you have a home gym here in Shreveport, make use of your fitness equipment. Try a variety of workouts that target a variety of muscles. You can use home gym equipment such as the BH Fitness ST3i treadmill. You can also make it fun by getting your friends to join you; Play tennis together, go for a hike, or go bike riding on a nice day. Not only will your friends keep you from getting bored, they can also help to hold you accountable to your fitness goals. Keep your palate stimulated by trying out new recipes.

Remember, healthy living and weight loss extends far beyond a fad diet or a New Year’s resolution. It’s a completely different way of life. It’s worth it to find ways to keep your new lifestyle fun and sustainable, and keeping things fresh will ensure you don’t burn out.

Set realistic expectations

Like many people, you may have failed at previous attempts at weight loss. You may feel discouraged before you even begin because you think this current attempt will end up just like the last one. To avoid the trap of negative thinking, focus on having a growth mindset. Remember that you deserve to be healthy and happy. You have the necessary resources, competence and tenacity to get there. The only true failure there is, is giving up; which means unless you give up, it’s impossible to fail. Isn’t that great news?

Setting realistic expectations will also prevent a lot of unnecessary heartache. The path to weight loss is not straight nor easy, it’s bumpy and full of obstacles. Prepare yourself for the fact that there will be setbacks, disappointments and mistakes. These challenges will ultimately make you stronger (physically and emotionally) and will make the reward of your fitness that much sweeter.

Need some Equipment to get Started?

At Fitness Expo here in Shreveport, we’ve got you covered. We have all the highest quality of fitness equipment. From the best treadmills to low impact but highly effective elliptical machines such as the Elliptigo 11r and everything in-between, we’ve got it all.