Weight Loss

One of my entrepreneurial friends compared his 70 pound weight loss success to building his first successful business. The same rules apply in business and weight loss. You must have a strategic plan, you must have a strong why, you must play by the rules and not stray too far to succeed. Discipline in having a successful business is just as important as having a successful loss of weight. There will inevitably be problems and issues that arise. The successful business/weight loss person will keep going and not allow small things to get in the way of the big picture.

Let’s take a look at the aspects which you need to develop a strategic plan on.

Sleep
Nutrition
Workout Program
Stress
Support

I gave a detailed information about sleep and nutrition in my nutrition section.

Workout Program.
A workout program should fit your personality, fitness level, health condition and your schedule. There are many classes, boot camps, on-line programs, and activity clubs that you can participate in and be consistent with in order to achieve your weight loss goal.
But nothing beats a one-on-one session with a personal trainer. A personal trainer designs an individual, safe and efficient integrated training program for you. A personal trainer helps you set a realistic weight loss goal and guide you through it. Furthermore, a good personal trainer sees your potential, can push you at the moment when you want to give up, and makes sure you perform the exercises with the right form. You invest your money and your energy in your weight loss goal and as a result, it makes you devoted to your commitment.

Stress.
In our contemporary fast-paced world, we cannot avoid stress but we can find a way to deal with it. During stress your body releases the stress hormone cortisol. It provides the body with the glucose that gives a human being enough energy to fight or flee a stressor.

But if the stress dominates your life it can result in:

poor blood sugar management
insulin resistance
depression
sleep deprivation
altered sex hormone activity
amino acid loss from muscle
reduced metabolism
carbohydrate craving

Under stress your mind wants to comfort the body with sugary and fast food followed by overeating. But even if you eat right the high cortisol created under stress slows down your metabolism causing more weight gain than you would normally experience. If eliminating stress seems like an Utopia, than balancing it sounds like a plan.

There are some relaxing and energizing activities that can help you dealing with the stress:

Meditation
Yoga
Pilates
Exercising
Stretching
SPA treatment
Jacuzzi time
Sauna
Music
Relaxing hobby
Reading
Meaningful relationships
Drinking tea
Warm bath
Candle
Aromatherapy
Laughter

Find your stress relief and balance your life.

Support.
People who are trying to change their exercise behavior and eating habits fare better with a strong social support. Social support can include family, friends, coworkers, personal trainers, and other people who provide encouragement, accountability, and companionship.
It is so hard to follow through with a healthy lifestyle while others may try to seduce you into just the opposite. You have to stick to your plan. Nutrition is the hardest part of a change and it is a mental game. Exercising is one of the priorities that you have to include in your schedule. You also have to balance stress with relaxation and take care of your sleep. Do not hesitate to ask for support in achieving your goals.
Extra weight affects your health. Your body has to carry extra pounds which makes it more difficult for the joints. Then pain becomes a part of your life. It also impacts your organs and may develop into different kinds of diseases. Weight gain influences yourself image, making a direct impact on your confidence and social life. There is a healthy and rewarding way to overcome it. I know several stories about how weight loss changed people’s lives for the better. Your great adventures are waiting for a healthy you!